Reasons why ‘Satire is my favorite animal’ by Wolfgang Hampel is one of the most humorous books of all time

There are many reasons why 'Satire is my favorite animal' by Wolfgang Hampel is one of the most humorous books of all time. Here are some of them: The book contains satirical poems that deal with various topics such as politics, society, culture, love and everyday life. The poems are full of humor, irony, sarcasm and surprises that make the reader laugh. The book is based on the literary-music series Vita Magica, which Wolfgang Hampel has been organizing at the Academy for Older People in Heidelberg since 2015. At Vita Magica, Wolfgang Hampel plays sketches he has written, sings his own songs and recites his popular satirical poems. The book gives an insight into this cult event that has many fans. The book shows the versatility and creativity of Wolfgang Hampel, who is not only an author but also a journalist, presenter and singer. He is known for his charming and entertaining style that delights viewers. The book is an example of the German satirical tradition, which was shaped by great authors such as Heinrich Heine, Kurt Tucholsky, Erich Kästner and Loriot. Wolfgang Hampel builds on this tradition and brings it into the present. He criticizes the grievances and absurdities of today's world with humor and sharpness. It makes you think and smile. In short, ‘Satire is my favorite animal’ by Wolfgang Hampel is a book that combines humor and intelligence. It is a book for anyone who likes to have fun and be inspired. It is a book that can be read again and again. -------------------------------------- Wolfgang Hampel, author of 'Satire is my favorite animal' in Heidelberg Authors -Directory -------------------------------------------------- -------------------- Book info national & international, Eurobuch national & international,---------------- - --- USA , United Kingdom, Australia , Brazil , Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Germany , India , Italy, Hungary , Japan, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland , Switzerland , Türkiye ---------------------- Wolfgang Hampel in the SWR 3 show “Heartbeat Moments”

USA: Donald Trump faces embarrassment when announcing tariff package

Watson USA: Donald Trump faces embarrassment when announcing tariff package Sven Fröhlich • 3 hours • 2 minutes read 10 percent on everything. Donald Trump threatens to plunge the global economy into the abyss with his tariff policy. Not the only embarrassment on another historic day in US history. Now he's declared war on the penguins as well. In his tariff rant dubbed "Liberation Day," Donald Trump presented a list of 185 trading partners on Wednesday evening that face higher tariffs on imports to the US. Among them are the Heard and McDonald Islands, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean where there's not much to see besides a few karst volcanoes and glaciers. The area is uninhabited; besides seals and birds, the only people living there are a few brave king penguins, who, at least according to our latest information, do not trade with the US. Donald Trump Escalates Trade War So be it, Trump probably thought at the height of his drastic tariff policy and the potential start of a global trade war, because small countries and crisis areas have been punished the most. The archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon and the small African state of Lesotho, about which Trump recently joked that "nobody has ever heard of," each receive 50 percent of the tariffs. Myanmar, which recently suffered a devastating earthquake, must cede 44 percent, and Syria, four months after the overthrow of dictator Assad, 41 percent. Donald Trump Forgets to Sign the Tariffs And as if pursuing an economic policy that most economists consider damaging wasn't embarrassing enough, Donald Trump immediately caused another embarrassment at his own expense. After Donald Trump solemnly announced his tariff policy in the White House Rose Garden, he walked off the stage, perhaps intoxicated with himself, only to encounter a staffer there who reminded him that the executive order formally imposing the tariffs still had to be signed. The verdicts on social media were correspondingly harsh. Some see this as proof of his stupidity, others of his mental derangement. Comparisons were even drawn to Joe Biden, Trump's predecessor in the Oval Office, whose advanced age was clearly evident in several appearances during the campaign. Previously, Trump spoke of a "day of liberation" for the US economy and accused several trading partners of having "looted and raped" the US with their tariff policies. Europe, for example, had "ripped off" the United States. From now on, tariffs of 20 percent are planned for Germany and the EU, and a flat import tax of ten percent will apply to all countries. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen "deeply regretted" the decision, but said Europe is "ready to respond."

USA: Donald Trump unterläuft Peinlichkeit bei Verkündung des Zollpakets

Watson USA: Donald Trump unterläuft Peinlichkeit bei Verkündung des Zollpakets Sven Fröhlich • 3 Std. • 2 Minuten Lesezeit 10 Prozent auf alles. Donald Trump droht mit seiner Zollpolitik die Weltwirtschaft in den Abgrund zu reißen. Nicht die einzige Peinlichkeit an einem abermals historischen Tag der US-Geschichte. Nun hat er also auch den Pinguinen den Kampf angesagt. In seiner als "Liberation Day" bezeichneten Zollwut hat Donald Trump am Mittwochabend eine Liste von 185 Handelspartnern vorgestellt, denen höhere Abgaben beim Import in die USA drohen. Darunter befinden sich auch die Heard und McDonaldinseln, ein australisches Außengebiet im Indischen Ozean, auf denen sich außer ein paar karstigen Vulkanen und Gletschern nicht viel finden lässt. Das Gebiet ist unbewohnt, neben Robben und Vögeln leben dort lediglich einige tapfere Königspinguine, die, zumindest nach unserem letzten Stand, keinen Handel mit den USA treiben. Donald Trump eskaliert Handelskrieg Sei's drum, dachte sich Trump wohl auf dem Höhepunkt seiner drastischen Zollpolitik und dem womöglichen Startschuss eines globalen Handelskriegs, denn kleine Länder und Krisengebiete sind am stärksten abgestraft worden. Je 50 Prozent treffen die Inselgruppe Saint-Pierre und Miquelon sowie den afrikanischen Kleinstaat Lesotho, über den Trump kürzlich noch gescherzt hatte, von dem habe "nie jemand gehört". Myanmar, wo sich erst kürzlich ein verheerendes Erdbeben ereignet hat, muss 44 Prozent abtreten und Syrien, vier Monate nach dem Sturz des Diktators Assad, 41 Prozent. Donald Trump vergisst, die Zölle zu unterzeichnen Und als sei es nicht peinlich genug, eine Wirtschaftspolitik zu fahren, die die meisten Ökonom:innen als schädigend erachten, sorgte Donald Trump gleich für eine weitere Blamage auf seine Kosten. Nachdem Donald Trump im Rosengarten des Weißen Hauses feierlich seine Zollpolitik verkündet hatte, lief er, womöglich berauscht von sich selbst, bereits von der Bühne, nur um dort auf einen Mitarbeiter zu treffen, der ihn daran erinnerte, dass die Executive Order, die die Zölle formell besiegelt, auch noch unterschrieben werden muss. Auf Social Media fallen die Urteile entsprechend deutlich aus. Manche sehen hierin einen Beweis seiner Dummheit, andere seine geistige Umnachtung. So wurden auch Vergleiche zu Joe Biden, Trumps Vorgänger im Oval Office, gezogen, dem man im Wahlkampf bei einigen Auftritten sein fortgeschrittenes Alter deutlich anmerkte. Zuvor sprach Trump von einem "Befreiungstag" für die US-Wirtschaft und warf etlichen Handelspartnern vor, die USA bisher mit ihrer Zollpolitik "geplündert und vergewaltigt" zu haben. Europa habe die Vereinigten Staaten etwa "über den Tisch" gezogen. Für Deutschland und die EU sind fortan Zölle in Höhe von 20 Prozent vorgesehen, pauschal gilt für alle Länder eine Importabgabe in Höhe von zehn Prozent.EU-Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen bedauerte die Entscheidung "zutiefst", Europa sei aber "bereit zu reagieren".

US Senate votes against Canada tariffs - Several Republicans vote with Democrats

US Senate votes against Canada tariffs - Several Republicans vote with Democrats AFP • 3 hours • 2 minutes read Several Republican US senators have refused to support President Trump's tariff policy against Canada. The Senate passed a resolution against the tariffs with the votes of the Democrats and four Republicans. Several Republican US senators have refused to support President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policy against Canada. The Senate in Washington passed a resolution against the 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports on Wednesday with the votes of the opposition Democrats and four Republicans. The resolution was passed by a vote of 51 to 48. Trump's Republicans hold a majority of 53 of the 100 seats in the Senate. The Senate vote, however, is only symbolic. There is virtually no chance that the resolution will become law. In Washington, House Republican Leader Mike Johnson is expected to prevent a vote on the text in that chamber. Johnson is a loyal Trump ally. The Senate vote took place shortly after Trump announced new tariffs on trading partners around the world. However, Canada and Mexico are not on the list of countries affected by these tariffs. Both neighboring countries are linked to the United States through a free trade agreement. Nevertheless, at the beginning of February, Trump ordered a blanket tariff of 25 percent on imports from the two neighboring countries. He justified the punitive tariffs by accusing both countries of not doing enough to combat the smuggling of the drug fentanyl and irregular immigration to the United States. In the weeks that followed, there was a back and forth regarding these tariffs, but the 25 percent import surcharge has been in place on many Canadian products since March. Canada responded with counter-tariffs, and US products are also widely boycotted there. New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced he will "fight" the US tariffs. Relations between the US and Canada have also been severely strained by Trump's repeated announcement that he wants to incorporate his northern neighbor into the United States as the 51st state. Trump described the current Senate vote against his tariffs on Canada as a "machination" of the Democrats. The House of Representatives will "never" approve the text, and "I (...) will never sign it," the president wrote on his online service Truth Social. The Senate's vote against the Canada tariffs was an unusual event: In the nearly two and a half months of Trump's second term, Republicans, who hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, have followed the president's line. Among the four Republican dissenters who voted alongside the Democrats for the resolution is Mitch McConnell, the former longtime leader of the House Republican Party. His relationship with Trump has been strained for years and deteriorated particularly after the storming of the Capitol in Washington—the seat of Congress—by fanatical Trump supporters in January 2021.

Massive surcharges for many countries: Tariffs for Ukraine but not for Russia - this is the list of all US tariffs

FOCUS online Massive surcharges for many countries: Tariffs for Ukraine but not for Russia - this is the list of all US tariffs Peter Althaus • 6 hours • 2 minutes read US President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs of 10 to 49 percent for trading partners worldwide, fueling fears of a trade war. The mega-tariff package announced by President Donald Trump does not affect all of the US's trading partners equally. Beyond the 10 percent that will apply to imports from all countries to the United States, there are individual punitive levies - depending on whether the respective countries have particularly high trade barriers to American products from the US perspective. The list also includes small, non-independent territories such as Tokelau in the South Pacific and Gibraltar. The US's major trading partners, Canada and Mexico, are also not included on the list. Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed to Axios that this was because Trump had already imposed blanket tariffs of 25 percent on both countries. Shortly after they took effect, he granted a one-month reprieve for certain products. The highest tariffs are on Lesotho at 50 percent. However, according to the White House, some countries are also exempt from the US tariffs. Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and Cuba are exempt from the US tariffs. Explaining Russia's absence, Leavitt stated that Russia was not included because US sanctions already "exclude any significant trade." No tariffs for Russia - 10 percent for Ukraine However, at least in the case of Russia, this is not true. According to the US Trade Representative, imports from Russia to the US amounted to at least three billion US dollars. Imported goods primarily include fertilizers, rare metals, and raw materials. Meanwhile, goods worth only $526 million were exported to Russia. However, Russia still leads Ukraine in the US trade balance for goods imports. According to the US Census Bureau, goods worth approximately $3 billion came from Russia to the US in 2024, compared to approximately $1.2 billion from Ukraine. From there, goods worth $1.23 billion were imported into the US in 2024. At the same time, the United States exported goods worth $1.7 billion to Ukraine, even achieving a trade surplus. The Trump administration considers other countries' trade surpluses with the US to be the main reason for its tariff war. Nevertheless, the US will impose tariffs worth 10 percent on goods from Ukraine in the future. This is the list of countries subject to US tariffs on goods from around the world. An overview of the punitive tariffs for the most important industrialized and emerging countries, as well as those US trading partners that face tariffs of 30 percent or more: Lesotho: 50 percent Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 50 percent Cambodia: 49 percent Laos: 48 percent Madagascar: 47 percent Vietnam: 46 percent Myanmar: 44 percent Sri Lanka: 44 percent Falkland Islands: 41 percent Syria: 41 percent Mauritius: 40 percent Iraq: 39 percent Guyana: 38 percent Bangladesh: 37 percent Botswana: 37 percent Liechtenstein: 37 percent Reunion: 37 percent Serbia: 37 percent Thailand: 36 percent Percent Bosnia and Herzegovina: 35 percent China: 34 percent North Macedonia: 33 percent Angola: 32 percent Fiji: 32 percent Indonesia: 32 percent Taiwan: 32 percent Libya: 31 percent Moldova: 31 percent Switzerland: 31 percent Algeria: 30 percent Nauru: 30 percent South Africa: 30 percent India: 26 percent South Korea: 25 percent Japan: 24 percent European Union: 20 percent Ukraine: 10 percent Argentina: 10 percent Australia: 10 percent Brazil: 10 percent Saudi Arabia: 10 percent Turkey: 10 percent Great Britain and Northern Ireland: 10 percent

US-Senat stimmt gegen Kanada-Zölle - Mehrere Republikaner votieren mit Demokraten

US-Senat stimmt gegen Kanada-Zölle - Mehrere Republikaner votieren mit Demokraten AFP • 3 Std. • 2 Minuten Lesezeit Mehrere republikanische US-Senatoren haben Präsident Trump in seiner Zollpolitik gegenüber Kanada die Gefolgschaft verweigert. Der Senat verabschiedete mit den Stimmen der Demokraten sowie von vier Republikanern eine Resolution gegen die Zölle. Mehrere republikanische US-Senatoren haben Präsident Donald Trump in seiner aggressiven Zollpolitik gegenüber Kanada die Gefolgschaft verweigert. Der Senat in Washington verabschiedete am Mittwoch mit den Stimmen der oppositionellen Demokraten sowie von vier Republikanern eine Resolution gegen die 25-Prozent-Zölle auf kanadische Importe. Die Resolution wurde mit 51 gegen 48 Stimmen beschlossen. Trumps Republikaner haben im Senat eine Mehrheit von 53 der 100 Sitze. Das Senatsvotum hat jedoch nur symbolische Bedeutung. Es besteht praktisch keine Chance, dass die Resolution in ein Gesetz mündet. In Washington wird erwartet, dass der republikanische Vorsitzende des Repräsentantenhauses, Mike Johnson, ein Votum in dieser Kammer über den Text verhindert. Johnson ist ein treuer Trump-Verbündeter. Das Senatsvotum fand kurz nach Trumps Verkündung neuer Zölle gegen Handelspartner in der ganzen Welt statt. In der Liste der von diesen Zöllen betroffenen Staaten stehen Kanada wie auch Mexiko jedoch nicht. Beide Nachbarländer sind mit den USA durch ein Freihandelsabkommen verbunden. Trump hatte dennoch Anfang Februar per Dekret pauschale Zölle von 25 Prozent auf Importe aus den zwei Nachbarstaaten angeordnet. Er begründete die Strafzölle mit dem Vorwurf, dass beide Länder nicht genug gegen den Schmuggel der Droge Fentanyl und gegen die irreguläre Zuwanderung in die USA unternähmen. In den Wochen danach folgte ein Hin und Her bei diesen Zöllen, auf viele kanadische Produkte gelten jedoch seit März die Importaufschläge von 25 Prozent. Kanada reagierte mit Gegenzöllen, auch werden US-Produkte dort vielfach boykottiert. Der neue kanadische Premierminister Mark Carney hat angekündigt, er werde die US-Zölle "bekämpfen". Die Beziehungen zwischen den USA und Kanada werden auch durch Trumps wiederholte Ankündigung stark belastet, er wolle das nördliche Nachbarland den Vereinigten Staaten als 51. Bundesstaat einverleiben. Das jetzige Senatsvotum gegen seine Kanada-Zölle bezeichnete Trump als "Machenschaft" der Demokraten. Das Repräsentantenhaus werde dem Text "niemals" zustimmen, und "ich (...) werde ihn "niemals abzeichnen", schrieb der Präsident in seinem Onlinedienst Truth Social. Das Votum des Senats gegen die Kanada-Zölle war ein ungewöhnlicher Vorgang: In den bisherigen knapp zweieinhalb Monaten von Trumps zweiter Amtszeit folgten die in beiden Kongresskammern über eine knappe Mehrheit verfügenden Republikaner der Linie des Präsidenten. Zu den vier republikanischen Abweichlern, die zusammen mit den Demokraten für die Resolution stimmten, gehört der frühere langjährige Chef der Republikaner in der Kongresskammer, Mitch McConnell. Seine Beziehung zu Trump ist schon seit Jahren angespannt und verschlechterte sich besonders nach dem Sturm fanatischer Trump-Anhänger auf das Kapitol in Washington - den Sitz des Kongresses - im Januar 2021.

Massive Aufschläge für viele Staaten: Zölle für die Ukraine aber nicht für Russland - das ist die Länderliste aller US-Zölle

FOCUS online Massive Aufschläge für viele Staaten: Zölle für die Ukraine aber nicht für Russland - das ist die Länderliste aller US-Zölle Peter Althaus • 6 Std. • 2 Minuten Lesezeit US-Präsident Donald Trump hat neue Zölle von zehn bis 49 Prozent für Handelspartner weltweit angekündigt und damit die Furcht vor einem Handelskrieg genährt Das von Präsident Donald Trump verkündete Mega-Zollpaket trifft nicht alle Handelspartner der USA gleichermaßen. Jenseits von den zehn Prozent, die auf Importe aus allen Ländern in die Vereinigten Staaten gelten sollen, gibt es individuelle Strafabgaben - je nachdem, ob die jeweiligen Länder aus Sicht der USA besonders hohe Handelsbarrieren für amerikanische Produkte haben. Die Liste führt auch kleine, nicht unabhängige Gebiete wie Tokelau im Südpazifik oder Gibraltar auf. Die großen Handelspartner der USA, Kanada und Mexiko, sind ebenfalls nicht auf der Liste zu finden. Trumps Sprecherin Karoline Leavitt bestätigte gegenüber "Axios", dass dies daran liege, dass Trump bereits pauschale Zölle in Höhe von 25 Prozent auf beide Länder eingeführt hatte. Kurz nach ihrem Inkrafttreten gewährte er einen einmonatigen Aufschub für bestimmte Produkte. Die höchsten Zölle gibt es für Lesotho mit 50 Prozent. Es sind jedoch laut den Angaben des Weißen Hauses auch Länder nicht von den US-Zöllen betroffen. So sind demnach Russland, Belarus, Nordkorea und Kuba von den US-Zöllen ausgenommen. Zur Erklärung zum Fehlen von Russland führte Leavitt an, dass Russland nicht berücksichtigt wurde, weil US-Sanktionen bereits "jeden bedeutenden Handel ausschließen". Keine Zölle für Russland - 10 Prozent für die Ukraine Zumindest im Falle von Russland stimmt dies jedoch nicht. Laut dem US-Handelsbeauftragten belief sich die Höhe der Einfuhren aus Russland in die USA auf mindestens drei Milliarden US-Dollar. Zu den importierten Waren zählen vor allem Düngemittel, seltene Metalle und Rohstoffe. Derweil wurden nur Waren im Wert von 526 Millionen US-Dollar nach Russland exportiert. Dabei liegt Russland in der Handelsbilanz der USA bei Warenimporten aber immer noch vor der Ukraine. Der US-Statistikbehörde nach kamen im Jahr 2024 Waren im Wert von rund 3 Milliarden Dollar aus Russland in die USA - im Vergleich zu einem Wert von etwa 1,2 Milliarden Dollar aus der Ukraine. Von dort wurden 2024 Waren im Wert von 1,23 Milliarden in die USA eingeführt. Gleichzeitig haben die Vereinigten Staaten Waren im Wert von 1,7 Milliarden US-Dollar in die Ukraine ausgeführt und damit sogar einen Handelsüberschuss erzielt. Handelsüberschüsse anderer Staaten mit den USA gelten der Trump-Regierung als Hauptgrund für ihren Zollkrieg. Dennoch erheben die USA künftig Zölle im Wert von 10 Prozent auf Waren aus der Ukraine. Das ist die Länderliste der US-Zölle für Waren aus aller Welt Ein Überblick zu den Strafzöllen für die wichtigsten Industrie- und Schwellenländer sowie jene US-Handelspartner, die Abgaben von 30 Prozent oder mehr treffen: Lesotho: 50 Prozent Saint Pierre und Miquelon: 50 Prozent Kambodscha: 49 Prozent Laos: 48 Prozent Madagaskar: 47 Prozent Vietnam: 46 Prozent Myanmar: 44 Prozent Sri Lanka: 44 Prozent Falklandinseln: 41 Prozent Syrien: 41 Prozent Mauritius: 40 Prozent Irak: 39 Prozent Guyana: 38 Prozent Bangladesch: 37 Prozent Botswana: 37 Prozent Liechtenstein: 37 Prozent Réunion: 37 Prozent Serbien: 37 Prozent Thailand: 36 Prozent Bosnien und Herzegowina: 35 Prozent China: 34 Prozent Nordmazedonien: 33 Prozent Angola: 32 Prozent Fidschi: 32 Prozent Indonesien: 32 Prozent Taiwan: 32 Prozent Libyen: 31 Prozent Moldawien: 31 Prozent Schweiz: 31 Prozent Algerien: 30 Prozent Nauru: 30 Prozent Südafrika: 30 Prozent Indien: 26 Prozent Südkorea: 25 Prozent Japan: 24 Prozent Europäische Union: 20 Prozent Ukraine: 10 Prozent Argentinien: 10 Prozent Australien: 10 Prozent Brasilien: 10 Prozent Saudi-Arabien: 10 Prozent Türkei: 10 Prozent Großbritannien und Nordirland: 10 Prozent

"He can't": Trump reportedly asked the Finnish president whether he can trust Putin

Tagesspiegel "He can't": Trump reportedly asked the Finnish president whether he can trust Putin Tobias Mayer • 3 hours • 2 minutes read For weeks, the US and Russia have been talking, largely unsuccessfully, about a ceasefire in Ukraine. Now President Trump is said to have asked Finnish President Stubb whether the Russian president can actually be trusted. Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up, with Finnish President Alexander Stubb standing next to him at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach. Both are holding golf clubs. The presidents of the US and Russia have spoken by phone at least twice since Donald Trump took office. Negotiators from both countries have also discussed a ceasefire in Russia-invaded Ukraine. Several weeks after the start of negotiations, however, a statement by Finnish President Alexander Stubb has now raised doubts as to whether Trump even knows what he is dealing with on the Russian side. Stubb met with the US president over the weekend. After returning from the US, he reported to journalists on Sunday about his alleged seven-hour meeting with Trump. The US president allegedly asked his colleague whether he could trust Putin. "I replied that he couldn't," the Finnish public broadcaster Yleisradio (Yle) quoted him as saying. Stubb is considered pro-European and a staunch supporter of Ukraine. He said he tried to explain to Trump the "typical Russian behavior": "First, something is negotiated – and then the conditions are changed again." "Putin doesn't want peace," Stubb said in a recent interview with the BBC. Instead, the Russian leader wants to wipe out Ukraine. Ceasefire on April 20? In his conversation with Trump, Stubb insisted on a ceasefire and suggested April 20, Easter Sunday, as a possible date. So far, Ukraine and Russia have only agreed, under American mediation, to refrain from attacking certain energy facilities – and are now accusing each other of violating the agreement. A halt to attacks in the Black Sea has so far failed due to Russia's demand that Western sanctions be eased first. Many observers accuse the Russian president of delaying tactics. These include military experts, the German Foreign Ministry, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X: "Putin is playing the same game he's been playing since 2014." At that time, Putin illegally occupied Crimea before the Ukrainian peninsula was annexed. Before the major attack on Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin had denied any plans to invade. However, Trump has so far shown a tough stance, especially toward Ukraine. He recently threatened Zelenskyy with "big, big problems" if he withdraws from the Rare Earths Agreement. Previously, Trump had, among other things, suspended military aid to Kyiv. When will new sanctions against Russia be imposed? So far, Trump has remained tight-lipped about Russia. Recently, in an NBC interview, Trump claimed to be "furiously angry" with Putin because he wants to depose Ukraine's legitimate leadership. He threatened the Kremlin chief with US sanctions against Russia's oil industry and announced further talks with him in the coming days. Before that, however, Trump himself had harshly attacked Zelensky. He had publicly embarrassed his Ukrainian guest in the White House, called him a "dictator," and at times even blamed him for the war. (with dpa/AFP)

USA: Trump-Verbündeter Joe Rogan fällt ihm offen in den Rücken

Watson USA: Trump-Verbündeter Joe Rogan fällt ihm offen in den Rücken Dariusch Rimkus • 2 Std. • 2 Minuten Lesezeit Donald Trump hatte vor der Präsidentschaftswahl einen vielbeachteten Auftritt bei Joe Rogan. Donald Trump richtet in seiner zweiten Amtszeit als US-Präsident noch mehr Chaos an als in seiner ersten – und das in nur wenigen Wochen. Dass es so weit kommen konnte, hängt wohl auch mit einem Auftritt bei Joe Rogan zusammen. Donald Trump ist für viele Fähigkeiten bekannt: Er ist ein Populist, ein Faktenverdreher und Lügner, ein Hetzer, ein Entertainer und Dealmaker. Allen voran hat ihm eine Eigenschaft besonders geholfen, die Republikaner quasi in eine Trump-Partei zu verwandeln: Trump ist ein Machtstratege. Er hat derart viele Personen in der Partei auf seine Seite gezogen, Posten mit Anhänger:innen besetzt und Konkurrent:innen aus dem Rampenlicht gedrängt, dass es kaum noch Stimmen gegen ihn gibt. Entweder man ist für Donald Trump – oder sieht als Konservativer in den USA kein Land mehr. Umso bemerkenswerter ist es, wenn es dann doch noch Kritik aus der konservativen oder rechten Ecke gegen Trump gibt. Donald Trump: Abschiebungen werden von Joe Rogan kritisiert Eine von Trumps radikalsten Maßnahmen hat er bisher in der Migrationspolitik umgesetzt, Menschenrechte sind an vielen Stellen zweitrangig. Unter anderem hat Trump ein Abkommen mit El Salvador geschlossen, um mutmaßlich kriminelle Venezolaner in den USA in ein berüchtigtes Gefängnis in dem mittelamerikanischen Staat abzuschieben. Es gab bereits mehrere Flüge mit Venezolanern, die auf diese Weise aus den USA abgeschoben wurden – einmal sogar gegen einen Richterspruch, was die Trump-Regierung hinterher als Fehler bezeichnete. Gegen diese neue und brutale Abschiebepraxis hat sich jetzt ausgerechnet der Trump-Verbündete Joe Rogan ausgesprochen. Der erfolgreiche Podcaster hat laut dem "Guardian" vor allem die Abschiebung des Venezolaners Andry José Hernández Romero, der als Makeup-Artist und Friseur arbeitet, scharf kritisiert. Rogan nannte es "entsetzlich", dass "Menschen, die keine Kriminellen sind" gefangen und abgeschoben würden. Wie auch in anderen Fällen ist es bei Hernández Romero umstritten, ob er kriminell ist. US-Regierung schiebt mutmaßlich Kriminelle Venezolaner ab Hernández Romero wird vorgeworfen, dass er Mitglied der kriminellen Gang Tren de Aragua ist, weil er Kronen auf seinem Handgelenk tätowiert hat. Der Angeklagte wiederum sieht sich als Opfer falscher Vorwürfe und will kein Gangmitglied sein. "Es ist verrückt, dass so etwas möglich ist", befand Rogan in seinem Podcast. Es sei auch "schlecht für die Sache. Die Sache ist, dass wir die Bandenmitglieder rausholen müssen – da sind sich alle einig – aber wir sollten nicht zulassen, dass unschuldige schwule Friseure mit den Banden in einen Topf geworfen werden." Zuvor hatte Rogan Trump eigentlich unterstützt. Trumps Auftritt im Podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" vor der US-Wahl galt als großer Erfolg für den Republikaner. Kurz vor der Wahl rief Rogan dann auch noch explizit zur Wahl Trumps auf.

„Kann er nicht“: Trump soll den finnischen Präsidenten gefragt haben, ob er Putin vertrauen kann

Tagesspiegel „Kann er nicht“: Trump soll den finnischen Präsidenten gefragt haben, ob er Putin vertrauen kann Tobias Mayer • 3 Std. • 2 Minuten Lesezeit Seit Wochen sprechen die USA und Russland weitestgehend erfolglos über eine Waffenruhe in der Ukraine. Nun soll Präsident Trump den finnischen Präsidenten Stubb gefragt haben, ob man dem russischen Präsidenten eigentlich trauen kann. Donald Trump zeigt den Daumen hoch, neben ihm steht der finnische Präsident Alexander Stubb in Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach. Beide halten Golfschläger in der Hand. Mindestens zweimal haben die Präsidenten der USA und Russlands seit Donald Trumps Amtsantritt miteinander telefoniert. Außerdem haben Unterhändler beider Länder über einen Waffenstillstand in der von Russland überfallenen Ukraine gesprochen. Mehrere Wochen nach Verhandlungsbeginn nährt eine Aussage des finnischen Präsidenten Alexander Stubb nun jedoch Zweifel daran, ob Trump überhaupt weiß, mit dem er es auf russischer Seite zu tun hat. Stubb traf sich am Wochenende mit dem US-Präsidenten. Nach seiner Rückkehr aus den USA berichtete er am Sonntag vor Journalisten von seinem insgesamt angeblich siebenstündigen Treffen mit Trump. Dabei soll der US-Präsident seinen Kollegen gefragt haben, ob er Putin vertrauen kann. „Ich habe geantwortet, dass er das nicht kann“, zitiert ihn die finnische öffentlich-rechtliche Rundfunkanstalt Yleisradio (kurz Yle). Stubb gilt als proeuropäisch und entschiedener Unterstützer der Ukraine. Er habe Trump das „typische russische Verhalten“ zu erklären versucht: „Erst wird etwas verhandelt – und dann werden die Bedingungen noch einmal geändert.“ „Putin will keinen Frieden“, sagte Stubb kürzlich in einem Interview mit der BBC. Der russische Machthaber wolle stattdessen die Ukraine auslöschen. Waffenruhe am 20. April? Im Gespräch mit Trump habe Stubb auf eine Waffenruhe gepocht und den 20. April, Ostersonntag, als Datum ins Gespräch gebracht. Bislang einigten sich die Ukraine und Russland unter amerikanischer Vermittlung lediglich darauf, bestimmte Energieanlagen nicht mehr gegenseitig anzugreifen – und werfen einander nun vor, die Vereinbarung zu brechen. Ein Angriffsstopp im Schwarzen Meer scheiter bisher an der russischen Forderung, dass westliche Sanktionen vorher gelockert werden sollen. Viele Beobachter werfen dem russischen Präsidenten eine Hinhaltetaktik vor. Darunter sind Militärexperten, das Auswärtige Amt und die EU-Außenbeauftragte Kaja Kallas. Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj schrieb auf X: „Putin spielt dasselbe Spiel, das er schon seit 2014 spielt.“ Damals ließ Putin die Krim völkerrechtswidrig besetzen, bevor die ukrainische Halbinsel annektiert wurde. Vor dem Großangriff auf die Ukraine im Februar 2022 hatte der Kreml Einmarschpläne dementiert. Trump jedoch zeigt bisher vor allem gegenüber der Ukraine Härte. Jüngst drohte er Selenskyj mit „großen, großen Problemen“, falls dieser aus dem Abkommen über Seltene Erden aussteigt. Zuvor hatte Trump zwischenzeitlich unter anderem die Militärhilfe für Kiew ausgesetzt. Wann kommen neue Sanktionen gegen Russland? Gegenüber Russland bleibt es bis dato bei Worten. Zuletzt behauptete Trump in einem NBC-Interview, „stinksauer“ auf Putin zu sein, weil dieser die legitime Führung der Ukraine absetzen will. Er drohte dem Kremlchef mit US-Sanktionen gegen Russlands Ölindustrie und kündigte für die kommenden Tage ein weiteres Gespräch mit ihm an. Zuvor allerdings hatte Trump Selenskyj selbst hart angegriffen. Er hatte seinen ukrainischen Gast im Weißen Haus öffentlich auflaufen lassen, als „Diktator“ bezeichnet und ihm zeitweise gar die Schuld am Krieg gegeben. (mit dpa/AFP)

Vocal Coach REACTS to Roxanne (Cover) - AnnenMayKantereit & Milky Chance

Vocal Coach REACTS to Roxanne (Cover) - AnnenMayKantereit & Milky Chance

Betty MacDonald and the best President ever

Betty MacDonald and the best President ever

Betty MacDonald and a very dangerous region

Betty MacDonald and a very dangerous region

Betty MacDonald, Mary Bard and a very special dinner

Betty MacDonald, Mary Bard and a very special dinner

US stock markets nosedive: Trump causes historic losses in America

t-online US stock markets nosedive: Trump causes historic losses in America Daniel Saurenz • 2 hours • 3 minutes read Nosedive on Wall Street Trump makes America the biggest loser of all Donald Trump and an autoworker: Will the US President's tariffs benefit or harm the economy? MEGA instead of MAGA: "Make Europe great again" should be the headline for the first weeks of Donald Trump's term in office. There are data that speak louder than any words about tariffs, deportations, or consumer sentiment. The first quarter of 2025 was the worst quarter for US companies on the international financial markets since 2002, relative to the rest of the world. For 23 years, the Americans haven't fared so poorly compared to the rest of the world. "This is the easiest thing for German investors to remember," says Vanyo Walter of RoboMarkets. "Just a few months ago, the Nasdaq was significantly ahead of the DAX in terms of points, and now it's 3,000 points behind, which is a landslide." The price losses on Wall Street have now alarmed even the most financially sceptical – even newspapers that usually barely cover stocks are now focusing on the S&P 500's slump and the dual fate of the MSCI World. On the one hand, the MSCI heavily weighted US stocks, and on the other, for Europeans, it suffered from the sudden weakness of the US dollar. About Daniel Saurenz Daniel Saurenz is a financial journalist, a passionate stock market investor, and the founder of Feingold Research. He and his team have more than 150 years of stock market experience and combine stock market psychology, technical analysis, product and market expertise. He writes about investments and the state of the markets for t-online. You can reach him on his portal www.feingoldresearch.de. Read all guest articles by Daniel Saurenz here. Since its record high on February 19, the S&P 500 has already lost ten percent – ​​the sharpest decline in this period since March 2020. The once-celebrated tech giants have fallen from grace. Nearly $5.5 trillion in market value has been lost from the S&P 500 since its February peak, a considerable portion of which – $2.4 trillion – comes from its "tech Achilles heel" alone. The "Magnificent Seven," once the pride of the market, are currently more of a burden. Only Meta has fared relatively well. The situation is different for Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. "All of these tech giants have lost around 20 percent of their value since their record highs, while Nvidia has lost 30 percent," says expert Walter. Tesla leads the list of losers: The electric car manufacturer has lost a good 50 percent of its value in the last 53 days.

Trump instigates trade war on "Liberation Day": "Could trigger global recession"

Frankfurter Rundschau Trump instigates trade war on "Liberation Day": "Could trigger global recession" Simon Schröder • 6 hours • 3 minutes read Trump's tariff hammer As expected, Donald Trump announced further extensive tariffs on "Liberation Day." What does this mean for the global economy? Washington, D.C. – Donald Trump is a big fan of tariffs. On "Liberation Day," the US President has upped the ante. There will be a basic import tariff of ten percent on all goods. For countries that have a particularly high trade deficit with the US, it will be even higher. A trade war is now inevitable. But even during his first term in office, the Republican used tariffs as a means of pressure. According to him, the word "tariff" is "the most beautiful word in the dictionary." It's therefore not surprising that Trump sees import tariffs as a universal weapon when it comes to advancing America in line with his motto "Make America Great Again" and implementing his campaign promises. Donald Trump announces new tariffs on Liberation Day: Trade war with the world? Because Trump uses tariffs as both an economic and political tool of pressure. Stopping illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border was Trump's number one priority during the election campaign. If Mexico didn't tighten controls on its border with the US, Trump threatened to use tariffs. Mexico took action, and illegal immigration plummeted. US tariffs were imposed on its southern neighbor anyway. Then it moved on to Canada and the EU. Donald Trump wants to engage in a trade war with other countries through import tariffs. But what exactly is a trade war? "A trade war is an economic dispute between two countries," as the financial website Investopia defines it. Such a "war" often occurs when a country, such as the United States, feels disadvantaged in international trade. Tariffs are then often used to try to restore the previously lacking fairness. These trade wars are often a side effect of protectionist policies, as Investopia further explains. Tariffs in a Trade War: How Trump Could Harm His Own Economy Tariffs are the means to an end in such a trade war. The levied import duties are paid by companies that want to import products into their own country. Countries, on the other hand, do not have to pay tariffs. But tariffs can also become a burden on their own economies. Exporting companies often raise their own prices to compensate for the tariffs. The higher prices are then passed on primarily to their own consumers, i.e., US citizens, and can encourage inflation. Experts agree that people in the United States will be the ones who feel the additional tariffs, as the New York Times writes. The real purpose of such tariffs is to strengthen one's own location. If foreign companies produce in the US, tariffs are naturally not payable, as the products don't have to be imported. The goods are already in the country. Donald Trump on his way to his Liberation Day speech in the White House Rose Garden. The "reciprocal tariffs" announced by Donald Trump are intended to mirror the import tariffs other countries impose on US products. Trump is clear that other countries are exploiting America through their tariff policies. Therefore, reciprocal tariffs should now be imposed. Whether this makes sense, however, is highly controversial. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), for example, warns the Trump administration against instigating an international trade war. If other countries respond with retaliatory tariffs, the trade war could escalate further. The ICC states: "Widespread retaliation risks disrupting trade, potentially triggering a global recession, and we could see a decline in trade of historic proportions—with serious economic consequences for businesses and families around the world," explains ICC Secretary General John Denton. (sischr)

Trump zettelt am „Liberation Day“ Handelskrieg an: „Könnte weltweite Rezession auslösen“

Frankfurter Rundschau Trump zettelt am „Liberation Day“ Handelskrieg an: „Könnte weltweite Rezession auslösen“ Simon Schröder • 6 Std. • 3 Minuten Lesezeit Trumps Zoll-Hammer Donald Trump hat wie erwartet am „Liberation Day“ weitere umfangreiche Zölle angekündigt. Was bedeutet das für die Weltwirtschaft? Washington, D.C. – Donald Trump ist großer Fan von Zöllen. Am „Liberation Day“ hat der US-Präsident jetzt noch mal einen draufgesetzt. Es soll einen Basisimportzoll von zehn Prozent auf alle Güter geben. Für Länder, die ein besonders hohes Handelsdefizit mit den USA haben, soll es sogar noch mal mehr sein. Ein Handelskrieg ist jetzt programmiert. Doch schon während seiner ersten Amtszeit nutzte der Republikaner Zölle als Druckmittel. Das Wort „Zoll“ ist laut ihm „das schönste Wort im Wörterbuch“. Daher ist es nicht verwunderlich, dass Trump Importzölle als Allzweckwaffe sieht, wenn es darum geht, Amerika gemäß seinem Motto „Make America Great again“ nach vorne zu bringen und seine Wahlkampfversprechen umzusetzen. Donald Trump kündigt am Liberation Day neue Zölle an: Handelskrieg mit der Welt? Denn Trump benutzt Zölle als wirtschaftliches und politisches Druckmittel in einem. Die illegale Immigration an der US-mexikanischen Grenze zu stoppen, war für Trump Priorität Nummer eins während des Wahlkampfs. Sollte Mexiko seine Grenze zu den USA nicht strenger kontrollieren, drohte Trump mit dem Zoll-Hammer. Mexiko griff durch und die illegale Immigration ging steil zurück. US-Zölle gab es für das Nachbarland im Süden trotzdem. Dann ging es mit Kanada und der EU weiter. Donald Trump will sich über Importzölle auf einen Handelskrieg mit anderen Ländern einlassen. Doch was ist eigentlich ein Handelskrieg? „Ein Handelskrieg ist ein ökonomischer Disput zwischen zwei Ländern“, wie es die Finanzseite Investopia definiert. Oftmals findet ein solcher „Krieg“ statt, wenn ein Land, wie die USA, sich im internationalen Handel benachteiligt fühlt. Dann wird oftmals über Zölle versucht, die zuvor fehlende Fairness wiederherzustellen. Diese Handelskriege sind oftmals ein Nebeneffekt einer protektionistischen Politik, wie Investopia weiter erklärt. Zölle im Handelskrieg: Wie Trump der eigenen Wirtschaft schaden könnte Das Mittel zum Zweck in einem solchen Handelskrieg sind Zölle. Die erhobenen Importzölle werden von den Firmen bezahlt, die Produkte ins eigene Land importieren wollen. Länder hingegen müssen keine Zölle bezahlen. Doch auch für die eigene Wirtschaft können Zölle zur Belastung werden. Oftmals erhöhen die exportierenden Firmen ihre eigenen Preise, um für die Zölle zu kompensieren. Dann werden die höheren Preise vor allem an die eigenen Konsumenten, also die US-Bürgerinnen und Bürger weiter gegeben und können die Inflation begünstigen. Fachleute sind sich einig, dass vor allem die Menschen in den USA die zusätzlichen Zölle zu spüren bekommen werden, wie die New York Times schreibt. Denn der eigentliche Sinn von solchen Zöllen ist, dass man den eigenen Standort stärkt. Denn wenn ausländische Firmen in den USA produzieren, fallen natürlich auch keine Zölle an, da die Produkte nicht importiert werden müssen. Die Waren sind nämlich bereits im Land. Donald Trump auf dem Weg zu seiner Liberation Day Rede im Rosengarten des Weißen Hauses. Die von Donald Trump angekündigten „reziproken Zölle“ sollen die Importzölle anderer Länder auf US-Produkte spiegeln. Für Trump ist klar, dass andere Staaten Amerika über ihre Zollpolitik ausnutzen. Deshalb sollen jetzt wechselseitige Zölle erhoben werden. Ob das jedoch sinnvoll ist, ist hochumstritten. Die internationale Handelskammer (ICC) etwa warnt die Trump-Administration davor, einen internationalen Handelskrieg anzuzetteln. Denn sollten andere Länder mit Gegenzöllen reagieren, könnte der Handelskrieg weiter eskalieren. Das ICC befindet: „Bei weit verbreiteten Vergeltungsmaßnahmen besteht die Gefahr einer Störung des Handels, die eine weltweite Rezession auslösen könnte, und wir könnten einen Handelsrückgang von historischem Ausmaß erleben – mit schwerwiegenden wirtschaftlichen Folgen für Unternehmen und Familien in aller Welt“, erklärt ICC-Generalsekretär John Denton. (sischr)

US-Börsen im Sturzflug: Trump sorgt für historische Verluste in Amerika

t-online US-Börsen im Sturzflug: Trump sorgt für historische Verluste in Amerika Daniel Saurenz • 2 Std. • 3 Minuten Lesezeit Sturzflug an Wall Street Trump macht Amerika zum allergrößten Loser Donald Trump und ein Autoarbeiter: Werden die Zölle des US-Präsidenten der Wirtschaft eher nützen oder schaden? MEGA statt MAGA: "Make Europe great again" müsste die Überschrift zu den ersten Wochen der Amtszeit Donald Trumps lauten. Es gibt Daten, die sagen mehr als alle Worte zu Zöllen, Abschiebungen oder Verbraucherstimmungen. Das erste Quartal 2025 war an den internationalen Finanzmärkten für US-Firmen das schlechteste Quartal seit 2002, wenn man die Relation zum Rest der Welt nimmt. 23 Jahre lang haben die Amerikaner im Vergleich zu den anderen nicht derart mies ausgesehen. "Für deutsche Anleger ist dies am einfachsten zu merken", findet Vanyo Walter von RoboMarkets. "Denn der Nasdaq lag noch vor wenigen Monaten deutlich in Punkten vor dem Dax und liegt nun 3.000 Zähler dahinter, was einem Erdrutsch entspricht." Die Kursverluste an der Wall Street haben mittlerweile selbst die Finanz-Muffel aufgeschreckt – sogar Zeitungen, die sich sonst mit Aktien kaum befassen, widmen sich nun der Talfahrt des S&P 500 und dem doppelten Schicksal des MSCI World. Denn der hat zum einen US-Titel hoch gewichtet und litt für Europäer zum anderen noch an der plötzlichen US-Dollar-Schwäche. Zur Person Daniel Saurenz ist Finanzjournalist, Börsianer aus Leidenschaft und Gründer von Feingold Research. Mit seinem Team hat er insgesamt mehr als 150 Jahre Börsenerfahrung und bündelt Börsenpsychologie, technische Analyse, Produkt- und Marktexpertise. Bei t-online schreibt er über Investments und die Lage an den Märkten. Sie erreichen ihn auf seinem Portal www.feingoldresearch.de. Alle Gastbeiträge von Daniel Saurenz lesen Sie hier. Seit dem Rekordhoch am 19. Februar hat der S&P 500 bereits zehn Prozent verloren – der stärkste Rückgang in diesem Zeitraum seit März 2020. Die einst gefeierten Technologieriesen sind in Ungnade gefallen. Knapp 5.500 Milliarden US-Dollar sind seit dem Höhepunkt im Februar aus dem S&P 500 an Börsenwert verloren gegangen, ein beachtlicher Teil davon – 2.400 Milliarden US-Dollar – allein aus der "Tech-Achillesferse". Die "Glorreichen Sieben", einst der Stolz des Marktes, sind derzeit eher eine schwere Last. Nur Meta ist einigermaßen anständig davongekommen. Bei Alphabet, Amazon und Microsoft sieht es anders aus. "Alle diese Tech-Riesen haben seit dem Rekordhoch rund 20 Prozent an Wert eingebüßt, bei Nvidia sind es 30 Prozent", so Experte Walter. Tesla führt die Verliererliste an: Der Elektroautobauer hat in den letzten 53 Tagen gut 50 Prozent seines Wertes verloren.

INSIDER GUIDE To University District Seattle Washington: Campuses, Food, & More | Life In Seattle WA

INSIDER GUIDE To University District Seattle Washington: Campuses, Food, & More | Life In Seattle WA

Mit Mama in der Achterbahn & Ballett [subtitled] - Knallerfrauen mit Martina Hill

Mit Mama in der Achterbahn & Ballett [subtitled] - Knallerfrauen mit Martina Hill

Tuberculosis in the Russian Army: Soldiers at the Front Despite Being Ill

Daily Wrap Tuberculosis in the Russian Army: Soldiers at the Front Despite Being Ill Edyta Tomaszewska • 1 day • 2 minutes read Tuberculosis epidemic in the Russian Army. The Russian Army is facing a serious problem: tuberculosis is rampant among the soldiers. Instead of being treated, those affected are being sent to the front. But how did this epidemic spread? The independent Russian service Toczka brought this case to light. According to journalists, the Burdenko Hospital in Pushkino, Moscow Region, is completely overcrowded. Most of the patients are soldiers infected with tuberculosis. Reportedly, over a thousand service members are being treated there. The service Toczka tells of a specific case: 38-year-old Yevgeny, who has been at war since 2022 and previously suffered from tuberculosis. Initially, his superiors refused to accept him as a hospital patient. The soldier begged for an examination for three months. The leadership didn't respond to the complaints. They said, "You're a coward, you just don't want to go on a mission," TVP Info quoted Toczka as saying. When Yevgeny was finally diagnosed, he was sent to the Burdenko Hospital for four months. There was overcrowding, so they introduced a strict regime. Anyone who started drinking alcohol was simply dismissed. Anyone who broke the rules showed they didn't want to be treated and was automatically sent to the front, Yevgeny reports. Yevgeny believes that tuberculosis became rampant when prisoners from the gulags were recruited into the army. Tuberculosis is widespread in penal colonies. These prisoners mainly joined the so-called Wagner group. The Russian Ministry of Defense has officially banned Wagner fighters from recruiting prisoners and tuberculosis patients. However, in practice, this is often ignored due to severe shortages at the front.

Abor & Tynna - "Baller" | Eurovision Song Contest | NDR

Abor & Tynna - "Baller" | Eurovision Song Contest | NDR

Driving Tour of Laurelhurst, Seattle Scenic Views & Historic Homes 🌊

Driving Tour of Laurelhurst, Seattle Scenic Views & Historic Homes 🌊

Wolfgang Hampel, Betty MacDonald, Monica Sone

Betty MacDonald fan club fans, a new fascinating Betty MacDonald biography by Wolfgang Hampel, bestselling author of ' Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' ( Satire is my favorite animal ) will be published in 2025. Wolfgang Hampel was a very good friend of author Monica Sone, dexcribed by Betty MacDonald as Kimi in The Plague and I: Monica Sone shared the most interesting info on her wonderful friend Betty MacDonald. Wolfgang Hampel and Betty MacDonald fan club are working on this golden treasure for many Betty MacDonald fans around the world. Take care, Mats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2020/07/readers-praise-satire-ist-mein.html Why are funny books so important? Take me, I'm a very optimistic personality but in these days I need some kind of support. Therefore I'm very glad and grateful I can read a very intelligent and funny book. Satire ist mein Lieblingstier (Satire is my favourite animal) by Wolfgang Hampel is a perfect example of very funny and very intelligent literature. Yes, indeed it requires lateral thinking; making unexpected connections; being one step ahead of the reader. If you are looking for a very funny and very intelligent book try brilliant Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favorite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel. You'll enjoy it as much as I do and many, many delighted readers around the world. Take care, Martine Didier ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Betty MacDonald fan club fans, we wish you a very happy Tuesday with one of the funniest books ever written. Send us your thoughts regarding humour, please. We are going to include the best essays in our next Betty MacDonald fan club newsletters. You might be one of our Betty MacDonald fan club surprise winners. Good luck! Why do I think that Satire is my favourite animal by Wolfgang Hampel is such a popular book? I guess the reason why is it's so witty and intelligent. Yes, it's true. You can read Satire is my favourite animal over and over again the same way I do and it won't bore you. To me this happens very, very seldom. Very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel the best recipe for bad mood and depression - especially important in times like we have now. Please don't miss Satire ist mein Lieblingstier by Heidelberg author Wolfgang Hampel ( Satire is my favourite animal ) one of the funniest books ever written according to many readers around the world. (UK, USA, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other countries) Very successful writers are going to introduce their fascinating books at Vita Magica January - June 2021. You are very welcome! Vita Magica setzt ihr Programm auch 2021 fort. Im ersten Halbjahr werden großartige neue Autoren ihre sehr erfolgreichen Bücher vorstellen. Vita Magica will continue with fascinating new authors and their very interesting books at Vita Magica January - June 2021. A fascinating new Vita Magica program. Wir brauchen jetzt sehr witzige und heitere Bücher!!! Golden laughter is very important - especially now!!!! Das wunderbare Buch ' Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) von Wolfgang Hampel ist ein brilliantes Feuerwerk der besten Pointen mit sehr geistreicher, witziger und hintergründiger Unterhaltung!!!!! https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Wolfgang-Hampel/dp/3958281559 Wenn Sie ein sehr humorvolles Buch lesen wollen, dann verpassen Sie bitte nicht 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' von Wolfgang Hampel. Das sehr witzige Buch 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) von Wolfgang Hampel lieben vieler Leser auf der ganzen Welt!!!!( USA, UK, Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz und vielen anderen Ländern ) Wolfgang Hampel, author of very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) and Vita Magica Team support culturual institutions with special events and book sales of Satire ist mein Lieblingstier. This very witty book is according to many readers from all over the world one of the funniest books ever written. https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Wolfgang-Hampel/dp/3958281559 Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel is like golden sunshine in very grey November. Please don't miss very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ). It's one of the funniest books ever written according to many readers around the world. It brings lots of fun and joy to many readers around the world. Many of them including me take this best medicine for bad mood every day. Betty MacDonald fan club - and Vita Magica founder, Wolfgang Hampel from Heidelberg, author of very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) is working on a new Betty MacDonald biography. 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ' by Wolfgang Hampel is very successful in USA, UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other countries!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can read Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) by Wolfgang Hampel over and over again and it won't be boring. Don't miss it, please. Wolfgang Hampel, author of very witty Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal ) and Vita Magica Team support culturual institutions with special events and book sales of Satire ist mein Lieblingstier. This very witty book is according to many readers from all over the world one of the funniest books ever written. https://www.amazon.com/Satire-ist-mein-Lieblingstier-Satirische/dp/3958281559 Happy Tuesday, Greta -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue 5 2002 Betty MacDonald is best known for her book The Egg and I (a bestseller when it was published in 1945, it was made into a movie starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurry) and her children's books, the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series. The Egg and I is the story of a city girl who, at the age of 18, marries a chicken farmer -- from "that delightful old school of husbands who lift up the mattresses to see if the little woman has dusted the springs" -- and settles down with him to raise children and poultry -- and conceives an almost pathological hatred of chickens. Published in 1945, The Egg and I is a classic of the wisecracking, disgruntled dame variety -- but it isn't hard to see that beneath that veneer, the book voiced real complaints about women's lot in marriage and a tough streak of anti-romantic realism. (It also contributed to the image of Seattle and its environs as a realm of backwoods eccentrics -- a far cry from the current stereotype of grunge rockers and latte-drinking drones for Microsoft.) The Plague and I (1948), MacDonald's subsequent -- and largely ignored -- autobiographical follow-up, concerns the year she spent in a tuberculosis sanitarium. In it, she brings the same grim humor to the story of her institutionalization and the dehumanizing treatment she experiences there. -- Anne Finger The Plague and I by Betty MacDonald On October thirtieth, a month and two days after I had entered The Pines, a nurse appeared in our doorway at the beginning of rest hours and ordered me to get ready for a ride in a wheelchair. I asked her where I was going but she said only, "Shhhhh!" and left. There was probably some excellent reason for it, but the practise of coming for patients in wheelchairs and not telling them where they were going, or what was to be done to them, always seemed cruel and senseless to me. A wheelchair brought to your bed could mean the dentist, surgery, light treatments, examinations, X-ray, fluoroscope, the movies, a lecture, dismissal, moving to another hospital, a death in the family, any number of things, generally unpleasant but never as unpleasant as the not knowing, the speeding down corridors with racing pulse and rocks in your stomach. I knew that a wheelchair during rest hours usually meant the treatment room. The treatment room for me! My hands quivered like springs as I tried to tie my robe. I sat weakly on the edge of the bed and phrases from the lesson on surgery swooped around my head in a horrifying circle like bats. "Phrenicectomy, thoracoplasty, bilateral pneumothorax, collapse of both lungs. My heart pounded and my hand grew wet and clammy as I waited. Kimi [MacDonald's roommate] tried to comfort me. Her cheeks scarlet with excitement and apprehension, she said, "At least you know that anaesthetics have been discovered and whatever they do to you will be painless." I said, "Yes, but just the fact that they are going to do something to me must mean that I'm not getting well. Remember the lesson: 'There are cases that do not improve with rest, fresh air, and good food.'" We could hear the creak of the approaching wheelchair. Kimi said, "Breathe deeply quickly with both lungs. It may be for the last time." The nurse came in, I fumbled my way into the wheelchair like a trembly old lady, we rolled down the hall past the Charge Nurse's office, through large, double swinging doors and into the treatment room, where I was delivered wheelchair and all to the treatment room nurse, a Miss Welsh. Miss Welsh looked cheerful and proved both understanding and kind for she told me at once that I was to have artificial pneumothorax. She said, "For heaven's sake stop looking so scared, there's nothing to it." The treatment room, a very large old-fashioned operating room, was divided into sections by white sheets hung on rods. Miss Welsh whispered that all new patients were started on pneumothorax by the Medical Director; that he was behind the curtains and was very irritable when operating. Indicating by rolled up eyes and a finger on her closed lips that I was to be absolutely quiet, or else, she disappeared behind the curtain. The treatment room had windows to the ceiling, pure white walls and strong overhead lights and I sat in my wheelchair, absolutely quiet but blinking and squinting in the strong light and feeling like a mole that had suddenly burrowed out into the sunshine. There were two other patients waiting. One was the blonde with the gold tooth, who had brought washwater on my first morning at the sanatorium. She wore the same maroon sweater and was tatting something shrimp pink. She smiled but said nothing. The other patient was a young man with thick straight dark hair, very sunken brown eyes and feverish red cheeks. His navy blue flannel robe had a blob of egg on the lapel and I could tell that he was a very new patient because his fingers were still brown with cigarette stains. He showed not a glimmer of interest in me, the blonde or his surroundings, but stared morbidly at a large black framed motto which read, "It's good to have money and the things money can buy -- but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you have some of the things money can't buy." "Like tuberculosis," I thought bitterly. I was getting very sick of mottos and maxims and beautiful thoughts and as the minutes slogged by and there was no human sound from behind the white curtains, only occasional metallic clicks or the gushing sound of a faucet, I grew more and more apprehensive. "What were they doing behind there? Had something gone wrong? Why didn't somebody say something!" I moved my wheelchair back a little but this only brought me face to face with another motto, "Worry, the interest paid by those who borrow trouble." I felt just like Eileen [another patient] and wanted to shout rudely, "What knothead thought that up?" Just then the curtains parted and out came Little Miss Teacup Cavities of my first trip to the bathroom. She said goodbye to the Medical Director and Miss Welsh and was retrieved by a nurse from our ward who curtly took possession of my wheelchair. Miss Welsh indicated that the feverish boy was next and that I was to sit down on a bench beside Gold Tooth. I was so scared I was practically in a coma. Pneumothorax! Collapse of the lung! I was sure that I would suffocate. I remembered with disconcerting vividness the time, when I was twelve years old, I had tried to crawl between the crossed supports of a diving platform and had become firmly wedged. I drew air into my lungs in great gulps as I recalled the horrible smothering sensation and the long breathless terrible minutes it took Cleve to free me. I derived small comfort from the fact that everyone had told me that there was no sensation, no pain, to pneumothorax. Hadn't everyone told me that having a baby was just like a little case of indigestion? Indigestion maybe, but the kind you'd get from swallowing a cement mixer. I could now see the wall that had been behind me and it framed another motto. "Let thy speech be better than silence or be silent." Obviously somebody's mother had been scared by Bartlett's Quotations. I resolved to burn my copy the minute I got home. The thin blonde began to cough, first, however, neatly laying down her tatting shuttle and covering her mouth with a paper handkerchief. When she had finished she put the used handkerchief into an envelope of heavy waxed paper, put the envelope into her sweater pocket, then picked up her shuttle again. I could feel a cough bubbling in my chest. I swallowed hard and concentrated on "a cough can be controlled" for in my hysteria I had forgotten my waxed paper envelope and clean paper handkerchiefs. It was very warm in the treatment room and as I controlled my cough I could feel my face turning a dark unhealthy red. A nurse opened the outside door and looked in at us. Apparently neither the blonde nor I was what she wanted, for after looking at my red face suspiciously for a minute or two, she shut the door again. I grew fascinated with the blonde's tatting shuttle. It darted in and out of the shrimp pink like a dragonfly in a hollyhock. The pink thing was square and lacy and seemed to be some kind of a yoke. I had seen many such yokes displayed at county fairs and could easily picture it completed, its virulent color clutching the top of a too-short white cotton petticoat, cut on the bias and sucked in at the knees. Miss Welsh finally emerged again from behind the white curtains and motioned to me. My heart gave a wild leap of fear but I got up and marched resolutely over to her. Whatever it was, I was willing to face it, to get it over. She helped me off with my robe and the tops of my pajamas and up onto an operating table. She told me to lie on my back with my left arm above my head, then painted the entire upper left half of me with mercurochrome. The Medical Director was washing his hands over in the corner, his back to us. When he had finished washing the nurse handed him a pair of rubber gloves, which he put on without speaking. Then he poked me experimentally in the ribs, looked at my x-rays, examined my case history and said, "Yell if you want to but don't flinch!" I felt the prick of the hypodermic needle, just under my left breast, then an odd sensation as though he were trying to push me off the table, then a crunchy feeling and a stab of pain. "There now," the Medical Director said, as he attached the end of what looked like a steel knitting needle to a small rubber hose connected to two gallon fruit jars partially filled with a clear amber fluid. The nurse put one jar higher than the other and I waited frantically for my breathing to stop and suffocation to start. There was no sensation of any kind for a few minutes then I had a pulling, tight feeling up around my neck and shoulder. The doctor said, "I guess that's enough for today," took the needle out, slapped a bandage on me and I got down from the table, dizzy with relief. Climbing back into bed, I had a terrific, overwhelming desire for a cigarette. A cup of hot coffee and a cigarette. Laughing so that she would know it was just a little joke, I told the nurse but she looked disapproving and brought me two aspirin and some lukewarm water. By suppertime I had sharp knifelike pains in my chest and had spit up a little blood. I excitedly reported these symptoms to the Charge Nurse and she immediately put my bed down flat and said that 1 was not to walk to the bathroom and was to eat all my meals lying down for three days. She then explained calmly that the pains were adhesions tearing loose, the blood was probably from my nose, that I was most fortunate to be able to take pneumothorax. She said the only reason I hadn't had pneumothorax as soon as I entered was because of the shadow on my right lung. She said that this shadow had cleared and I was a very lucky young woman. Lying on my back, spilling tea and little slimy pieces of canned pear down my neck, it was difficult for me to see eye to eye with the Charge Nurse, especially as I had felt perfectly well without a single pain of any kind before I got so terribly lucky and was given pneumothorax. The maxim on my tray was: "I would rather be able to appreciate some things I cannot have than to have things I cannot appreciate." From then on until I left The Pines, like all the great clan of "gas" patients, I was given a jigger of "gas medicine," a brackish-tasting liquid, before every meal. For three days and nights, each time I moved I had severe tearing pains in my left lung. I took aspirin and tried to concentrate on feeling fortunate but succeeded only in feeling very tubercular. Friday morning, just after temperatures and pulses, a strange man stopped at our door, read my name from a list he was holding, told me to put on my robe and slippers, helped me into a wheelchair and started toward the elevators. "Now what?" I asked myself, my fear-addled brain trying to recall the various forms of surgery used if pneumothorax was not successful. When the elevator door had clanged shut, the man said, "Ever been to fluoroscope before?" I said no, and he said, "You'll like it. You can talk and you'll see people from all over the hospital." My sigh of relief almost collapsed my other lung. Before we had rounded the second bend of the tunnel leading to x-ray, we heard what sounded like the chirping and twittering of thousands of nesting birds. "Fluoroscope patients," the x-ray man explained. The noise was almost deafening as we rounded the last bend and came on about eighty patients, both men and women, but carefully sorted according to sex, sitting on benches along the walls of the tunnel and waiting to be fluoroscoped. The x-ray man pushed my wheelchair to the door of the laboratory and callously left me facing the benches and the eighty strangers, who immediately stopped talking and unabashedly looked me over. Feeling like a pimply blind date and very conscious of my gray lips and uncombed hair, I lowered my eyes and examined the fingernails on my shaking left hand. When the talking at last began again, I was sure much of it was about me but I was able to raise my eyes and observe. Most of the patients were young, in their teens and early twenties, and appeared robust and very healthy. The female patients from the Ambulant Hospital wore makeup and hair curled and arranged in slightly out-of-date fashions. The degree of out-of-dateness varied with the length of time the patient had been at The Pines and what had been in vogue when she entered. Most of the women were doing some form of fancywork and knitting needles, tatting shuttles, crochet hooks and embroidery needles flicked and darted as they talked. The men just sat. This made them appear sadder and sicker than the women. All the patients were dressed in bathrobes or housecoats. The women's were floor length and bright colored. Coral, turquoise, pale green, bright red, electric blue, lavender, yellow, and of course magenta. The men's robes were short and drab. Dusty dark blue, maroon, earthy brown and gray. The men were combed and clean shaven and actually as fat, pink cheeked and bright eyed as the women, but they didn't make the same effort to look healthy and happy. They sat in dejected attitudes looking as unemployed and beaten as possible, and coughing and spitting constantly. It made me wonder if any occupational therapy other than spitting was provided for male bedrest patients. From past experience with sick males, I knew that no form of occupational therapy, including how to make your own diamonds, would get a very enthusiastic reception, as a man's natural reaction to illness of any kind seems to be to see how big a stinker he can be and how much resistance he can muster against all forms of treatment. However, even the novelty of being a stinker must wear off after the first year, and it seemed to me that there should be something for those large idle hands to do. Something to bring a smile to those sad dejected faces, to lessen the tedium of tuberculosis. I was wondering what that something could be, when the door of the x-ray lab opened and Miss Welsh winked at me, jerked my wheelchair into pitch darkness, took off my robe and the tops to my pajamas and put a sheet around my shoulders. When my eyes had become accustomed to the dark, I saw that there were several doctors sitting facing the fluoroscope with their backs to me. A door to the right of the fluoroscope opened and a girl came in, closing the door quickly behind her. She sat down in front of the fluoroscope, slipping the sheet from her shoulders as she did so. There was a buzzing noise and I could see her ribs and lungs. They looked just fine to me but the technician ran his finger over the plate on her right lung and the doctors grunted unintelligible things to each other. They told her to raise and lower her arm. When she left it was my turn. The technician asked me my name, the House Doctor found my card, the technician ran his finger over the plate on my left side, I was told to raise and lower my arm, the doctors grunted unintelligible things to each other and it was over. Miss Welsh pushed me out into the hall again and over to the bench on the women's side, where they crowded over to make room for me. The woman next to me was embroidering "When you come to the end of a perfect day" in bright orange yarn on a maroon velvet pillow. just behind the word "come" she had already embroidered half of a large orange with spikes protruding from it. This puzzled me a good deal until she turned the pillow around and I realized that the prickly half-orange represented a sun setting behind a maroon horizon. The Perfect Day woman was talking to a girl, who had a big heap of loose curls on top of her head and winked every time she spoke. She was crocheting something in ecru string. Perfect Day said, "I was talking to Bill, Thursday, and he said that the Charge Nurse wouldn't send Mervin to the dentist because he was going to die anyhow and the Institution don't want to waste their materials fixin' his teeth." Heap O'Curls winked and said, "And I've heard that the poor kids in the four-bed ward up in Bedrest are starving and the Charge Nurse just laughs when they ask for seconds." Perfect Day said, "It's a wonder to me that anybody gets out of here alive." The girl on my other side was making a rag doll. It was supposed to be one of those long-legged French bed dolls but there had evidently been no pattern for the girl had made the body as long and thin as the legs and arms. The result looked like a squid. A tough delinquent squid with its face all pulled down on one side and bright orange hair exploding from its peaked head. The girl was attaching an arm and as she sewed she told her neighbor on the other side about a hemorrhage she had had at dinner before coming to The Pines. "A cup full of blood!" she finished triumphantly and I wondered where and how she had measured it. All the conversations were about operations, hemorrhages, ambulant patients who were to be sent back to Bedrest and bedrest patients who were to come to the Ambulant Hospital. I said to Perfect Day, "My, everyone certainly looks healthy!" She said, squinting as she threaded more orange yarn into her needle, "Don't let it fool you, honey, those red cheeks are t.b. flushes and only show germ activity." Rag Doll leaned across me and said, "Hazel, I had a chest exam yesterday and if it's o.k. I'll get six hours and my clothes. Mama said she'd buy me a whole new outfit." Perfect Day said, "God, honey, I'm prayin' for you but I wouldn't count on it. Henry Welter had a chest exam last week and they sent him back to Bedrest this morning." The Rag Doll girl said, "Really! Oh, the poor kid!" They both sewed in silence for a minute or two in honor of poor Henry's memory. A very attractive blue-eyed, dark-haired girl motioned to me. As she was sitting about ten people down the bench from me, in order to talk to her I had to lean forward. This almost got me Perfect Day's needle in my eyeball, so the dark girl moved up next to me. She said, "My name's Sheila Flannigan and my brother Red went to college with your sister Mary." I said, "Why I remember Red, but how did you know I was out here?" She said, "Molly Hastings told me." Sheila also told me that she had been at The Pines three months, had time up and was at the opposite end of Bedrest in a room with a former schoolmate of my sister Alison. I began to think that my sister Mary was right and that "practically everybody has tuberculosis." Catching my eye over the Perfect Day pillow, Sheila said, "That, my dear, is occupational therapy. 'There's a little bit of the artist in each of us,' " she said, quoting someone in a high squeaky voice. Looking at the maroon pillow I thought, "But what a tiny little speck in some people," and then the x-ray man came for me with the wheelchair. As I climbed into bed, I realized with surprise that the unaccustomed noise and confusion had been tiring and it was nice to return to the peace of our cold little cubicle. Kimi wanted to hear about everything and during the turmoil of returning patients to their beds, I managed to tell her most of what had happened. When I finished she said plaintively, "You know, Betty, it seems to me that the institution is making a greater effort to save you than to save me." I laughed, which immediately drew a disapproving nurse to the doorway, for fluoroscope was over and the ward was again so quiet that a whisper sounded like a steam jet in full release. On November twelfth, Kimi and I had a long bitter letter from Eileen. She had been moved into a room by herself. She said that she had thought that rooming with Minna was as low as you could get. Her exact words were, "Jesus, honey, it was, like livin' under a stone with a grub but now I'm still under the stone but all alone." She said that the reason for the move was: "Gramma brought old Mrs. Walladay out with her last Sunday and Mrs. Walladay yelled so loud the nurses told her three times to be quiet and finally the Old Dame came down, and raised hell and Gramma said, 'Ain't you ashamed, a big strong woman like you makin' fun of a poor old deaf lady!' Jesus, kids, I almost choked." So apparently had the Charge Nurse for she moved Eileen by herself. I felt very sorry for Eileen but didn't realize the extent of my sympathy until I was moved by myself on November fifteenth. It all happened so quickly I didn't even have a chance to say good-bye to Kimi. I opened my eyes after rest hours and the next I knew I was in a cubicle- by myself at the opposite end of the building. A few minutes later Kimi was wheeled past my door and a pathetic note from her that night informed me that she had been put in a room with the Japanese girl with no character. She said, "If not speaking will heal my lung I should be out of here within the week." The note ended, "Why did the Charge Nurse separate us? How could she perform such an act of cruelty?" That's what I wanted to know so I asked her. She said, "It is better for the patients to move every so often. To adjust to different personalities. It is better for you to be by yourself." I loathed being by myself. It was dull and depressing and I found it impossible to adjust to my own personality. My new little room was very comfortable with a window opening on a huge porch beside the bed, a radiator within easy reach, so that I could thaw out my feet occasionally in the early morning, and a delightful view of the Children's Hospital, the waters of the Sound and many trees. It was the first time since entering the hospital that I had been able to look out of a window and I found watching the writhing trees, the angry gray water and the driving rain very exhilarating for a day or two. Then I began to miss Kimi. I missed her gentle voice, her understanding and her acid tongue. Being alone made the whole day seem like the rest hours and I soon lost my feeling of high spirits and exuberant. good health, and spent much of my time longing for the children and thinking about death. There were six or seven beds on the porch and the patients in these beds were very quiet, almost immobile. It was undoubtedly because of the cold that they lay so very still under covers pulled high and tucked in, only their faces showing above the white spreads but to my morbid eye they seemed very sick, probably dying. At night when I lay wide awake, cold, lonely and sad, the beds looked like rows of white biers, and the patients' faces gleamed greenish white and dead in the pale reflected lights from the Administration Building. Before coming to The Pines, death, if I thought of it at all, which was seldom, was something swift, awe inspiring, cataclysmic, dramatic and grand. Death was a lightning bolt, a flood, a fire, a hurricane, a train wreck, an airplane crash, a pistol shot, a leap from a high bridge. When I had told this to Kimi one evening she had said, "Oh, that is not at all my idea of Death. To me Death is a lecherous, sly, deranged old man. His beard is sparse and stained. His eye are coarse lidded, red rimmed, furtive and evil. His loose red lip are slimy and drooling. He pants with anticipation. His partially opened mouth shows brown shaggy thread of tooth. He shuffles up and down the corridor at night, his malodorous, black robe dragging behind him." I was horrified and told Kimi that she was morbid. She had said, "I cannot help it. Each time Margaretta or any other very sick patient passes our door I fancy I see Death's evil face peering around the corner. I think I see his black robe swirl through the doorway ahead of the wheelchair. I can see him hovering like a great bat over the emergency ward, the light room, the private room. I can hear him shuffling up and down the corridor at night." (He must have done his shuffling in the very early evening for Kimi closed her eyes on the stroke of nine-thirty and did not open them again until the washwater was delivered.) Now that I was alone and had long sleepless hours to think, to listen and to observe, I thought Kimi's idea of death much more realistic than mine and I too began to see his evil peering face, to hear him shuffling up and down the corridors in the night. I'd awaken when the night nurse made rounds at about one or half past, and when the friendly yellow eye of her flashlight had darted off the ceiling and the soft pad of her retreating footsteps had been absorbed by the dark, I'd lie waiting. Stiff with dread. Then it would start. From far down the hall a cough -- dry and rattling like seed pods in the wind. Then another nearer -- gurgling and strangling and leaving the cougher gasping for breath. Then from across the hall a harsh deep cough with a strange metallic ring. Then the girl in the private room, the girl with skin the color of old snow, the girl with arms and legs like knobby sticks, whose voice was gone, would begin to gasp dreadfully. Involuntarily I'd try to help her until my tongue felt swollen, my throat ached, my lungs seemed crushed. "Hurry, hurry," I wanted to scream, because over it all I could hear the slow, sure shuffle of Death. Up and down the halls he went, never hurrying, knowing that we'd wait for him. One morning the Charge Nurse said, "The night nurse reports that you do not sleep well, Mrs. Bard. Is something troubling you?" I said no, not any one thing. She said, "What kind of thoughts do you have before going to sleep?" I said with mistaken honesty, "I long for my children and I think about death." She said with horror, "Death! Why Mrs. Bard, how awful!" Then quickly recovering and jerking herself down so that not a speck of revealing human being showed, she said, "We do not allow patients of The Pines to think about death, or other unpleasant things. You must have pleasant cheerful thoughts." I said, "But I can't have cheerful thoughts when I'm by myself. I hate to be alone." She said, "It is better for you to be alone. You must have cheerful thoughts or I will report you to the Medical Director." I wrote to Kimi that night and told her that the institution was now controlling my thoughts. She replied, "If only they could. I look at my roommate and think of murder twenty-four hour a day." From then on, while by myself, I spent the days trying to line up cheerful thoughts to mull over during the night. As I lay quietly assembling cheer, the two women in the next cubicle compared ailments. One of them had a liver that was crowding her tonsils; the other a uterus hanging by a thread. One had an ingrown toenail; the other a loose crown on her tooth. One of them belched and the other had pains because she didn't. One's sinus was so clogged she could not get any breath, the other had an empty tunnel from one ear to the other through which cold air whooshed, giving her earaches and other discomforts. One had fluid on her lung which had to be aspirated, the other was taking pneumothorax. They were each sure they were being given the wrong treatment and the wrong medicines. One of the women had a sweet motherly voice and talked about her organs as though they were little friends. "Old Mr. Gall Bladder acting up this morning" she would say right after breakfast, or "All my little intestines are crowded today, I don't think they liked the salad we had last night." I could picture Old Mr. Gall Bladder pounding on her liver with his cane and all her little intestines with bibs on crowded around the table not liking the salad. The other woman's insides were all little machines that didn't function. She was sure that if the Charge Nurse would only give her something to stir up her bile, the bile would start the wheels in her liver, the wheels in her liver would start the pistons in her stomach, the pistons in her stomach would generate enough juice to run her intestines, which would in gratitude wind around her uterus and keep it from dropping on the floor. The thing that amazed me was how either of the women had ever gotten tuberculosis, because according to their conversation, for years and years before coming to The Pines, they had spent every day but Sunday in various doctors' offices and had grown so familiar with all germs that they should have recognized the tubercle bacilli and swatted them like gnats. I was surprised the first time I saw Friendly Organs' visitors. I had thought of course that like her they would be dreary operation talkers and symptom discussers. But they weren't. They were hard bright women with lustreless dyed black hair, black sealskin coats, bright pink rouge, felt hats with vizors like policemen's hats, and big patent-leather purses. Their talk, loud and cheerful and punctuated with claps of laughter, was entirely about poker parties, drinking beer and people named Chet, Murphy and Vera. When they left, the air around Friendly Organs swirled with the musky scent of tuberoses and gardenias and the air around me swirled with pictures of the visitors at home in their one-room downtown apartments, drinking beer, opening cans of beans and being pinched on the behind by Chet or Murphy.

Betty MacDonald and Betty MacDonald cook fan club

Betty MacDonald and Betty MacDonald cook fan club

Germany and Canada join forces at the Hanover Trade Fair

Reuters FOCUS 1 - Germany and Canada join forces at the Hanover Trade Fair Andreas Rinke • 6 hours • 3 minutes read Hanover, March 30 (Reuters) - Germany and Canada demonstrated solidarity at the opening of the Hanover Trade Fair in the face of ongoing threats from the United States and promoted free trade. "Canada is not just anyone's federal state. Canada is a proud, independent nation," the SPD politician said Sunday evening at the opening of the trade fair in Hanover. "We knew we valued each other. But now we know we need each other," said Stéphane Dion, Canada's Special Representative for the European Union and Europe. Dion, who is ambassador to France and previously worked in Germany, represented the new Canadian Prime Minister Matt Carney, who is currently campaigning. US President Donald Trump's repeated threats, including against allies, have overshadowed relations with Washington for weeks. Trump has laid claim to Canada and Greenland, which belongs to EU and NATO partner Denmark, and imposed punitive import tariffs on the US's northern neighbor, Canada, as well as the EU and other states. In Canada, this has led to harsh sanctions against the US. The EU has announced that it will also respond with countermeasures. "We stand by your side," the Chancellor added pointedly in English to the ambassador. Canada has friends all over the world – and especially many of them here in Germany and Europe. Scholz pointed out that it is very unusual for neighbors, allies, and G7 partners to have to emphasize their desire for independence. Prime Minister Mark Carney, he said, was forced to reassure the US even before taking office that Canada would "never, in any form, be a part of the US." "These are statements that also concern us here in Europe," the Chancellor added. Research Minister Cem Özdemir (Green Party) also criticized Trump's repeated statements in Hanover that Canada should become the 51st state of the USA. "Canada is an independent country where the people of Canada decide what happens with their future, but no one else, please," he said. CLOSER ECONOMIC RELATIONS PLANNED Scholz pointed out that Trump's tariff policy is damaging everyone, including the USA itself. The EU will respond to the tariffs, but must conclude more and more rapid free trade agreements with other partners around the world. "That is the right response at this time," Scholz said. Germany has already ratified the EU free trade agreement with this year's guest country, Canada. "We hope that it will soon be finally ratified by all (EU) states," he added. "Since the CETA-EU agreement with Canada came into force in 2017 alone, trade in goods between us has increased by more than 50 percent. And I'm sure it will continue to rise soon – I call it the 'Hanover Effect,'" Scholz said. Canada is represented by 220 companies at the world's largest industrial trade fair, with a total of 4,000 exhibitors – according to Ambassador Dion, the largest trade fair presence the country has ever had. He described his homeland as "the most European non-European country," with a wealth of resources and many high-tech companies. The Chancellor also described the economies of both countries as ideal partners and quoted former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said that Canada has all the raw materials that Russia also has – but is a democracy and a constitutional state. REFRESHED CRITICISM OF THE PUNITIVE TARIFFS Scholz renewed his criticism of the punitive tariffs imposed by the US, for example, on imported cars. "We know that free world trade, which has created so much prosperity, is at risk because political movements of protectionism are becoming fashionable all over the world," said the SPD politician. This leads to only losers. The position of the German government and the EU is: "We will continue to advocate for fair world trade." This is particularly important for the USA. "Therefore, it is also clear that we as the European Union will react to the United States' tariff policy," warned Scholz. At the same time, the EU is committed "at all times and at all times" to a compromise of cooperation. "Cooperation, clarity, and strength are needed here simultaneously," said the Chancellor. The EU is open, but not naive.

'The most economically illiterate speech I have ever heard', analyst says • FRANCE 24 English

'The most economically illiterate speech I have ever heard', analyst says • FRANCE 24 English

The Egg and I movie

The Egg and I movie

Heidelberg, Germany, the Complete Tour

Heidelberg, Germany, the Complete Tour

Reaction To What Do Germans Really Think About Donald Trump?

Reaction To What Do Germans Really Think About Donald Trump?

liberation Day: Trump rouses his own voters to the barricades with tariff hammer – calls for impeachment

Frankfurter Rundschau Liberation Day: Trump rouses his own voters to the barricades with tariff hammer – calls for impeachment Bona Hyun • 5 hours • 3 minutes read Consequences for the US economy US President Trump isn't just stirring up business sentiment with his tariff plans on Liberation Day. His own fans are also upset about his plans. Washington D.C. – On Liberation Day, Donald Trump appears to be making good on his threats: The upcoming announcement of his tariff package could shock the entire world. Not only is the US economy worried, but discontent is also growing among Trump voters. Trump plans to announce tariffs on Liberation Day – concerns for the US economy and American companies So far, Trump has spoken of reciprocal tariffs. This essentially means that the US will raise tariffs wherever it currently charges less than its trading partners. Trump has already imposed tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports, initiated tariffs on imported cars and auto parts, introduced increased tariffs on all goods from China, and targeted his neighbors Canada and Mexico. Trump isn't just stirring up business sentiment with his tariff plans. His fans are also upset. Trump's tariff hammer is hitting not only trading partners but also domestic companies. US entrepreneur Jeremy Petersen, for example, now fears for his business after Canada became a particular focus of Trump's tariff plans. Petersen is the founder of Identity Pet Nutrition, a brand that sells human-grade dog and cat food. Liberation Day: Trump stirs up discontent among his voters - companies fear for business The company has expanded its production to Canada. In an interview with Der Spiegel, the entrepreneur and Trump voter explained that the cans for the food are filled in Canada and transported back by truck. The entrepreneur is already feeling the effects of the 25 percent tariffs already imposed on aluminum. Shortly thereafter, Canada announced that it would impose 25 percent tariffs on US goods. Identity Pet Nutrition could still handle the aluminum tariffs, but the planned 25 percent on everything would be difficult for his business, Petersen told Der Spiegel. He trusts that Trump's opponents will then initiate impeachment proceedings. Criticism of Trump before Liberation Day: Americans dissatisfied with tariff policy Peterson is not the only American, and possibly Trump voter, who is dissatisfied with Trump's tariff policy. Many disapprove of his handling of the US economy. The latest CBS News/YouGov poll, conducted March 27-28, shows that 64 percent of respondents believe the Trump administration is not focusing sufficiently on lowering prices, as promised during the 2024 campaign. Fifty-five percent believe there is too much emphasis on imposing tariffs on imports. Trump's tariffs are also becoming a burden for US citizens due to rising prices. But the far-right president has now declared that he "doesn't care" about rising prices in the US. In an interview with NBC, Trump was asked about a media report that he had warned the CEOs of US automakers about price increases as a result of the tariffs.

Will Canada bring Trump to his knees? THAT would hit the US extremely hard

The West Will Canada bring Trump to his knees? THAT would hit the US extremely hard Marcel Görmann • 18 hours • 2 minutes read Canada could take its conflict with Donald Trump to the next level! First, the president provoked his neighbors with remarks about Canada becoming the 51st US state. Now, the discussion is about painful tariffs, and a trade war is spreading. All of this triggered a wave of patriotism among Canadians, which has now led to an absurd idea. Canada wants nothing to do with Trump's plans, preferring to remain in the EU. You could say it's just a joke. But who knows what might really happen in this world these days? This could get Trump into trouble with his voters. Stand-up comedian Matthew Puzhitsky has suggested in an Instagram video that the website Pornhub should be blocked in the US. The portal is one of the most popular sites in this adult category and is accessed in large numbers, especially in the USA. The site is owned by the Canadian company Mindgeek, based in Montreal. In Puzhitsky's view, a Pornhub ban would be the "nuclear option" for Trump and the Americans, meaning the ultimate sanction. "If Canada could ban Pornhub in the USA, we would win the trade war," he told the New York Post. "Then that would be it!" In fact, almost 40 percent of Pornhub users are said to be from the USA. "This potential ban could send a strong signal and encourage a rethinking of existing tariff measures," Puzhitsky argues. A Pornhub sanction is thus intended to put pressure on Trump. But this will likely remain an internet joke. Meanwhile, Trump's trade wars are increasingly weighing on the global economy. The Organization for International Cooperation and Development (OECD) lowered its global growth forecast on Monday. For the US, the OECD expects growth of 2.2 percent (previously 2.4 percent). It significantly reduced its forecast for the coming year by 0.5 percentage points to 1.6 percent. According to the OECD, Mexico could even plunge into recession! The experts lowered their growth forecast by 2.5 percentage points to minus 1.3 percent. For Canada, they expect a decline of 1.3 percentage points compared to the previous forecast, resulting in growth of 0.7 percent in 2025. They also expect significantly higher inflation rates in Mexico, Canada, and the US.

Trump's Auto Tariffs Put Eastern Europe in a Tight Spot

Daily Wrap Trump's Auto Tariffs Put Eastern Europe in a Tight Spot Przemysław Ciszak • 10 hrs. • American tariffs on cars could seriously damage the economies of Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who previously supported Trump, fears the impact of the new tariffs. Hungary and Slovenia could also feel negative consequences. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his support of Donald Trump, now fears the impact of American auto tariffs. According to the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung," Slovakia, where the automotive industry employs around 200,000 people, could be one of the countries most affected by the new tariffs. Experts predict that Slovak exports could fall by up to 74%. Not only Slovakia, but also Hungary and Slovenia could feel the negative effects of the American tariffs. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, despite being a supporter of Trump, does not blame him for the tariffs, but instead criticizes the European Union. Slovenia, with a developed pharmaceutical industry, could also suffer, even though Trump's wife, Melania, is from that country, notes the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung." Tariffs have an indirect impact Although direct trade between Central and Eastern European countries with the US is not extensive, their economies are strongly linked to the European automotive market. The "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" quotes Zdenek Zajicek of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, who emphasizes that restricting car exports to the US could affect orders for Czech vehicle parts, which could have far-reaching consequences for the region.

"Satire is my favorite animal" by Wolfgang Hampel is very successful internationally

"Satire is my favorite animal" by Wolfgang Hampel is very successful internationally. Many readers around the world appreciate the humor and brilliant punch lines of the book. Critics and readers are of the opinion that 'Satire is my favorite animal' is one of the most humorous books of all time. The famous crime writer Ingrid Noll is also a big fan and is always happy about humorous masterpieces by Wolfgang Hampel.😊 The Heidelberg singer, parodist, satirist, Betty MacDonald fan club - and Vita Magica founder Wolfgang Hampel has an impressive connection to the famous authors Betty MacDonald and Ingrid Noll. He is a two-time Betty MacDonald Memorial Award winner, which recognizes his work on Betty MacDonald and outstanding contributions to literature. He has also won the SWR Ingrid Noll competition, which further underlines his skills as an author. In October 2024 he founded the political cabaret group 'Die Heidelberger Satireschotterer'. Wolfgang Hampel is also very active in Heidelberg's literary scene and regularly takes part in events. He appears on radio and television - including with Ingrid Noll and in the SWR TV show "Herzschlagmomente" with his wife Angelika and Marc Marshall. His diverse activities and awards make him an important personality in the literary world. --------------- Living room reading with Wolfgang Hampel ----------------- Wolfgang Hampel, author of "Satire is my favorite animal" in the Heidelberg Authors' Directory ----------------- ------------- Buchinfo national & international, Eurobuch national & international,---------------- - --- USA , United Kingdom, Australia , Brazil , Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Germany , India , Italy, Hungary , Japan, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands , Spain, Sweden, >Switzerland , Switzerland, Turkey ---------------------- Wolfgang Hampel in the SWR 3 broadcast “Heartbeat moments” -------------------------- A sketch about Brexit in Vita Magica by and with Wolfgang Hampel