Shutdown two, week forty-three

The incidence in Cologne is at 154 right now; in the most crucial age group of 10 to 14 years, it is at 865.

What are we doing to our kids?

Also, if only half of this update from the Kabul airlift charity is confirmed, our foreign and interior ministers need to resign.

At once.

Even if there are only four weeks left until the next general election.

To cope with all the doom and gloom, I resorted to retail therapy and got myself a nice new in-game outfit.

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(Cologne, Pokémon Go, 8/29/21)

Shutdown two, week forty-two

The incidence in Cologne is at 138. Need I say more?

Our climate camp is joining OKNB for the trip to Berlin and will take a break until mid-September, returning for the final week of climate election campaigning and the next global climate strike on September 24.

We desperately need a more competent government, one that values compassion and science. And doesn’t invent forms to prevent our Afghan friends from leaving the country and joining us.

On a private note, I’ve submitted my thesis on time. Wish me luck!

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(Directions, Klimacamp Cologne, 8/23/21)

Shutdown two, week forty-one

The local incidence rate in Cologne is at 75 and rising.

We have failed the people of Afghanistan.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their sixth Assessment Report, containing pretty dire predictions. If you’re interested in an excellent explanatory write-up, I recommend this post by our scientist Jason von Juterczenka.

Looking at the bleak outlook, Christian Stöcker also has an op-ed in Der Spiegel headlined “The parents are still far from angry enough” – so true!

Six weeks to the upcoming general election and the climate justice camp in Cologne is still going strong

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(Climate Justice Camp, Cologne, 8/13/21)

Shutdown two, week forty

The local incidence rate in Cologne is at 44 and rising.

Vaccination is readily available, and the town council is offering walk-in vaccinations at many places, including mobile stations at party hotspots.

Go and get it!

On the other emergency, we learned this week that the Gulf Stream as part of the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation) is weakening and showing signs of a possible collapse.

Massive fires are ravaging the northern hemisphere and massive flooding the southern hemisphere.

And we still believe that burning coal is a good idea?

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(Cologne for climate flag, Klimacamp, 7/23/21)

Shutdown two, week thirty-nine

The local 7-day incidence in Cologne is at 35 and rising.

Luckily we now have two approved vaccines for kids 12 years and older, and we might soon get vaccines for kids from 5 years onward.

Long-Covid is not fun and nothing we want kids to suffer from.

At the same time, we do not want kids to starve, burn or drown – so we need to address the climate crisis as the emergency that it is too.

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(Climate Justice Camp, Cologne, 7/30/21)

Shutdown two, week thirty-eight

Are we still in lockdown?

Technically speaking, yes – the CoSchVO still affects Cologne, with an average incidence rate of 31.8 and R at 1.28, and restrictions are in place.

I’m keeping my distance and wearing a mask indoors; however, there are many parties in our parks, and many people travel for fun and vacation. I hope fall won’t be a big disaster! With R above 1, chances are slim, though.

The climate justice camp in Cologne is in its 8th week now – come and visit!

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(Directions, Cologne Climate Camp, 7/25/21)

Shutdown two, week thirty-seven

What a week! So many things have happened, and I don’t know where to start.

We had massive torrential rain here in the West, which caused substantial flooding and wreaked havoc on several communities. A three-digit number of people died, and the flooding destroyed countless homes and lives. Since then, this dire situation has spread further West (Belgium, The Netherlands) and East (Austria, Bavaria).

Severe flooding with many deaths has also occurred in Asia (China, Indonesia); intense fires are burning in the US, Canada, and Russia.

Still, our governing politicians do not treat the climate emergency as the existential crisis that it is. Old white men. Sigh.

On a lighter note, the Pokémon Go Fest 2021 was great fun!

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(Pokémon Go Fest, Raid Day, 7/18/21)

Five years!

Five years ago, on July 14, 2016, I started playing Pokémon Go, one week after Niantic officially launched it.

And I’m still playing it almost daily – walking with my buddy is a perfect excuse to leave my desk; it has helped me maintain my weight and sanity during the current pandemic.

I’m very much looking forward to the Pokémon Go Fest 2021 this weekend!

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(Screenshot, start date and stats, 7/14/21)

Shutdown two, week thirty-six

Not surprisingly, the numbers are on the rise again. Looking at the figures in the UK, Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands, we’re in for a pretty bleak fall.

Alas, our governing politicians are ignoring the deadly nature of the Sars-CoV-2 virus and are willing to sacrifice our kids for their political gains. Despicable.

Same for the other emergency – no willingness from our politicians to address the climate crisis and work on meaningful steps to curb CO2 emissions. Their only goal is to stay in power for the next four years.

That’s an apparent side effect of Europe’s aging population.

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(Klima-Info-Tag, Chlodwigplatz, Cologne, 7/10/21)

Shutdown two, week thirty-five

Not surprisingly, the numbers are going back up again.

Still, it feels almost as if the lockdown was over, at least outside. In shops and public transport, everybody wears a mask, though.

We’re getting closer to the next general election. Unfortunately, the current ruling party and their primary candidate are trying to tackle the climate emergency not by addressing the issues, such as burning fossil fuels, but by trying to outlaw protests.

Difficult weeks lie ahead of us.

However, the climate justice camp in Cologne is going strong, with daily activities and many people visiting.

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(#NoVersGNRW Cologne, Ebertplatz, 6/28/21)