Politics

Let's cover the moon with yogurt

Mike Pilewski — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:37:58 +0200

Day and night, all the recent news from the United States has had to do with the fiscal crisis. As the deadline approached for finding a solution, the political statements got stronger and the metaphors more colourful.

If you live in Sydney, please leave

Mike Pilewski — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:12:11 +0200

The government of New South Wales is offering money to people to move away from Australia's most popular city. What's the reason for this, and why is the government hopeful that its plan will work?

A question of priorities

Mike Pilewski — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:29:54 +0200

Canada is preparing to vote for a new parliament. But rather than watch a debate between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the leaders of other parties, many Canadians preferred to do something that was more important to them. What do you think it was?

Ireland's historic election: What they said

Mike Pilewski — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:54:24 +0100

Voters punished the ruling Fianna Fáil party, in power since 1987, for its role in, and handling of, Ireland's massive financial crisis. Talking about the election, Irish politicians used interesting allegories, expressions and idioms. Let's look at some of them.

The writing's on the wall

Mike Pilewski — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:54:46 +0100

Los Angeles says the $7 million it spends each year to clean graffiti is money well spent. Although deep cuts must be made to the budget, it appears this won't be one of them. The city is afraid of sending the wrong message by leaving other messages in place.

New Zealand looks at drinking laws

Mike Pilewski — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:15:14 +0100

There was "a genuine belief ... that if we liberalized our laws, we would suddenly develop a responsible drinking culture like France or Spain," said Gerard Vaughan of New Zealand's Alcohol Advisory Council. Parliament is now considering tougher laws on alcohol sales.

ehrlich, aufrichtig

Can Meg Whitman buy California?

Eamonn Fitzgerald — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:14:12 +0100

As the US gets ready for tomorrow's midterm elections, all eyes are on California, where Meg Whitman's campaign to become governor has broken all records. At $140 million, it is the most expensive non-presidential campaign in American history.

Did Aristotle Onassis have Robert Kennedy shot?

Eamonn Fitzgerald — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:14:07 +0200

Aristotle Onassis hated Bobby more than he hated the rest of the Kennedy clan. He knew that Bobby was trying to stop him marrying Jackie so he had him shot. Well, that's the theory of "Onassis" at the Novello Theatre in London.

New York is getting healthier

Eamonn Fitzgerald — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:14:07 +0200

The idea of healthy living is built into The New York Times' offices and the Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture. Both Manhattan buildings have extensive staircase networks that are popular with fitness-conscious journalists and students.

Treppen-

gesundheitsbewusst

Mixed British feelings about Benedict

Eamonn Fitzgerald — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:14:07 +0200

Benedict XVI is a magnet for British anti-Catholic, anti-German prejudice, says Andreas Campomar of the publishers Constable & Robinson. The Pope is "fatally Germanic" in his precision and not "simpatico" in his personality, argues Campomar.