Germany: Merkel is the message Jun 26, 2009
Germany's chancellor ... No other German politician comes close to matching her popularity ... Through such images, the chancellor has defined herself in the eyes of her fellow Germans as a leader who holds her own in the highest councils and masters the knottiest problems. (The Economist)
Beyond the limits Jun 25, 2009
A compelling sight near Prague is Terezin, a town built in the 1780s with state-of-the-art walls designed to keep out German enemies ... The town's historic walls, originally meant to keep Germans out, were now used by Germans to keep the Jews in ... The Germans wanted the Jews to accept this new reality harsh, but at least life would go on. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Prehistoric flute in Germany is oldest known Jun 25, 2009
BERLIN - A bird-bone flute unearthed in a German cave was carved some 35,000 years ago and is the oldest handcrafted musical instrument yet discovered, archaeologists say, offering the latest evidence that early modern humans in Europe had established a complex and creative culture. A team led by University of Tuebingen archaeologist Nicholas Conard assembled the flute from 12 pieces of griffon vulture bone scattered in a small plot of the Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany ... The Hohle Fels... (AZCentral -- News)
Local cops experience life, law in Germany Jun 25, 2009
The technologies, language and drinking ages (16 for beer and 18 for the hard stuff) in Bersenbrck, Germany differ from those in Winona, but both towns, half a globe away from each other, struggle with the same problems in society ... Winona County Sheriff s Deputy Tim O Brien, left, and Jail Shift Commander Ben Klinger went to Germany earlier this year as part of the German American Police Exchange Program ... O Brien and Klinger saw first hand the differences between American and German... (Winona Daily News, MN)
Full Story » Jun 25, 2009
Prehistoric flute in Germany is oldest known - Yahoo ... Prehistoric flute in Germany is oldest known ... BERLIN A bird-bone flute unearthed in a German cave was carved some 35,000 years ago and is the oldest handcrafted musical instrument yet discovered, archaeologists say, offering the latest evidence that early modern humans in Europe had established a complex and creative culture. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
'We Are ...': Picture-perfect for Pride Jun 25, 2009
Kanemoto, a heterosexual German immigrant, began her project in 1980, after photographing Sister Missionary P. Delight (a flamboyant drag queen and member of the iconic queer activist society Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence), whose preening and primping immediately garnered the photographer's attention. "I thought him weird and frivolous, yet I photographed him with fascination," she recalls. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Born on the Bayou Jun 25, 2009
His ancestors were French, African, Spanish, Native American and German ... The Germans brought the accordion here; the French, waltzes; rhythms, from Africa; Native American, melodies. (Helena Independent Record)
Iranian Filmmakers Defy Ahmadinejad Regime, Demand New Round of Elections Jun 24, 2009
He now plans to make his human-rights movie outside Iran, 70 percent of which will be shot in Germany, and the rest in Morocco or Iraq. He cites interest in the film from German and French producers. (Bloomberg -- UK)
NRI sisters in German reality show finals Jun 24, 2009
KOLKATA: It is Bollywood dance that has led two teenage Bengali NRI sisters on the threshold of winning a popular reality television show in Germany. Debarati Mandal, 18, and Nabaneeta Mandal, 14, would be seen dancing in the finals of the "Germany's next Showstar" contest to be broadcasted on Germany's Pro Sieben channel this Thursday. (India Times, India)
Cooking with beer Jun 23, 2009
It looks like a time-capsule and prides itself on German authenticity, right down to the dirndl-dressed waitresses. There's not a shred of pretension about the decor gingham tablecloths and fake flowers or the food, which, happily, is excellent. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Wellesley High grad to spend year studying in Panama Jun 23, 2009
During the summer of her sophomore year, she chose to attend a camp in Leipzig, run by the Goethe Institut, where she studied German language and played soccer. The WHS German exchange in 2007/08 worked out so well, that her family invited their exchange student, Janina Mueller, to return for a semester at Wellesley High School. (Wellesley Townsman, MA)
Poland honours WWII victims in cyber space Jun 22, 2009
File photo shows a man looking at photos of heroes of the Warsaw uprising in 1944 against Nazi Germany in Warsaw ... The project aims to bring to light the names of victims -- both those who perished and those who were persecuted but survived -- who were never registered, as well as to gather death records dispersed across Poland, Germany, Ukraine, and Israel in one place accessible to all ... "How many forms do I have to fill out if I'm the only survivor in my family of five?" Maria Gnietczyk,... (Yahoo! Asia News)
Ancient Superstition and Religion Jun 22, 2009
When St. Boniface cut down a sacred tree in front of a group of North German pagans, the wood was used to construct a Christian chapel on the same site. It was easier to appropriate pagan rituals and sites in order to grow Christianity. (Suite101.com)
* Must pro-Taiwanese flee again? Jun 21, 2009
This is why German dictator Adolf Hitler could not tolerate scientist Albert Einstein and why the Chiang regime could not keep Peng. Following the agitation of democratic movements home and abroad, Taiwan finally embarked on democratization in the 1990s and various Taiwanese elites in exile returned to the nation. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
The Citizen's Cinema Jun 21, 2009
TheCitizensCinema wrote on Feb 9, 2009 12:59 PM:" Along with "Man on Wire," which I've praised in this blog previously, Werner Herzog's breathtaking "Encounters at the End of the World" made 2009 a standout year for the documentary.Herzog, the veteran German director behind "Aguirre: Wrath of God" and "Grizzly Man," journeyed to Antarctica to capture life at the spot on the globe where all the lines converge, as one interviewee describes it. Herzog chronicles the work of deep-sea divers,... (Auburn Citizen, NY)
Art.view: Old Masters and maestros Jun 21, 2009
Mr Bernheimer s gallery, P&D Colnaghi, will have a show dedicated to Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), a master painter and printmaker of the German Renaissance who until recently has been under-rated in the Anglo-Saxon world, never quite attaining the fame or appeal of Albrecht D ... The picture comes from a private German collection and is being offered for 5. (The Economist)
'This is home': Bosnian refugees come of age Jun 21, 2009
They are the newest addition to a city rich in heritage made up of German, Italian, Irish and Polish immigrants. But what does that new, coming-of-age addition look like. (Utica NY Obserer, NY)
A Great Israeli Journalist Jun 20, 2009
I first met Amos Elon in Germany in the 1990s. We were participants in one of a series of meetings generously hosted by the Bertelsmann Foundation, where Germans, Israelis, and Jews gathered to exchange platitudes ... Most of those present sought either to proselytize and grandstand (in the case of Israelis and Jews) or else to avoid giving offense (in the case of the Germans). (The American Conservative)
Historian finds baseball in old Am. Ind. schools Jun 20, 2009
Laliberte's work contributes to a growing scholarship of who the Native Americans were and what they did for themselves, he said, and also shows that central Minnesota was Ojibwe and Dakota territory and not exclusively occupied by German Roman Catholics in its earliest days. Laliberte revealing the little-known history challenges beliefs about what normal was as this area was settled and as it developed. (Brainerd Daily Dispatch)
China 'unfairly seen as eco-villain' Jun 19, 2009
By the way, I come from Germany, a country with mediocre conditions for wind energy at best, and recognize how Britain, the country in Europe with most excellent wind classes which could easily build up land based wind energy to 100GW capacity and 450TWh/a output (would mean 90% of Britain's electrical energy generation) is still shying on local quarrels and did not build up a tenth of Germany's wind power generation for nothing than local conservatism, irrationalism, and sentimentality. And... (BBC News -- Science)
Roger Ebert decries Bill OReillys shrillness Jun 19, 2009
I moved to Germany in October 2000 and returned to the States less than a year ago. A valuable tool in learning German, besides going out and having a beer in a local pub (Kneipe), was watching television ... As I did not initially speak German on watching these broadcasts, what I noticed when clips of Goebbels or Hitler or some high Nazi party official were used was not what words they were using, though 'Juden' was unmistakable, but how they sounded. (Harper's Magazine)
Briefing: Wasting assets Jun 19, 2009
A second potential approach is the family of firms, exemplified by Allianz, a German insurer, and the Bank of New York Mellon. Such companies use a host of brand names: Allianz owns PIMCO, a bond manager; Bank of New York Mellon has Dreyfus, an equity mutual-fund group. (The Economist)
Stolen Golf Cart Returned To Woman Jun 19, 2009
"I'm not going to leave the keys in the ignition no more that's for sure, and I'm going to get a pokey old German Shepherd and let him watch it for me; that's what I'm looking for -- an old pokey German Shepherd to be my buddy and he can ride up here with me," Romeo said. Channel 4 has received an outpouring of support from viewers wanting to help Romeo. (News4Jax.com, FL)
Yemen sends troops to hunt for hostages Jun 18, 2009
Three hostages -- Korean teacher, two German nurses -- killed already ... Five Germans -- including three children -- and a Briton are still missing and their status is unknown ... The bodies of a South Korean teacher and two German nurses, all in the 20s, were discovered Saturday, Yemen's state-run SABA news agency reported. (CNN -- World)
Europe's newspapers struggle, too Jun 18, 2009
When a German newspaper group cancelled its DPA wire service subscription, a fresh debate was sparked over government subsidies of the news media ... Frankfurt, Germany - Not long ago, Germany's second-largest newspaper group, WAZ, made what many saw as a seismic decision ... Citing financial pressures, it severed its long-time ties with the German Press Agency, DPA. Instead, it vowed to get its news more cheaply by renewing its contract with France's Agence France-Presse only. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
The Hatemongers' New Tool: The Internet Jun 18, 2009
Mostly what they have are German newsreels basically showing Nazi losses (and a few wins. There are a few conspiracy theorists out there. (CBS News)
contemporary take on Sapir-Whorf Jun 17, 2009
In one study, we asked German and Spanish speakers to describe objects having opposite gender assignment in those two languages ... For example, when asked to describe a "key" a word that is masculine in German and feminine in Spanish the German speakers were more likely to use words like "hard," "heavy," "jagged," "metal," "serrated," and "useful," whereas Spanish speakers were more likely to say "golden," "intricate," "little," "lovely," "shiny," and "tiny." To describe a "bridge," which is... (Harper's Magazine)
Ahmadinejad tries to douse the flames Jun 17, 2009
Iran could well follow the German model in which a right-wing chancellor and a leftist foreign minister work together. Mousavi as Ahmadinejad's foreign minister. (Asia Times Online)
The Next Conservatism Jun 17, 2009
Rather, they share the conviction of the great German military theorist Carl von Clausewitz that Defense is simply the stronger form of war. They write. (The American Conservative)
On Your Mind Jun 17, 2009
Dissenter wrote on Jun 13, 2009 12:56 PM:" The word Nazi comes from the german pronunciation of Nationalsozialist. They killed off rival communist and socialist leaders and sympathizers because like Stalin they wanted to establish dominance and control. That is a what socialist do, establish dominance and control. We are witnessing that right now and our own socialist look to dominate and control our corporatations. Kind of like the Nazis did when they were in power. Wow, how eerily similar... (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
A Car of Ones Own, Andrew OHagan,London Review of Books Jun 17, 2009
Germany was a nation because of Volkswagen ... Thanks to scrapping schemes, in which buyers are given a voucher for nearly 2500 towards the purchase of a new environmentally friendly car to replace their old one, domestic sales in Germany have gone up by nearly 40 per cent. The schemes are largely credited with saving the German industry, but the attempt to introduce a similar programme in the UK has until this month met mainly with sour reactions ... France has been at over-capacity for years... (Harper's Magazine)
Its Finished, John Lanchester, The London Review of Books Jun 16, 2009
The German company took over the American firm in 1998 at a cost of $36 billion, promising all sorts of exciting synergies and possibilities for growth ... Because nobody is spending money, even relatively blameless countries such as Germany, with low levels of debt and workforces who actually make things, are having a difficult time ... Germanys economy is predicted to contract by 5. (Harper's Magazine)
Frameline favorites Jun 16, 2009
(Venkovsky ucitel), directed by Bohdan Slma, Czech Republic/Germany/France, 2008, 113 minutes, in Czech with English subtitles ... Ghosted, directed by Monika Treut, Germany and Taiwan, 2009, 89 minutes ... Treut has crafted a kind of romantic ghost story about the spirit of a deceased Taiwanese woman who returns to her lover, a German video artist, in the form of another woman. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Weather Etiquette in England Jun 16, 2009
A foreigner listening to these reports can barely make sense of them: German Bight. Northwest veering northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later. (Suite101.com)
Our historically challenged president Jun 16, 2009
Much of what Obama said to thousands of Germans during his Victory Column speech in Berlin last summer was also ahistorical. He began, "I know that I don't look like the Americans who've previously spoken in this great city." He apparently forgot that for the prior eight years, the official faces of American foreign policy in Germany were Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice -- both African-Americans ... After the defeat of German Nazism, Italian fascism and Japanese... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Angley Returns to Town Jun 16, 2009
Angley: I was in Italy and Germany ... So my teammate, who is 6'10" and myself are on the Autobahn in this car, and I'm in the slow lane going 124 miles per hour and I'm getting passed. I've got both hands at 10:00 and 2:00 on the wheel and trying to concentrate, and when I would come up behind a trailer I would inch over and then inch back. I was in northern Italy quite a bit. We scrimmaged some Division II Italian teams in Bologna and Chorizo and I went to Milan quite a few times. My sister... (Santaclarabroncos.com)
Seven hostages reportedly killed in Yemen Jun 16, 2009
South Korean teacher, two German nurses in training found dead, Yemen says ... The statement said the dead were identified as a South Korean teacher and two German nurses in training, all in their 20s ... The women were abducted Sunday along with five other Germans, including three children, and a Briton, according to Yemen's state-run SABA news agency. (CNN -- World)
Soil Yourself Jun 16, 2009
In the German capital, sanitation goes far beyond the old trash-recycling binarythe city also collects organic matter (excluding meat) in "bio" bins and carts them away weekly for composting. Although municipal authorities in , most U.S. cities recycle paper, plastic, glass, and metals, at most. (Slate)
Parla Italiano? Here’s your chance Jun 16, 2009
As of June 1, the College Board will cease offering Advanced Placement courses and exams in Italian language and culture, which had been a staple in many American high schools, alongside AP courses in Spanish, French, German and Japanese. The Board s initial disclosure was made last April and, unable to secure funding from the Italian Republic, which had footed the bill for more than half of the program s original costs, the organization made the ultimate decision to discontinue the program at... (Queens Chronicle, NY)
Arabs Say Obama's Speech to Muslim World Changes Tone, More Action Needed Jun 6, 2009
Obama, who toured the Great Pyramids after his speech, arrived last night in Dresden, where he held talks with German Chancellor this morning. At a joint press conference, Obama said his one speech in Cairo cannot replace all the hard work ahead. (Bloomberg -- Germany)
Euro-enthusiasts Jun 6, 2009
In search of Europe: Germany. German enthusiasm for the EU is tempered with doubts, the BBC's Jonny Dymond reports, on the last leg of his European election tour of the continent ... Whoever said that Germans don't have a sense of humour. (BBC News -- Europe)
Detroitosaurus wrecks Jun 6, 2009
Hence Mr Obama s $50 billion rescue of GM; and hence, too, the German government s financial backing for the sale of Opel, GM s European arm, to Magna, a Canadian parts-maker backed by a Russian state-owned bank. German politicians have made it clear that they plan to keep German factories open even if others elsewhere in Europe have to close. (The Economist)
Mother and son jailed for bashing dog to death Jun 5, 2009
The German short-haired pointer was euthanised after being repeatedly struck by Mila Matijevic with a tool, believed to be a hoe, and then bashed on the head with a lump of wood by her son. Milan Matijevic, 48, pleaded guilty to beating the five-year-old dog, named Peppi, after he tried to finish off his mother's beating on January 25. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Saturday's TV: Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections Jun 5, 2009
Hughes achieves this demolition job by following it with insightful analysis of astonishing paintings by Portuguese artist Paula Rego, German Anselm Kiefer, Englishmen David Hockney and Lucian Freud and others he deems more deserving of the attention than Koons. Hughes sounds occasionally like a man railing against the void, or at least wading against the tide, but he makes a strong case. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
A Necessary Book Jun 5, 2009
It was unnecessary for the Treaty of Versailles to enlarge the British, French, Italian, and Japanese empires at the expense of Germany ... Dont you know that if the U.S. military had not intervened to stop Hitler we would all be speaking German right now ... The crucial question for Buchanan is: Were these two devastating wars Britain declared on Germany wars of necessity, or wars of choice. (The American Conservative)
Exclusive Interview with Future Prediction Expert Gerald Celente Jun 5, 2009
Look at the German mess after WWI. It gave rise to Fascism and WWII. The next war will be fought with weapons of mass destruction. "American ? Is it possible? Jonah Goldberg's bestseller raised the alarm two years ago. Mr. Easton teaches University economics and is passionate about technology and entrepreneurship. He is rosy about the long-term future: The glass isnt half full, its overflowing! Reader Comments: () Here are all of comments submitted by Human Events readers: Please remember... (Human Events Online)
History is happening Jun 5, 2009
A globe of musical influences will be on stage with Australian didgeridoo, Chinese pipa, Japanese Taiko drummers, German, French/Cajun, Celtic and Scandinavian songs, Balkan music, Middle Eastern dancers, Jewish liturgical singers, Afro-Cuban beats, Pacific Islander dancing, sounds of India and even Americana during the 25 musical performances. Several performers, such as Turkish-born jazz pianist Sila Cevikce Shaman are immigrants themselves. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Museum of the American Cocktail Jun 4, 2009
As Mr. DeGroff put it, throw enough people together, from so many different drinking cultures (German beer halls, gin from England, Irish pubs, vodka from eastern Europe, brandywine from France) and something novel was bound to develop. While you're in town, you may also want to set aside a half hour for a visit to the Absinthe Museum of America, at 823 Royal St. The museum is part of the larger La Maison d'Absinthe, a store where you can buy antique and contemporary absinthe-ware -- spoons,... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Local cops experience life, law in Germany Jun 4, 2009
The technologies, language and drinking ages (16 for beer and 18 for the hard stuff) in Bersenbrck, Germany differ from those in Winona, but both towns, half a globe away from each other, struggle with the same problems in society ... Winona County Sheriff s Deputy Tim O Brien, left, and Jail Shift Commander Ben Klinger went to Germany earlier this year as part of the German American Police Exchange Program ... O Brien and Klinger saw first hand the differences between American and German... (Winona Daily News, MN)
Al Qaeda Beheads British Hostage in Mali Jun 4, 2009
Dyer, who had been working in Austria and spoke fluent German, was on vacation in West Africa with German travel operator Oase Reisen. He was abducted, along with Warens and Gabriela Greiner, a Swiss couple, and Marianne Petzold, a German woman, near the border with Niger after attending the "Festival in the Desert," a celebration of music and nomad culture at Anderamboukane in Mali. (Fox News)
High-yield offering sets positive tone Jun 4, 2009
Ifco Systems, a German shipping container company owned by Apax Partners, on Wednesday offered 180m ($254m) of notes maturing in 2016. The deal, being run by Deutsche Bank, is expected to be priced on Friday and the proceeds will cover existing bonds due next year and pay down a credit facility. (FT.com -- Markets)
From Susan Boyle To Hitler: Why Some Simply Can�t Hack Fame Jun 4, 2009
Joined the German Worker s Party as official blowhard. Resumed his art career by presiding over the design of the swastika. (Human Events Online)
Europeans 'kidnapped in Sahara' Jun 3, 2009
Local officials say the hostages include two Swiss, one German and a Briton. The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed two citizens were missing, while UK and German officials were checking reports. (BBC News -- Africa)
World auto industry reshuffles amid crisis Jun 3, 2009
One day before GM's court filing, the German government agreed to lend Opel, GM's European subsidiary, 2. 1 billion dollars, to pave the way for the acquisition of the company by Magna International Inc., a Canadian auto parts supplier. (Xinhuanet, China)
Setting A Bad Precedent Jun 2, 2009
Virtually every country in Europe has some measure of pseudo-multicultural celebration, from German Oktoberfests to Irish pubs. Then there s the real America or American small-town values etc which are basically celebrations of generally-though-not-exclusively white American culture and heritage. (The American Conservative)
* Taiwan News Quick Take Jun 2, 2009
A number of international and local artists have been invited by the Taipei Artist Village (TAV) to be artists-in-residence for the 2009 ArtsPlay-Artist Workshop this summer, including German choreographer Arco Renz, US performance artist Mauro Sacchi, Taiwanese painter Chou Meng-yeh (Ps) and teachers from Taipei Drum. Visual arts classes, such as a creativity workshop and performance arts classes, including a movement workshop and family-oriented workshop on Japanese drumming, will be... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Red Bull's New Cola: A Kick from Cocaine? Jun 2, 2009
Officials in Germany worry that they've found the answer cocaine ... "The Health Institute in the state of North Rhine Westphalia examined Red Bull Cola in an elaborate chemical process and found traces of cocaine," Bernhard Kuehnle, head of the food safety department at Germany's federal ministry for consumer protection, told the German press on Sunday ... "De-cocainized extract of coca leaf is used worldwide in foods as a natural flavoring," said a Red Bull spokesman in response to the German... (Time.com)
Soprano family values Jun 2, 2009
Kim Jong Il's youngest son - a 26-year-old who studied English, German and French at a Swiss boarding school - was named North Korea's next leader in an announcement to top ruling party, government and military officials. Latest News. (Yahoo News -- The Sopranos)
Hypo Real Estate Shareholders Will Vote on Company's Nationalization Today Jun 2, 2009
June 2 (Bloomberg) -- shareholders will vote today on a capital increase by the German government that would pave the way for the countrys first bank nationalization since the 1930s. Germanys financial rescue fund, Soffin, already holds more than 47 percent of Munich-based Hypo Real Estate and will seek shareholder approval for a capital injection of as much as 5 ... While the proposed capital increase by Soffin is fully compliant with existing laws, its not a good promotion of equity... (Bloomberg -- Germany)
Two arrested at Thornton bullfight (1668) Jun 2, 2009
When you go out to eat Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Italian, German food, etc ... I am a 6th generation american who happens to be german/italian. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Iconic U.S. auto giant GM declares bankruptcy Jun 2, 2009
5-percent stake in the new GM. In Germany on Sunday, the government agreed to lend Opel, GM's European subsidiary, 2 ... President Obama thanked both the German and Canadian governments for their support to the U.S. auto industry. (Xinhuanet, China)
GM Bankruptcy Plan: Cut 21,000 More Jobs Jun 1, 2009
" Still, it was the Obama administration that instructed GM to trim itself to a point that it could break even by selling 10 million cars a year. Its current break even point is 16 million cars. President Obama is expected to comment from the White House on the filing shortly before noon on Monday. GM interim CEO Fritz Henderson will hold a news conference at the GM Building in New York shortly after the president concludes. GM plans to name turnaround executive Al Koch to serve as its chief... (CBS News)
The Citizen's Cinema May 31, 2009
TheCitizensCinema wrote on Feb 9, 2009 12:59 PM:" Along with "Man on Wire," which I've praised in this blog previously, Werner Herzog's breathtaking "Encounters at the End of the World" made 2009 a standout year for the documentary.Herzog, the veteran German director behind "Aguirre: Wrath of God" and "Grizzly Man," journeyed to Antarctica to capture life at the spot on the globe where all the lines converge, as one interviewee describes it. Herzog chronicles the work of deep-sea divers,... (Auburn Citizen, NY)
D-Day vets: Normal folks who survived carnage May 31, 2009
The German troops defending this stretch of the English Channel were as deadly determined to hurl the American, Canadian and English invaders back into the sea as the Allies were to establish the vital beachhead for the invasion of Northern Europe. When you take the walk from the cemetery to Omaha Beach and gaze out onto the topography of low tide, sloping bluffs and sharply rising cliffs that favored the German defenders, it can take your breath away ... I visited Normandy after I learned my... (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Art.view: Snuff said May 31, 2009
It hardly looks any different from the hundreds of other porcelain boxes that were made at the Meissen factory near the German town of Dresden, established soon after Ehrenfried Walther von Tschimhaus and Johann Friedrich Boettger became the first Europeans to succeed in copying the Chinese and developing hard-paste porcelain in 1708. True, the scrolling salami-red foliage around the base is unusually well-painted and the mount is gold rather than gilt. (The Economist)
