Morning Stories

Götterdämmerung? (Which is Twilight of the Gods) Which gods are currently facing their twilight? And if any of these ladies or gentlemen are available for comment: what exactly does this twilight contain right now? I mean, at many corners of the globe - wait, why corners? - this very world is no longer in order. Not even at seven in the morning. Yet the bearers of hope in all countries - or at least most of them - refuse to stop carrying.

"Your story today is political again, Christian." Hmm. True. But that wasn't intentional — there was no deliberate plan to make this story political. Why? Because the perfectly ordinary lives we all lead always carry political weight.

The elegant living room has always been an aspiration — ever since civilization, and interior design, were invented.

"Hey, USA! You used to be a land of dreams. A land of unparalleled opportunity. A land of freedom. A land of movies. A land of diversity. What on earth happened to you?"

Good grief – how inspiring were the boyhood years, when cowboys and Indians populated the black-and-white, tiny little television screen. When Colts were constantly smoking, the Bonanza Ranch hosted the first men's group home, and the giant John Wayne was busy cleaning up the Wild West. Good grief – how discoloured and yellowed this romance appears today. Isn't it?

When Peter Tosh passionately sang “Legalize It” fifty years ago, smokers everywhere perked up and stood tall. Finally, they thought, the haze of prejudice around the so-called “devil’s weed” might lift.

The word justice carries weight. It’s a heavy one — serious, loaded with consequence, never to be handled lightly. When you fall into its machinery, you’ll either pay the price for what you’ve done — or finally receive the fairness you’ve been waiting for.

“Don’t say that!” “Hey, you can’t say that anymore!” Remember when free speech was still free of panic? When talking came with a hint of manners, maybe even ethics?

Politics? No, Thank You. Few professions today suffer from a reputation as battered as politics. Once upon a time, it was used-car dealers, insurance agents, and investment brokers who carried the public’s mistrust. Now it’s politicians — too often seen as the self-serving representatives of a few citizens, rather than the responsible stewards of all.