POINT BLANK: MINE PIT / GLÜCKAUF
— A JETAMELE/POINT BLANK POJECT —
The last mine here in Bochum were closed down decades ago. This here is not to complain and struggle with history and changes. People here are used to changes and cope with it in a very positive way. This is about that people here in Bochum and the whole Ruhr Area keep the legacy of mining and steel factories precious, because this era shaped the mentality of people living here or moved to that place from all over Europe.
At elementary school we sang every friday the traditional of the “Steigerlied”, which described in a proud way the all days life of a miner. If we behaved well that week, our teacher Mrs Kutscher allowed us to sing even the third verse of that song, that include the words “..and he wear the leather on his ass..” ….sure, giggling and smiling all over the class room.
I never worked at the mine pit. From the age of 16 to 20 I worked at the steel factory… …but there were always this proud solidarity with the miners. Even during my study at the mining school of applied science the professors greeted every morning with the miners salute ‘Glückauf’ (means something like to have a lucky way up to daylight).
In this sense
GLÜCKAUF
Please see as well Andrea’s impressions about the mine pit in Bochum at JETAMELE !!!
POINT BLANK: JAFFA
Jaffa (also known as Yafo) is the ancient port city out of which Tel Aviv has now grown. Jaffa has, in recent years, like much of South Tel Aviv, been regenerated with the old narrow streets and courtyards becoming another highly desirable part of Tel Aviv’s urban tapestry.
The history of Jaffa is a long one. As of the world’s oldest ports, Jaffa is thought to have been the port from which Jonah left in the story of the Whale! Its long and fascinating history as strategic port in the Eastern Mediterranean continued until only recently when new ports were built south of Tel Aviv in Ashdod and north in Haifa, to cater for modern-day shipping methods.
Jaffa is a real melting pot of Jewish and Arab populations living and breathing the same closely-packed air. It always feels like Jaffa is in a constant state of flux as people rush about on their daily business. (source: www.touristisrael.com)
POINT BLANK: FAMILY BUSINESS
In 1986, Vietnam launched a political and economic renewal campaign (Đổi Mới) that introduced reforms to facilitate the transition from a centralized economy to a “socialist-oriented market economy”. Đổi Mới combined government planning with free-market incentives and encouraged the establishment of private businesses and foreign investment… …by the late 1990s, the success of the business and agricultural reforms ushered in under Đổi Mới was evident. More than 30,000 private businesses had been created, the economy was growing at an annual rate of more than 7%, and poverty was nearly halved. (source: wikipedia)
POINT BLANK: A MEN’S PLAYGROUND
“Nagging and dissatisfied men are the biggest obstacle to successful shopping.”
… so, best you keep them busy and park them on the men’s playground.
POINT BLANK 