Southern Germany offers a scenic look at mountainous highs and historic lows - CT Insider
Sunday, January 26, 2020Speaking of food, we noticed similarities in breakfast at hotels in Mittenwald nearby, Oberstdorf to the west and our hotel at Lake Konstanz: the bread and rolls are great and abundant in the morning, mostly absent at night. (A good thing.) There are coldcuts for breakfast, as in Italy, but there is also fruit and some great cheese samples, along with eggs. Get a hotel with breakfast included. I expected to eat more sausage but didn’t have to; there were better options (schnitzel and even a nice steak in gravy) although not many green vegetables to be found (then again, the menus were in German).
Local attractions include the rushing waters of Partnach Gorge, cable cars up Alpspitze (a lovely mountain in the northern limestone Alps) and even taller Zugspitze (mountaintops we visited included large Christian crosses near their summits), Neuschwanstein Castle (much-visited and known as “The Disney Castle”) and the old-town colorfully painted old houses and incredibly lush flowers in so many window boxes.
We actually enjoyed the regular chiming tone of a nearby church bell, and there was a street festival going on for two days nearby that drew us to it with cheers and howls of laughter (I also was drawn into one of the improvised comedy bits by a pair of street performers from the UK). At a traditional dinner place there, two boys in lederhosen entertained with a thigh-slapping hop/dance to accordion music that ended in a clipped yodel.
Mittenwald — part way to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden, which we didn’t get to — offered more gorgeous “alstadt” (old town) architecture and strolling. The Mittenwald Brewery, busy and festive with Bavarian music on a Monday night, sat us in a booth with a German couple who didn’t speak English. But we got along splendidly anyway since everyone knows a few words of another language (I knew “kinder” for children, which helped). When I asked about Oktoberfest, they said, “No, no Oktoberfest. Das ist Munchen (that’s in Munich).” In these parts, in other words, it’s always communal Bavarian beer time. (A half-liter beer goes for $4-$5.)
It takes a lot of planning when you’re not on a guided bus tour for a week. Since we were driving through a bit of Austria and Switzerland, I procured an International Driver’s License at AAA. And there’s this other toll you must pay if you’re driving in Austria by purchasing an Austrian vignette from a gas station near the border.
The two-hour drive to Lake Konstanz (the Germans call it Bodensee) was also worth a couple of days. The scenic island of Mainau near the city of Konstanz is accessible via pedestrian bridge. It was showering for part of that visit but the island was still lovely, filled with gardens bursting with millions of flowers, a castle and pleasant paved paths. Later, in the city of Konstanz nearby, a car ferry took us across to Meersburg, where the old town sits on a hillside with one of the area wineries included (perfectly neat and organized inside the sales area, but not warm like a pub or tasting bar in our area).
We stayed in Friedrichschafen, where the old church looks like 1960s-modern because the previous one was leveled by Allied bombs during, you know, the war. An...https://www.ctinsider.com/entertainment/ctpost/article/Southern-Germany-offers-a-scenic-look-at-14981609.php
Die Ringvorlesungen der Saar-Universität in der 28. Kalenderwoche
Saturday, July 14, 2018Ringvorlesung über „Europäische Traumkulturen:Dienstag, 10. Juli, 18 Uhr: „Struktur und Semantik des Traums in literarischen Texten(Prof. Dr. Renate Lachmann, Universität Konstanz)Veranstaltungsort: Campus B3 1, Hörsaal IIKontakt: Prof. Dr. phil Janett Reinstädler, Romanistik, Tel.: 0681 302-3514 (-2335), E-Mail: reinstaedler@mx.uni-saarland.dehttp://www.traumkulturen.de4. Ringvorlesung „Erinnerung und Aufbruch. Das europäische Kulturerbe im Saarland nach 1945Mittwoch, 11. Juli, 18 Uhr: „Aufbruch in die Mobilität? Entstehung und Wahrnehmung der Saarbrücker Stadtautobahn(Prof. Barbara Krug-Richter, Historische Anthropologie, Universität des Saarlandes)Saarbrücken ist eine autogerechte Stadt. Autos sind gefühlt überall, auf den vielen Straßen und Parkplätzen und vor allem auf der Stadtautobahn. Diese verbannt die Saar in ein enges Bett und teilt die vergleichsweise kleine Großstadt deutlich sichtbar in zwei Teile. Vor allem der Blick von oben demonstriert das Ausmaß dieses Eingriffs in die Stadtstrukturen, das in seiner Entstehungszeit vor allem dem Wunsch nach Modernität und Mobilität geschuldet war. Als die Stadtautobahn im Jahre 1963 eröffnet wurde, galt sie als Signum einer neuen Zeit, die auch die Möglichkeit eröffnete, das schöne Saarland mit dem Auto zu erkunden. Heute dokumentiert sie ein gigantisch gestiegenes Verkehrsaufkommen und gilt vielen als zerstörerisches Element einer Stadtplanung, das man vor einigen Jahren sogar unter einem Tunnel verschwinden lassen wollte zugunsten einer grünen „Stadtmitte am Fluss. Der Vortrag fragt nach der Geschichte und Gegenwart der Saarbrücker Stadtautobahn und konzentriert sich dabei vor allem auf deren Wahrnehmung durch Einheimische wie Fremde.Veranstaltungsort: Pingusson-Bau, Hohenzollernstraße 60/Keplerstraße 21, 66117 SaarbrückenKontakt: Salvatore Pisani, Institut für Kunstgeschichte, Tel. 0681 302-3317, E-Mail: s.pisani@mx.uni-saarland.de5. Ringvorlesung über Fantastik:Mittwoch, 11. Juli, 18.30 Uhr: EPIC EMPIRES - Ein Internationaler LARP-Magnet aus dem Saarland(Andreas Plöger, PopRat Saarland)„Epic empires wurde 2009 von einem Freundeskreis saarländischer Liverollenspiel-Enthusiasten ins Leben gerufen und ist die drittgrößte LARP-Veranstaltung (Live Action Role Playing) im deutschsprachigen Raum. Ausgerichtet auf dem „Bexbacher Utopion, zieht die rein ehrenamtlich organisierte „Con (abgekürzt für „Convention) jährlich bis zu 1300 Spieler aus Deutschland und dem europäischen Ausland an. Als „LARP für Erwachsene hat „Epic empires eine Nische besetzt und gilt mit ihrem hohen Anspruch an Darstellung, Outfits und Ambiente als Pionier und Trendsetter in der Szene – national wie international. Auch ihre stark Community-orientierte Organisationsform ist in dieser Form einzigartig. Der Vortrag behandelt einführend LARP als Hobby-Kosmos und erlebnis...http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=305E4582AC08410EA34CEF3A65D3C1ED&url=https%3a%2f%2fidw-online.de%2fde%2fnews699038&c=13447527063676318532&mkt=de-de
Ideal Attraction for Flower-Lovers - Isle of Mainau
Tuesday, July 11, 2017Kids under 12 go for free. You can take the Interregio, Bus and trains except ICE with this ticket. From Stuttgart we reached Seingen and from Singen another train to Konstanz.This is total 3 hrs journey.From Konstanz we took the shuttle to Mainau which is a good 25 mins ride.Once we reached there, there was a long queue and we waited for 20 mins to get the tickets. It costs 19.5 Euro per person and kids below 12 go for free. The Island info is good and informative. As you enter , you can see the Bodensee or the Lake and the Alps far beyond. You are welcomed by the Island's mascot, the giant flower made of flowers installation! The Children's Isle is the first one to catch your eye and believe me, kids just love it!Once you move out from the play area, you can visit the permanent installations of flowers or take a right towards the petting zoo and pony rides for kids. There is a miniature train run featuring DB, ICE and steam engines which is cute.You could marvel at huge old trees most of them more than 100 years old. There is the Dahlia park and a wave of colourful Tulips. Make e sure you visit between first 3 weeks of April to enjoy the blooms at their fullest. As move upwards, there is a Baroque palace, a green house and plenty of Tulips!Thete is also a butterfly scantury .Nice eateries and ice cream stalls. Be prepared for plenty of walking though!It's a lovely Island for family outing, kids, friends, nature lovers and lovers alike!A music fest is held August when a floating stage is set on the Lake with world class operas and musical talent perform!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC ...http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=73155EB6CC2E4821A1B91A3A9578A341&url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.tripadvisor.co.uk%2fShowUserReviews-g198393-d498416-r481955754-Isle_of_Mainau-Konstanz_Baden_Wurttemberg.html&c=16512195158894527072&mkt=en-us
Germany's second-highest traffic bridge opens - DW (English)
Sunday, January 26, 2020Mosel River in western Germany. Within Germany, the new bridge in the Rhineland-Palatinate is second only to the 185-meter-high Kochertal bridge in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg. Read more: World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in Germany's Harz region Authorities expect about 25,000 vehicles a day to cross the bridge that now provides a direct link between the regions of Eifel and Hunsrück. Several hundred people gathered for the bridge's opening on Thursday. Over the weekend, thousands of pedestrians crossed the bridge by foot as part of the opening festivities. "Today is a good day for the Rhineland-Palatinate," said State Premier Malu Dreyer. She added that she was convinced "that the bridge will help advance our economically strong state even further and will strengthen ties between the people in Eifel and Hunsrück." Europe's largest construction project The controversial building project kicked off eight years ago. Some critics argued that the massive bridge would destroy the area's idyllic vineyard landscape, while environmentalists argued it would pollute the ground water. Others spoke out against the cost. The building of the bridge was part of a greater road project that included the construction of an additional 25 kilometers (16 miles) of federal highway. The total project is estimated to havecost €483 million ($535 million), with €175 million dedicated to the bridge alone. Read more: Everything you need to know about the German ...https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-second-highest-traffic-bridge-opens/a-51355455
The perfect destination foHere is why Germany is the perfect destination for your next holidayr your holiday! Discover nature in Germany - Emirates Woman
Sunday, January 26, 2020Black Forest National Park, Baden-Württemberg, South GermanyPerfect for cleansing your lungs. The remarkable feature of this national park is that some areas have been able to develop for more than 100 years without human intervention. This means that all the animals and plants that are found here live in authentic, natural surroundings.You can use Deutsche Bahn trains all over Germany, where it uses 100% green energy. In addition, you can take the InterCity Express for a unique experience, as it is a high-speed train that connects all major cities in Germany with speeds of up to 300 km / hour, and this is one of the fastest ways to reach between Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne!Check out their Instagram: GermanyTourismAr, and Facebook: Germany Tourism Arabia– For more about Dubai’s lifestyle, news and fashion scene straight to your newsfeed, follow us on Facebook Media: Supplied...https://emirateswoman.com/germany/
The Pesticide Industry's Playbook for Poisoning the Earth - The Intercept
Sunday, January 26, 2020The study produced results that echoed what the Americans had found.
Drifting clouds of neonicotinoid dust from planting operations caused a series of massive bee die-offs in northern Italy and the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany. Studies have shown neonicotinoids impaired bees’ ability to navigate and forage for food, weakened bee colonies, and made them prone to infestation by parasitic mites.
In 2013, the European Union called for a temporary suspension of the most commonly used neonicotinoid-based products on flowering plants, citing the danger posed to bees — an effort that resulted in a permanent ban in 2018.
In the U.S., however, industry dug in, seeking not only to discredit the research but to cast pesticide companies as a solution to the problem. Lobbying documents and emails, many of which were obtained through open records requests, show a sophisticated effort over the last decade by the pesticide industry to obstruct any effort to restrict the use of neonicotinoids. Bayer and Syngenta, the largest manufacturers of neonics, and Monsanto, one of the leading producers of seeds pretreated with neonics, cultivated ties with prominent academics, including vanEngelsdorp, and other scientists who had once called for a greater focus on the threat posed by pesticides.
Syngenta AG’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, on Feb. 4, 2015.
Photo: Philipp Schmidli/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe companies also sought influence with beekeepers and regulators, and went to great lengths to shape public opinion. Pesticide firms launched new coalitions and seeded foundations with cash to focus on nonpesticide factors in pollinator decline.
“Position the industry as an active promoter of bee health, and advance best management practices which emphasize bee safety,” noted an internal planning memo from CropLife America, the lobby group for the largest pesticide companies in America, including Bayer and Syngenta. The ultimate goal of the bee health project, the document noted, was to ensure that member companies maintained market access for neonic products and other systemic pesticides.The planning memo, helmed in part by Syngenta regulatory official John Abbott, charts a variety of strategies for advancing the pesticide industry’s interests, such as, “Challenge EPA on the size and breadth of the pollinator testing program.” CropLife America officials were also tapped to “proactively shape the conversation in the new media realm with respect to pollinators” and “minimize negative association of crop protection products with effects on pollinators.” The document, dated June 2014, calls for “outreach to university researchers who could be independent validators.”
The pesticide companies have used a variety of strategies to shift the public discourse.
“America’s Heartland,” a PBS series shown on affiliates throughout the country and underwritten by CropLife America, portrayed the pollinator declines as a mystery. Onea href="https:/...https://theintercept.com/2020/01/18/bees-insecticides-pesticides-neonicotinoids-bayer-monsanto-syngenta/
'Flower Power': Photovoltaic cells replicate rose petals: Scientists increase the efficiency of solar cells by replicating the structure of petals - Science Daily
Tuesday, August 20, 2019Scientists at the KIT and the ZSW (Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg) now suggest in their article published in the Advanced Optical Materials journal to replicate the outermost tissue of the petals of higher plants, the so-called epidermis, in a transparent layer and integrate that layer into the front of solar cells in order to increase their efficiency.
First, the researchers at the Light Technology Institute (LTI), the Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), the Institute of Applied Physics (APH), and the Zoological Institute (ZOO) of KIT as well as their colleagues from the ZSW investigated the optical properties, and above all, the antireflection effect of the epidermal cells of different plant species. These properties are particularly pronounced in rose petals where they provide stronger color contrasts and thus increase the chance of pollination. As the scientists found out under the electron microscope, the epidermis of rose petals consists of a disorganized arrangement of densely packed microstructures, with additional ribs formed by randomly positioned nanostructures.
In order to exactly replicate the structure of these epidermal cells over a larger area, the scientists transferred it to a mold made of polydimethylsiloxane, a silicon-based polymer, pressed the resulting negative structure into optical glue which was finally left to cure under UV light. "This easy and cost-effective method creates microstructures of a depth and density that are hardly achievable with artificial techniques," says Dr. Guillaume Gomard, Group Leader "Nanopothonics" at KIT's LTI.
The scientists then integrated the transparent replica of the rose petal epidermis into an organic solar cell. This resulted in power conversion efficiency gains of twelve percent for vertically incident light. At very shallow incidence angles, the efficiency gain was even higher. The scientists attribute this gain primarily to the excellent omnidirectional antireflection properties of the re...https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160624110028.htm