I am a San Francisco Bay Area resident and local Deutschophile, and I just found out that our beloved Berlin and Beyond Film Festival, the annual German film festival put on by our local branch of the Goethe Institute, has been pushed back from its traditional January date to Fall of 2010!

Naturally, many of us German enthusiasts are VERY dissapointed. We discover many good and sometimes great films from Germany, Austria and Switzerland that we never would've known about if not for the festival. Some of us are thinking about organizing our own mini-festival of some of our fave and perhaps not so well known German films. I am posting this because I'd like to hear your lists of beloved Germanish films, be they from Deutschland, Austria, or Switzerland.

Especially let us know about lesser known gems, those films that you think more people should see or be aware of, especially people outside of German speaking countries. We've all seen the usual suspects like Das Boot, Run Lola Run and The Lives of Others. (usw...) Some of the more memorable Films I got around to checking out through this festival were Whole Train, Revanche (from Austria,) Der Freund (from Switzerland,) also Die Welle and 12 Winters. Those were just the films I saw. I know I've probably missed some other gems.

Berlin and Beyond film Festival progams from other years:

2009

2008

2007

WORT DES TAGES
die Arznei (pl. die Arzneien) - medicine, medicament, medication; lesson (pill)

Es ist von 315 Arzneistoffen bekannt, dass sie von Lebensmitteln beeinflusst werden. - 315 medicinal ingredients are known to be affected by foods. (see comments!)

Das war eine bittere Pille für ihn. - It was a painful lesson for him. [literally: a bitter pill]

Er kann nicht kommen, seine Freundin ist im Krankenhaus. - He can't come, his girlfriend is in the hospital.

Related:
die Pille - pill, tablet, medication
die Arzneilehre - pharmacology
der Arzt/die Ärztin - male/female doctor
die Apotheke - pharmacy (place to go for presciption drugs)
die Drogerie - drugstore (over-the-counter medication only)
das Krankenhaus - hospital
der Patient - patient

MORE > Medical Vocabulary - Diseases and treatments
German words and phrases related to medical treatment, diseases and injuries~
http://german.about.com/library/blmedvoc2.htm

This appeared on the BBC News website today and I thought I'd share it with you all.

Berlin's Obsession with Currywurst

So are there any Berliners out there who would say they are obsessed with Currywurst? Personally, it's always my favourite thing to eat whenever I go over to Germany :)

taste_buds
Holidays provide a built-in excuse for indulgent entertaining. This all-purpose foodie community covers everything from homemade hangover cures to dinner party menus. Need quick advice? Get five-minute snack suggestions, low-fat ingredient substitutes, and even measurement conversions. Delicious recipes garnished with humorous advice. Yum.

naturesbeauty
Always on the lookout for compelling images, we were delighted to discover this flourishing community of artists who share a love of nature. Honoring the subject with photographs, paintings, sketches, prose, poetry, and other creative works, you'll be simultaneously riveted to your monitor and inspired to run helter skelter towards the nearest wooded dale.

Title: Since You Been Gone
Author: dennycullenlutz
Characters/Pairing: Edward/Bella, Victoria/James, the rest of the Cullen's
Rating: M
Summary: Victoria is on the look for revenge. She had lost her true love. Edward has to protect the city of Seattle and the ones he loves: Bella, Nessie and his family. Could he save them from Victoria's revenge? OOC / AH / Lemons




On FF.net
Prologue || NEW CHAPTER 14: OPERATION BREAKING DAWN

On My Journal

1. Now You Are Pregnant - The Wave Pictures
2. All Your Kayfabe Friends - Los Campesinos!
3. Song Against Sex - Neutral Milk Hotel
4. Alsatian Cousin - Morrissey
5. If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot

Title: A Litany at Dusk
Author: duskwatcher
Pairing: Edward/Bella
Rating: Mature, lemons, adult content
Category: Romance Drama, AU

Summary: Edward’s rebellious period didn’t last a few years; it lasted seventy. When he finally rejoins his family in Forks, he is dark, dangerous, despairing and desperate to change his ways. Bella has her own demons, and has dealt with them in a unique way. Will Edward be willing to fight for her instead of fighting against her?

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5312635/1/A_Litany_at_Dusk

Chapter 22 Teaser:
( Teaser )( Read more... )

It's me Chelsea again and sadly, I cannot locate my original post :(

( More About Me )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJJ3Q2fTSE0

I just love this video. I thought they took it off youtube (so many of my fave vids have disappeared.... damn them)

enjoy

Germany's Population

The population of Germany manifests trends characteristic of most advanced industrial countries: lower marriage rates, delayed marriage and child-bearing, low fertility rates, small household size, high divorce rates, and extended life expectancy. The population of indigenous Germans has been in decline since 1972 in the west and since 1969 in the east because the number of births has not kept pace with the number of deaths. In 1990 only five of the sixteen Länder registered growth in population because of natural increase.

Household size decreased from 3.0 persons in 1950 to 2.3 in 1990. Marriage rates have slackened, while divorce rates have risen or remained stable at high rates. In the late 1980s, almost one-third of all marriages ended in divorce. Infant mortality has steadily declined, and life expectancy has risen, albeit more slowly in eastern Germany. As in the United States, a greater proportion of the population is moving into advanced age. In 1871 only 4.6 percent of the population was sixty-five years of age or older. By 1939 that proportion had risen to 7.8 percent, and by 1992 it had risen to about 15 percent. By 2000 it is estimated that one-quarter of the population will be sixty or older. (Article from 1995)

Since the 1950s, the population of Germany has become more diverse. Millions of foreigners have migrated to Germany, seeking employment, citizenship, or asylum. In contrast to the native population, foreigners in Germany tend to have more children and larger households. In 1988 their average household size was 3.5 persons. Depending upon their origins and social status, foreigners in Germany have been integrated into society in widely varying degrees.

Total fertility rate:
1.41 children born/woman (2008)

Life expectancy at birth (2007):
82.0 years females
76.2 years males
78.6 years total average

READ MORE> Historical Background, Gastarbeiter (Foreign Workers), etc~
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-4901.html
_______________________________________________________________________

More than 16 million people are of non-German descent (first and second generation, including mixed heritage), about 7 million of which are foreign residents. The largest ethnic group of non-German origin are the Turkish residents (2.1% - 1,713,551). Since the 1960s, West and later reunified Germany has been attracting migrants (Gastarbeiter = guest workers) primarily from Southern and Eastern Europe as well as Turkey and North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, etc), many of which (or their children) over time acquired German citizenship. While most of these migrations had an economic background, Germany has also been a prime destination for refugees from many developing countries (many of them Sub-Sahel African), in part because its constitution long had a clause giving a 'right' to political asylum, but restrictions over the years have since made this option less attractive.


German population as of 2008:
82,140,043
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators

That's currently #14 in the world and translates to 1.2% of the world population.

1. Slide - The Goo Goo Dolls
2. One Week - Barenaked Ladies
3. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
4. Meet Me on the Equinox - Death Cab for Cutie
5. I Will Not Bow - Breaking Benjamin

Cast your vote TODAY for The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus for Best Film in the FilmInk Movie Awards for 2009!

http://www.filminkawards.com.au/vote/

How is it that Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg can go from being the Federal Minister of Economics to the Federal Minister of Defense. The latter makes sense, because he was a sergeant in the military before, but Economics? Eh? Somehow I find this odd. Then again, he surpasses in popularity against Angela Merkel and he has a law degree. Law and Economics? Hmm. Could someone explain to me? I obviously know very little about German politics!

Thank you in part to Wikipedia, but thanks to people who respond to this post! :)

WORT DES TAGES
die Arbeitsplatte (pl. die Arbeitsplatten) - work surface, kitchen counter, countertop, workplate

Wann können wie die Designentwürfe für die Arbeitsplatten sehen? -
When can we see the design drawings for the kitchen counters?

Wann gehst du zur Arbeit? - When are you leaving for work?

RELATED:
die Arbeitsfläche - work counter, work surface
die Arbeit - work
arbeiten - to work
flach - flat, level, even
der Schreibtisch - desk

Title: Hold On
Author: 3g1rls/todream
Genre: Romance/Angst
Couples: Jacob and Nessie, Quil, Claire--All Human
Includes wolf pack and their imprints, Cullens, and other Twilight characters


http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5362430/1/Hold_On

Summary
Jacob, an employee at the University of Forks, lives a simple life taking care of his disabled father and buddies on the rez. Underneath his happy persona, he hides a history of personal loss and missed opportunities that could have changed his future.
Nessie, a privileged student, lives a life full of obligations and forced responsibilities. With a father who can't relate to her and a mother who is never fully sober, she finds solace in the handsome Jacob who helps her out in her time of need.
From two different worlds, the two find each other despite the dire consequences that will ensue if their budding relationship continues. Can his past and her sheltered life find a balance and make a love that lasts? Can family secrets and missed opportunities make their love stronger or completely destroy it?

Rated M for language and future lemons.