stephan mantler More »

Obama!

So, Barack Obama was elected 44th president of the United States of America. It is a change pretty much everybody (outside of the US, and obviously also inside) had been hoping for, and the tidal wave of his victory will hopefully mark the beginning of a new era. However, political promises and the reality are two [...]

An ugly aftertaste

…left by the results of the elections for the Austrian National Council. An unbearable shift to the right, and a collective loss of cognitive abilities, has apparently struck the Austrian population. The results leave me totally dumbstuck, with the right wing FPÖ and BZÖ collectively getting 29%, and together with the moderate-right ÖVP even 55% of [...]

SCIAM article on surging food prices

The recent surge in world food prices is already creating havoc in poor countries, and worse is to come. Food riots are spreading across Africa, though many are unreported in the international press. Moreover, the surge in wheat, maize and rice prices seen on commodities markets have not yet fully percolated into the shops and [...]

Tibet

I can’t really find the words to describe my emotions about this. I feel worried about Tibet, which won’t really have a snowball’s chance in hell in such a conflict with China. A certain understanding that 50 years of (more or less foreful) oppression culminate so explosively. Deep sorrow about the death toll. And utter [...]

What a shame

Lower Austria has voted… and the result is, in my eyes, quite a shame. The fact that the FPO and their xenophobic themes could more than double their votes (and are now third strongest) causes a deep urge for Emesis.