The Heckler

The Heckler (by Ralf Driesner)

Don't worry, it'll sort ...... NOT

I am driving my 8 year old VW Polo on the autobahn headed to Berlin. But Berlin is not my target.... at the Hermsdorfer Kreuz I use the Autobahn 4 heading to Gera.

Shortly after the Thuringian-Bavarian state border the 6-lane autobahn changes to a 4-lane small autobahn of the 30's. The bulldozers have not made their way up to here.

Suddenly, I see a Wartburg (remark of the translator: "Wartburg" is the name of a car, manufactured in the former German Democratic Republic). The bonnet open .... when I passing I believe to see from the corner of the eye a person working on the interiors of the car.

I notice, that nearly 10 years after the German reunification I think the same (stupid) stereotype thoughts about Trabbies (remark of the translator: "Trabbi" is a nickname for the "Trabant", another car from the former German Democratic Republic).

When I pass by the exit Schleiz, I am frightened by this thought: No matter if street or data traffic, industrial or service branche. Nearly four million unemployed in Germany, nearly 12 million in Euro-land (remark of the translator: "Euro-land" means the countries participating the European Union) .... agreed, it's less than some years ago, but it's still a lot.

I see politicians and chairmen empathize from a new, bright future - the Internet, E-commerce, B2B-commerce, B2C-commerce .... but there are just a few of those prophets, who have experienced the Internet. This is at least, what I think, if I see how childish they handle this theme. They busily learned their speech ... Well done.

The voter/consumer/worker is told, that he now may learn using the Internet ... has anyone of the "Heckler" readers really tried to read the online offer of a newspaper or a longer article with 10 and more links completely? Without a leased line, this is ridiculous ....

Andy Grove, known from Intel said: "The future belongs to the paranoid". How is this linked with the small autobahns? Well, those in Germany (or maybe in all Europe) become paranoid, is not rewarded with a bright future. He or she just becomes crazy ...

There are too many weaknesses, which cannot be changed by a person, even if he tries as much as he can. Many things fail, because you don't have the right tools ... and/or you don't have the money to buy them.

The man from the German Post says in a commercial: "You click ... we do the rest". That's how future is going to be ... and hopefully not just the Deutsche Post AG.

Have a nice holiday .... I already see myself with a laptop (5,000 DEM (approx. 2551 Euros)) and lederhosen (nice Bavarian fighter clothes with shirt and trousers and Charivari - we're tradionalists; for just 2,000 DEM (approx. 1020 Euros)). So there's just the mobile phone missing (with Internet access).

Live long and prosper ...

Ralf Driesner <global-dries@gmx.de>