The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has announced the nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Awards of Merit. Wim Wenders’ “Pina” leads another strong year for German talent. “It is fantastic to be nominated in the category of Best Documentary a second time after “Buena Vista Social Club,” specially as it is the first time for a 3D film to be granted that honor,” the filmmaker said. “All the dancers and collaborators of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, together with the crew and the production company Neue Road Movies, are extremely proud of this.”

In addition to its worldwide box office in 22 countries totaling $16 million to-date, “Pina” already received numerous German and European honors, including the best European Documentary Film Award, the Deutsche Filmpreis for Best Documentary Film, as well as the German Documentary Prize. Recently, Wim Wenders himself was honored with the Bavarian Film Prize’s Life Achievement Award. He was also nominated by the Writers Guild of America (West) in the category Best Documentary Screenplay and received a nomination for the BAFTA Awards in Great Britain in the category Best Foreign Language Film.

As Germany’s official submission, “Pina” had also qualified in the latter category reaching the short list of nine finalists. Among the five final nominees, Germany can take pride in co-producing Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing Holocaust drama “In Darkness” with Canada and submitting country Poland. Providing Berlin and Leipzig locations, Schmidtz Katze Filmkollektiv and Studio Babelsberg also brought in German actors Benno Führmann and Maria Schrader, to name but two. Five German state and federal media organizations provided additional funding.

For “Raju,” their thesis film at Hamburg Film School with support from Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, director Max Zähle and producer Stefan Gieren received a nomination as Best Short Feature – Live Action. The 24 minute drama revolves about a German couple that adopted a young boy from an orphanage in Kolkata, India. When he disappears, “they realize that their eagerness to help is not the solution, but in fact part of the problem itself,” German Films noted. “Raju” screened at numerous festivals, including Max Ophüls Festival Saarbrücken 2011, Valencia (Spain), Aspen, Col. and Palm Springs, Calif. At the 2011 LA Shorts Fest 2011, “Raju” was deemed Best Foreign Film. In addition earning the top prize at the Angelus Student Film Festival 2011, the film also received the Honorary Student Academy Award 2011 in Bronze. Since 2000, there have been a total of six Oscar nominations and two Oscars for German shorts, “Quiero Ser” by Florian Gallenberger and “Toyland” by Jochen Alexander Freydank.

Last but not least, Lisy Christl was nominated for her Costume Design for Roland Emmerich’s Shakespeare mystery “Anonymous” (co-produced by Vierzehnte Babelsberg Film GmbH Produktion, Berlin). Christl, who began her career working in the wardrobe department for Joseph Vilsmaier’s “Stalingrad” in 1993, has several Foreign Language Oscar candidates on her resume, including “Brother of Sleep”, “Caché (Hidden)” and “John Rabe”. This nomination comes on the heals of Christl’s designer colleagues being honored with mentions from the Art Directors Guild for their work on “Anonymous.”

The 84th Academy Awards  ceremony will take place on Sunday, 26 February 2012 at Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live in more than 25 countries.

Related posts:

1. Germany on Oscar Short List Nine films will advance to the next round of voting...
2. Pina in der Oscar Vorauswahl ...
3. Oscar Nominierungen für “Pina”, “Hugo” und “The Artist” Mit neun Nominierungen in der Kategorie Best Picture konnte...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Due to the Korean War, compulsory military service was again introduced in the USA the and Bill Ramsey did service with the Air Force in Germany. During this time period, he appeared in clubs like Jazz Cellar in Frankfurt/Main and was discovered by an employee of AFN and hired to entertain troops.
In the 50s and 60s he became a German Superstar and his Hits are legendary.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The city of Hamburg

Green Technology: Cooperation Perspectives for the US Midwest Regionand Northern Germany
The Chicago Hamburg Business Forum 2011 will be featuring delegation members from Hamburg, the city awarded by the European Commission as the “European Green Capital 2011″. The metropolitan region of Hamburg is home to 4.3 million inhabitants, with 1.8 million residing in the city center. Hamburg, the sister city of Chicago, is also a bustling industrial center, home to  3.600 industrial firms, as well as the third largest port in Europe. Within recent years, the renewable energy and green technology sectors in Hamburg have witnessed tremendous growth.  Thus, Hamburg continues to be a model industrial metropolis by maintaining the connection between a livable city and a prosperous hub for trade and transportation.
Confirmed delegation Members & Speakers include:
Frank Horch, Senator for Economic Affairs, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
Prof. Dr. Hans-Jörg Schmidt-Trenz, CEO, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce
Ralf Sigrist, President & CEO, Nordex USA Inc.
Pieter Wasmuth, Chief Representative for Hamburg and Northern Germany, Vattenfall Europe AG
Dr. Rüdiger Siechau, CEO, Stadtreinigung  Hamburg (Department of Streets and Sanitation)
Michael Westhagemann, CEO, Siemens AG Region Nord
Stefan Heczko, CEO, Powerwind GmbH

More than 20 companies will participate in the delegation, representing a wide array of Hamburg’s leadership in renewable energy, green building and environmental technology. A full list of participating companies as well as online registration will be available soon.

Panels include:
- Renewable Energy Sectors
- Green Building
- Environmental Technology
An evening reception will follow from 7 PM to 9.30 PM at the Dana Hotel, Vertigo Sky Lounge, 660 North State Street, Chicago, IL
All events and meetings are free of charge.

Related posts:

1. Hamburg set for take-off: First CO2-free “airport” opened From the beginning of May, Hamburg is taking the...
2. CA: Business Lunch Panel @ Windpower 2011 in Anaheim At this year’s Windpower Conference and Expo in Anaheim, enjoy...
3. Summer in Berlin and Hamburg Germany’s Largest and Most Northern Cities Each Offer Distinct...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Siemens also started the wonderful ANSWERS campaign and has an informative Youtube Channel for renewable energies.

Related posts:

1. German Company to Build World’s Largest Solar Power Plant in California Green light for 3000-megawatt power plant in Blythe that can...
2. German Electricity Over 17 Percent Renewable Germany’s homeowners choose renewable energy. The share of renewable electricity...
3. Chicago Hamburg Business Forum 2011 Green Technology: Cooperation Perspectives for the US Midwest Regionand Northern...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Read what Time Magazine had to say:  “As the first woman leader of a major continental European power, Angela Merkel has used her extraordinary talents to maintain the delicate balance of Germany’s grand coalition. These talents were put to use in jump-starting Europe’s economy, which was in a slump when she took power in 2005. Alongside French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who shares her taste for decisive political action, commitment and hard work, Merkel, 56, worked tirelessly to steer Europe through the financial crisis. Her personal style combined with Germany’s search for consensus has earned her country great influence around the world. It’s a topic her natural reticence doesn’t allow her to expand on, but that’s the Merkel method for you: a spirit of compromise in the service of a genuine ambition — and fed by a desire for openness. Under her, Germany has once again become a nation to emulate. “

Check out the complete list on Time.com

Related posts:

1. Germany turns off 7 plants what is the US doing? First off, thank you to the Fukushima 50. The workers...
2. European Songcontest hosted by Germany Born out of war-torn Europe a Swiss committee looked for...
3. Merkel visits Obama President Obama welcomes Chancellor Merkel to the White House. Great...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Gambaru means in Japanese: Do your best in whatever state that you find yourself in. Never ever, ever give up, even and especially when there is no chance of winning.

Spiegel TV Report about the nuclear power plant with lots of facts: We are not prepared for a combined accident Tsunami & Earthquake
http://www.spiegel.de/video/video-1115374.html

How vulnerable are US nuclear plants? Interesting read on CNN http://bit.ly/fs0RXP

Like any good hitchhiker through the galaxy would say: Don’t panic! Still it’s wise to be prepared http://72hours.org http://www.usgs.gov

Incomprehensible tragedy: http://www.boston.com

Reader Tip, thank you for sending it in: LADWP information on how to Switch to Green Power:

U.S. Senator Boxer: Evacuating 50 mile radius around California nuclear plants would mean moving 7.5 million people.

Japans quake went like a jolt through the European politics. Politicians that at least some time, not only rule with common sense, but also listen to what the people really want. Austria’s Environment Minister (where is the US ministry for environment and sustainability?) motioned that all European nuclear power plants undergo a “stress test”.
So far nuclear power was a national issue and always a touchy one within the EU.
Some countries, e.g. France rely heavily on nuclear power. Three quarters of French power is nuclear.
And no matter what politicians say, nuclear is anything else but clean, because the depleted uranium is highly toxic. France stores it in Le Havre and underground and sent thousands of nuclear waste to Russia.
Austria is one of the few countries that has a nuclear power plant, Zwentendorf, but after a referendum never went operational. Wonder if in the US people will ever be asked about essential questions like do you want to have a nuclear power plant in a tsunami / earthquake are or not?
Now nature has reclaimed the area and the plant is used for spare parts. The plant is similar to the one if Fukushima which went online in 1971. Pictures of what it looks like inside Zwentendorf, which is used for training purposes and for spare parts. Slide show.

Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted right away, she said that the Japanese apocalypse is a “turning point in the history of the industrial world,”.
She is reconsidering putting the plan for a nuclear free Germany by 2022 back in place and Germany is switching off 7 power plants built before 1980!
That is only 31 years… California’s San Onofre and San Luis Obispo plants are about a decade older. And on top of it they are in like Japan’s Fukushima in earthquake zones and close to the ocean.
There are different news reports about how high the wall to the ocean really is and if it is build for a 6.5 earthquake or a bit higher, but regardless. Fact is the plants are old. Japan spent a lot more on earthquake security than e.g. California does. And nobody predicted that the Japanese earthquake would be do violent and a 9 causing a tsunami.
Do we need a more vivid reminder about how utterly helpless we are in face of such a tragedy, than the pictures that flood the news right now?
Three of the four corners of the pacific plates had catastrophic quakes recently. The US West Coast is the remaining corner. Maybe it is time to take this more seriously.
Maybe it is time to switch off the aging plants and find another solution.

Even Venezuela halts its nuclear plans. Only the official US response is not re-thinking, but checking the safety a bit and then probably once the media storm is over doing business as usual, because business, not common sense or safety is what rules this country. Pretty likely we, the people, will go ahead and build more plants, at least the ones that were suggested by the while house a while ago as a “clean” alternative. But maybe we can continue to dream; this is the country where your dreams come true, that the US will re-think its energy policy.

The US is so way behind, when it comes to protecting citizens and listening to what the people want. Which is for sure not living close to an over 40 year old power plant or to have new lethal plants that man cannot control in case of emergency.

Official statements are ridden with un-precise statements and with phrases like: “As safe as humanly possible“ which ironically the point, a tsunami or an earthquake are not human, it is Mother Nature showing us her force.

There is a petition to ask president Obama to take action and if not turn plants off, at least put plants to build new ones on hold.

But is all that enough? There is no real anti atomic movement, nobody standing up and making politicians rethink not to put a single tax dollar into non-renewable energies from this day on. To rethink, rebuild, reengineer and finally respect Mother Nature and stop abusing her.
Maybe it is time for citizens to step up and make their voices heard. After all it is all of us who will have his or her food poisoned and who will suffer from potential radiation poisoning that no human being will be able to protect us from in case of emergency.

It is high-time for the mighty USA to step up, when it comes to sustainable energy
If Germany can do it, so can we!

Radiation Network , depicting environmental radiation levels across the USA, updated in real time every minute.

Angela Merkel mentioning her oath and that it is her duty to protect citizens. All German nuclear plants will be tested, seven will go offline for that period of time and might never go online again.
Where is president Obama taking action, why aren’t San Luis Obispo and San Onofre officially tested and it is even considered to turn them off while we still can?

Here is a list compiled by journalist Reinhard Kargl to help Japan.

German Word: SUPERGAU – GRÖSST ANZUNEHMENDER UNFALL – worst possible accident – WORST CASE SCENARIO

Related posts:

1. Siemens to abandon major role in atomic-power industry Even if the mass media have their eyes on other...
2. Germany: A Nation to Emulate Time Magazine has published the 2011 TIME 100 List. The...
3. German Company to Build World’s Largest Solar Power Plant in California Green light for 3000-megawatt power plant in Blythe that can...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Germany’s solar market remains the largest in the world, with new systems in 2010 totaling over 7 GWp and amounting to approximately half of the world market. Germany also accounts for Europe’s largest share of installed wind capacity at over 27 GW through 2010.
“With record demand every year in Germany and growing markets across Europe, it’s not surprising that many of the world’s biggest solar and wind players are located here,” stated Tobias Homann, Senior Manager for Photovoltaics at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

Completing the Picture – Energy Storage and Fuel Cells
The growing supply of fluctuating energy is increasing demand for energy storage. Germany has broadened its framework for R&D and for the commercialization of energy storage technologies. The federal government expects renewable energies to account for 35 percent of Germany’s electricity mix by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, with further investments in energy storage a prerequisite.
“Germany has the right conditions for the rapid development of the energy storage and fuel cell industry. The combination of renewable energy generation, innovation and demonstration projects makes Germany an optimal location for companies looking to enter this budding industry,” stated Raphael Goldstein, Senior Manager for Energy Storage and Fuel Cells at Germany Trade & Invest.

Source: Germany Trade and Invest

Related posts:

1. German Company to Build World’s Largest Solar Power Plant in California Green light for 3000-megawatt power plant in Blythe that can...
2. Siemens to abandon major role in atomic-power industry Even if the mass media have their eyes on other...
3. Chicago Hamburg Business Forum 2011 Green Technology: Cooperation Perspectives for the US Midwest Regionand Northern...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Air Berlin’s hub is Duesseldorf, located in Germany’s Western part of the country, with excellent connections to Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart and many European destinations.

Joachim Hunold, CEO Air Berlin, commented on the agreement that is linked to Air Berlin’s plans to join oneworld, the global airline alliance: “We are very pleased that the bilateral agreement will be in place for the start of the winter schedule 2010/11. With our friends at American Airlines we will link our hubs on both sides of the Atlantic to achieve a major increase in our services by operating codeshare flights. Initially we will offer 38 routes, including nine transatlantic routes, as part of this codeshare.”

Tom Horton, President of American Airlines, added: “We are pleased to announce our partnership with Air Berlin, the second largest German airline, which has also become one of the most respected airlines in Europe over the past two decades. This relationship will add significant value for our customers by substantially growing our global network. The agreement provides our customers with extensive access to Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, as well as many other business and leisure destinations. Furthermore, Air Berlin’s U.S. services truly complement our three strategic core markets – New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.”

From its New York hub at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), American Airlines offers flights to 56 destinations. The Miami hub of American Airlines is at the heart of an exceptional density of flight connections to 30 destinations in Mexico, Central and South America. In addition, American Airlines offers a network to 23 islands in the Caribbean and six destinations in the Bahamas, which exceeds the services provided by any other airline. From its Los Angeles hub there are 31 connections including four destinations in Hawaii.

Membership of oneworld will provide airberlin passengers with access to a unique, global network. With airberlin joining the alliance, the number of oneworld gateways will rise to 75, while the number of destinations will increase to almost 900 in 150 countries. The combined fleet includes 2,500 aircraft and offers around 9,500 flights per day, carrying 340 million passengers per annum.

More information on  www.airberlin.com and on www.aa.com

Related posts:

1. airberlin: New Nonstop Service from New York to Berlin airberlin is now connecting the two metropolises, New York and...
2. airberlin, Boeing and Berlin Airports welcome first Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Germany � Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner made its first landing in Germany...
3. AirBerlin to fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Berlin Scheduled to start in May 2012, AirBerlin will be...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Advent calendars

This German invention became a custom at the turn of the 20th century and has since advanced to worldwide popularity.

Advent calendars in Germany have 24 small windows or doors that open to reveal a picture, candy or other small gift. Needless to say, it is a favorite with children because it helps them pass the long waiting time until December 24th, called Heiligabend in Germany. That is the evening on which presents are shared in Germany.

Many families put great effort into crafting their own special calendars. Also a seemingly endless variety of calendars can be found in stores—from simple cardboard panels hiding chocolate to elaborate three-dimensional structures containing toys.

Advent wreaths

An Advent wreath—often made of evergreen branches and usually decorated with four candles—is one of the most popular symbols of the season. On the four Sundays in Advent families often gather to light the candles and to sing carols and read Christmas stories together.

The evergreen wreath has its roots in the northern city of Hamburg, where in 1839 a wreath was hung in the prayer hall of the Rauhes Haus charity. This arrangement made of pine branches found favor in the homes of Protestant families, particularly those living in northern Germany. In the 1920s, though, Roman Catholics began to adopt the custom too.

Originally decorated with 24 candles, one for each day of Advent, the number has long been reduced to four, symbolizing the four Sundays before Christmas.

Source by http://www.germany.info

Related posts:

1. Tip: How to make an Advent Wreath Der Adventkranz – The� Advent Wreath The Advent wreath, is...
2. Germany: A Nation to Emulate Time Magazine has published the 2011 TIME 100 List. The...
3. Pentecost – Pfingsten Pfingsten or Pentecost from ancient Greek: � εντηκοστή is the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

A Cause for Joy Germans in East and West?

By Pia Reutter

This year, on October 3, Germany will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of its reunification. After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in the fall of 1989 the next step toward German reunification was to obtain the approval of the four conquering allied powers of Second World War, which under international law still carried, or claimed, responsibility for Germany as a whole. Thus, starting in May 1990 negotiations were held between Hans-Dietrich Genscher for the Federal Republic of Germany, the foreign minister of the first freely elected government of the German Democratic Republic, Markus Meckel, James Baker for the USA, Eduard Shevardnadze for the Soviet Union, Douglas Hurd for Great Britain, and Roland Dumas for France. The talks culminated in the Two Plus Four Treaty (agreement over the final settlement with regard to Germany). The treaty approved the unification of the two German states and recognized reunified Germany’s full sovereignty over its domestic and foreign affairs. On October 3 the five new German federal states joined the “area of application of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.”

What are people in Germany thinking 20 years after the reunification? A clear majority of Germans see the historical milestone as a “cause for joy.”

63% have such a positive view of German reunification. However, 17% regard reunification as a “cause for concern,” while 20% are undecided. “Looking at the results of our poll on German reunification, people’s great joy about unification has been one of the constants of the past two decades,” says Thomas Petersen from the Allensbach Institute, one of the most respected opinion research firms in Germany. “Above all, the figures in eastern Germany are all overwhelmingly positive.”
A majority of 64% also believe that east and west are growing together successfully. The figure in the west is as high as 68%, compared to 51% in the east. 15% of people in eastern Germany are undecided, and at least 34% there believe that east and west will “basically remain like two separate states.”

Convergence between the two parts of Germany is made more difficult by the growing tendency in eastern Germany to glorify the former GDR. These days, only 45% of east Germans still say that “a lot really had to change” in the former GDR.
All the more positive is the fact that relations between east and west Germans are becoming more and more relaxed. A steadily growing number of Germans see people in east and west as “quite close.” 25% agreed with this statement in 2009, the highest figure since reunification in 1990. 58% of Germans already describe Germany’s overall development – from the fall of the Berlin Wall to reunification and on to the present day – as a success story. 57% of people hold this view in the west, and as many as 64% in the east.

Related posts:

1. German Unity Day The Day of German Unity (German: Tag der Deutschen Einheit)...
2. 30 Years Austrian-American Council North America The evening will be organized by the Austrian-American Council...
3. “Pearls and Presence” 30 years Austrian-American Council Elegant celebration of 30 Years of Austrian American Council in...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.