Berlin calling

1. What do drugs mean to Ickarus?

• Drugs mean above everything else to Ickarus. In the company of his manager and girlfriend Mathilde, the Berlin DJ is taking stimulant drugs to endure long hours of his musical performances.

2. Why, when, and how are his fans taking drugs, and which drugs do they take?

• His fans also are taking drugs too as they keep on getting entertained during the day and at night. In addition to alcohol and stimulant drugs, Ickarus and his team consumed ecstasy tablets in different nightclubs as a routine practice.

3. While we can see that his drug habits get him ill and into a psychosis, and while we witness his relapse and inability to work successfully, why does the subculture Ickarus belongs to focus on drugs?

• Despite the fact that drug habits throw Ickarus into psychosis and he is unable to carry on with his performances, members of the subculture to which he belongs still focus on drugs due to the prevailing drug addiction. It is evident that his friends such as Pea,Corinna, Goa Gebhard, and Crystal Pete cannot lead normal lives without taking drugs. The practices of the sub-culture depicted in the movie such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and prostitution are congruent to the behavior of deviant youths in my society 

4. Compare the standards you know from your home society with the people you see depicted in this movie. Which are the stark differences and contrasts?

• The only difference is that the law enforcement agencies in my society relentlessly work to prevent youths from engaging in the outlawed practices.

5. Germany is considered a strong industrial nation the world over. Do you think that the youth culture as depicted here could change that? How about work ethics of Ickarus and of Alice, the label director who fires and then re-signs him?

• Germany is an industrialized nation, the behavior of the youth will definitely reverse the course of its economic development because excessive consumption of drugs will deprive the nation of the much needed skilled labor force in the future.

6. Which similar "cult movies" of US origin have you seen, if any?

• “Berlin calling” is a cult movie contextually similar to the American “Easy Writer”.

Foods and German Cuisine

Germany cuisine has emerged to be the most nutritious and delicious food in Europe. The development of the cuisine was occasioned by social and political changes that occurred in different parts of the country. Some regions like Bavaria and Swabia share many dishes, whereas others have completely different ingredients. The following meals represent the German cuisine.

ü  Hot Dish

Ø  Meat includes pork, beef, and poultry. Most people prefer pork. For those who take poultry and beef, the most common type consumed is chicken and game meats respectively (TheBeefSite).

Ø  Fish consumed in Germany is the salt-water fish with the most common being Alaska Pollock. However, others prefer trout, European perch, pike, and carp (Aesther).

Ø  Vegetables are also forms of hot food commonly served with stews and sometimes as side dishes. Common vegetables consumed include carrots, beans, turnips, broccoli, spinach, cabbages, and peas.

ü  Side Dishes

Ø  Noodles are the most common side dishes. Ingredients include wheat flour and eggs.   

Ø  Potatoes are normally boiled and mashed or pan-roasted.

ü  Species and Condiments

Ø  Spices - Germans do not prefer hot and spicy foods; instead they consider herbs like thyme, chives, laurel, and caraway among others. Herbs are used in place of spices.

Ø  Condiments – the most common condiment used is horseradish that can either be served alone or combined with mustard.

ü  Desserts

Most people prefer cakes and tarts made from fresh fruit as their dessert. Ingredients for making cakes include apples, cherries, plums, and strawberries. Another popular dessert is the Rote Grütze (Aesther).

ü  Bread

Bread rolls or Brötchen are common breads in German cuisine. Most Germans prefer the roll spread with margarine or butter.

ü  Structure of Meals

Ø  Breakfast consists of bread rolls or toasts with cheese or jam.

Ø  Lunch is the main meal taken around noon.

Ø  Dinner, though not common, is a smaller meal that consists of breads, sausages, cheese, and vegetables.

ü  Drinks

Ø  Beer includes pale lager pilsener, wheat beer, and lager.

Ø  The most popular types of wine include Riesling and Silvaner (white wine) as well Spätburgunder and Dornfelder (red wine).

Ø  Korn is a spirit prepared using malt.

Ø  Other drinks include coffee, soft drinks, and drinking water.

Works Cited

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_cuisine

http://www.personal.psu.edu/srh122/German%20Cuisine.htm
http://www.thebeefsite.com/news/40008/intermeat-2012-german-meat-consumption-remains-stable