Six Organs of Brilliance: The Maximum Black Festival in Berlin
Popularity: 61%
Blatant Racism vs. Racial Microaggression
Carl Bell was waiting his turn to check in at his hotel. A well-regarded psychiatrist and academic, he was traveling for a television appearance. The TV station had flown him first-class and sent a chauffeur-driven car to pick him up at the airport. But just before he stepped up to speak with the hotel clerk, a white man marched in and cut him off. Bell, who is black, was indignant.
“Do you think I’m waiting for a bus?” He demanded. “I’m standing right here!”
The man claimed he simply hadn’t seen him.
(excerpt from “What Was That? Researchers Explore Below-the-Radar Racism“) keep reading… »
Popularity: 52%
David Lynch Wants Invincible Germany Hitler failed to build?
A university where students learn to meditate? Consciousness based education and world peace? It actually all sounds quite beautiful if it doesn’t so alarmingly resonate with the Scientological agenda of world domination. In any case the famed director David Lynch has been touring Europe these couple of weeks to promote and found universities to teach the philosophy of Transcendental Meditation. Since I know nothing about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi or his Transcendental Meditation methods which Lynch has been practicing for decades, I’m willing to give his vision of world peace the benefit of the doubt. It’s world peace after all! However, his appearance this week with his partner Emanuel Schiffgens (link to AGPF, in German), who styled himself in a white robe and a golden crown, at a culture center in Berlin to promote his pedagogical ideality after having bought a piece of land in town where the University of Invincible Germany is to be built, seriously undermined Lynch’s seemingly benevolent intention. keep reading… »
Popularity: 60%
Asian Women’s Film Festival Opens in Berlin Kino Arsenal
The Korean Women’s Group in Berlin (Koreanische Frauengruppe in Berlin e.V.) was formed in 1978 in protest against the Court’s decision to send Korean nurses back to their home country, whose help Germany had enlisted earlier out of an urgent shortage of caretakers. The group has been active in various political engagement ever since. With “Asian Women’s Film Festival” the Korean Women’s Group wants to confront prevalent stereotypes with their own multi-layered, contradictory images of Asia.
Popularity: 45%
Helpful German Travel Agent Offers Free Travel Tips to Clueless Foreigner
I went to Saturn, an electronics chain store to buy a power plug adapter for my trip to London. As I was explaining to a staff what I was looking for, someone walked on by behind me and muttered, “just go back to Asia!” When I turned around to thank him for his travel recommendation, all I could see was the back of a middle-aged man disappearing into the crowd. “What a friendly travel agent,” I withdrew my gaze and wanted to be clever. The staff just looked at me, silent and expressionless, waiting for me to finish my unfinished inquiry.
Popularity: 27%