Hot in Louisiana

Obviously I was witness to a much talked about entertainment event without even noticing: Reggie Brown at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans. This guy, obviously a black comedian I had never heard of before, has an Obama act he was invited for. That was kinda funny, but then he turned to mocking Republicans, like, Newt Gingrich is dropping delegates faster then Anthony Weiner his pants, or: Tim Pawlenty could not make it to the conference because he got his foot from his mouth surgically removed, and also a spinal transplant, both paid for by Obambneycare.

While I was still thinking, wow, someone had guts inviting this guy, he was already escorted off the stage in the middle of a Michele Bachmann joke. Now I‘m sitting here with barely half a joke. I don't think this is how Republicans make friends.

As for the much talked energy crisis the Republicans want to solve by drilling, I have a great idea. Turn off the effing air conditioning! New Orleans had about 100 degrees (in the sun), while the conference center had about ten. Well, maybe 20. Oddly enough, the airplane later had 100 degrees again, due to some malfunction (I was flying U.S. Airways). If America could find a way to simply store heat and cold and exchange them to where they are needed, that should take care of everything.

What's Left of the Wall

Our next book will come out any time soon: It is The Berlin Wall Today, a color picture guide that meticulously shows all the remainders of the Wall still visible in Berlin; in the inner city of Berlin, to be precise, a ten-mile-stretch from Bornholmer Brücke all the way down to Schlesischer Busch. You can walk that in a day (with good shoes and no small children in tow). The book has maps also.

It is really not that much left of the Iron Curtain, but if you walk all the way it is more than you would assume. For me, thinking that I know everything about Berlin, it was interesting to discover Wall remnants in back yards, next to train tracks, and in half-wild parks I have never heard about. Some of them are covered in graffiti, some overgrown with plants. There are also guard towers and memorial plaques that tell Berlin history.

The book will come out in July; I will keep everybody posted. It will also appear in other languages eventually, starting with German. It will be available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.