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July 31, 2007
From Berlin to Brussels
Is the Federal Republic of Germany still a parliamentary democracy? Roman Herzog, former president of Germany, is one of those who asked the question recently. What is the problem here? It’s all about the transfer of power within Europe.
July 11, 2007
Sunday, Protestants and the pope
German Lutheran church leader Wolfgang Huber reacted testily to yesterday’s Vatican paper identifying the Roman Catholic Church as the only real church. Why are Lutherans and other Protestants upset anyway? They already accept Catholic authority!
May 31, 2007
Daycare and German demographics
One of the liveliest debates in recent years in German domestic politics is the ongoing discussion on expanding the capacity of daycare centers. The goal is to provide parents a choice in their family planning. However, what is best for the children?
May 13, 2007
Pope Benedict puts his church on edge
When Cardinal Josef Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, people wondered what the hallmark of his papacy would be. A little more than 2 years later, one answer appears to be that Benedict has put his church on edge. In what way is the Catholic church edgy?
March 15, 2007
Resurgence of Nazism or a dumb stunt?
At a summer solstice party near Magdeburg, Germany in June 2006, a young man tossed Anne Frank’s diary into a bonfire. As he did so, he reportedly said, "It’s all a lie anyway." Does this prove Nazism is on the rise in Germany?
February 13, 2007
Gas Wars, part 5
The price of oil on world markets has dropped by about 20 percent in the last eight months, bringing the price of gas in the U.S. down to more comfortable levels. Are we seeing a turnaround in world oil markets? How long will lower gas prices last?
September 1, 2006
Gas Wars, part 4
The United States is the unquestioned world leader in oil consumption. China leads oil consumption in Asia, which as a region is among the world’s "Big 3" energy consumers. Which region of the world is the third member of the group?
May 19, 2006
Gas Wars, part 3
Despite the oil shock of 1973, Europe remains dependent on foreign suppliers for a major portion of its energy needs. With worldwide demand for oil increasing, Europe finds itself competing for available supplies with other major oil importers.
April 1, 2006
Gas Wars, part 2
America isn’t the only country that wants to reduce its oil consumption. By using renewable energy, Sweden wants to stop importing oil by the year 2020. Europeans know what dependency on foreign oil means. Germans remember the oil shock of 1973.
March 24, 2006
Gas Wars, part 1
In his 2006 State of the Union address, U.S. President George Bush announces the need to reduce America’s dependency on imported oil. How dependent is America on foreign oil, and will the United States be able to reduce its oil consumption?
