German General Election 2013 an UK Expats View

Did you know there is a General Election in Germany next Sunday 22nd September.

• Well I guess if your German the answer will be straightforward.  Ja
•  I guess if you are Greek it's possible the answer will be Ne (Yes) !!
•  I guess if your from the UK ....you might ......but who cares anyway. 

I just got back from two weeks in Thessaloniki, Tour of the Pelion Coast and Skiathos. As I now live in Germany (in the so called rich part ) I daily hear about the Euro crisis in the German media. So in going to Greece I wanted to see clear evidence of how the austerity measures being imposed by the Troika were affecting daily life there.

Now I am not a politician nor an EU bureaucrat but I expected to see a sort of empty destitute wasteland full of empty shops and cafes. Well the exact opposite was the case. Cafes full of customers, a functioning infrastructure, buses full and running to time  and ATMs distributing money. So in fact it was Normal.

So I want to know what constitutes a CRISIS

I think I have some idea having watched images of Ethopian Famines prior to Live Aid Concerts in 1984 and I have no doubt that Syria really is in the middle of one now.

So why is Germany so obsessed with the Euro Crisis ? or let me be political about this why are  the Ruling CDU CSU FDP coalition and the German Media.
obsessed about it.

Let me be cynical.
Is it perhaps that due to the continuing low value of the Euro, (based on the struggling economies in the southern part of Europe) Germany's exports have boomed over the last few years and therefore Germany has benefited from the status quo?

So heres a UK expats view on the German Election in which I cannot take part ( as in vote ) knowing full well that the outcome is going to affect the whole of Europe.

So unsurprisingly perhaps the Euro Crisis is a key aspect of the CDU CSU FDP Campaign  or as they would see it the Saving of the Euro and of Europe itself.

What they want to keep quiet however is the following:

• Extremely Low wage economy second only behind Latvia in the EU
• Lack of any minimum Wage in Germany (despite being the 3rd Richest Economy ) we Cant afford it !!!  heard that one before ?
• Mini Jobs (400 Euros a month ) for a job worth far more.
• Extensive use of agency workers on a quarter of their full time counterparts wage. ......Getting the picture ?
• Syria (as they might  have to get involved .... take up arms that is  )

What you will hear are

• EU Crisis and how Germany is sorting it out .....no brainer there then !
• NSA ....as Germans are totally obsessed about privacy ...
• Lowest EU unemployment .....and thats a no brainer as well because exploited and threatened workers keep their gobs shut dont they !!

So the "Wunder" that is Germany has a current darker side of self interest abroad (unless its got something to do with a War) and couldn't careless at home. But there is one saving grace in all of this

Elections offer the opportunity to kick out incumbent politicians and make a change. My thinking is that it won't take place this time as the pips havnt been squeezed enough to hurt the Volk themselves but another term of CDU CSU FDP and the chickens will surely come home to roost

And as for Europe ...well that will be an even bigger basket case than ever before.

Hey but if your not in to politics there's always a bit of Lederhosen Bum slapping dancing and a Stein (Mass ) of beer to take your mind off the whole thing ...well until next time ...happy yodeling from Stuttgart.
And this isn't English irony by the way (although it should be)  because in a few weeks time Oktoberfest and Wasenfest will be there to take the pain away....of what

...THE CRISIS of course !!.....

Squash and Stretch Video for GUI

The video for using the Squash and Stretch Ball  GUI
can be found at the following link on vimeo.com

https://vimeo.com/user16943767

Squash and Stretch MEL GUI

Here is a short MEL script to create an automated Squash and Stretch Ball in Maya.

A video will accompany this on Vimeo.
The script is intended for non commercial use only!
Load the following text into the Script Editor in maya and execute it
Use the Squash and Bend attributes in the Channel Box to make it work.
(MMB right to left)
Enjoy !!

// Created by Tony Smith for student training and non commercial use only 

// Please credit me if used any training context or use 09-03-2013 Tony Smith

//_______________________________________________________________

if (`window -exists ballcreate`)

deleteUI ballcreate;

window -title "ballcreate"

-widthHeight  220 310

-maximizeButton  off

ballcreate;

rowColumnLayout -nc 8 keyableRCL;

button -label "ball" -w 75-c "BallcreateGroup()";

showWindow ballcreate;

global proc BallcreateGroup() 

{

sphere -n ball -p 0 1 0 -ax 0 1 0 -ssw 0 -esw 360 -r 1 -d 3 -ut 0 -tol 0.01 -s 8 -nsp 8 -ch 1;

circle -n ball_ctrl -c 0 0 0 -nr 0 1 0 -sw 360 -r 1 -d 3 -ut 0 -tol 0.01 -s 8 -ch 1;

addAttr -ln "Squash"  -at double  |ball_ctrl;

setAttr -e-keyable true |ball_ctrl.Squash;

addAttr -ln "bend"  -at double  |ball_ctrl;

setAttr -e-keyable true |ball_ctrl.bend;

select -r ball ;

nonLinear -type squash  -lowBound 0 -highBound 1 -startSmoothness 0 -endSmoothness 0 -maxExpandPos 0.5 -expand .5 -factor 0;

setAttr "squash1Handle.translateY" 0;

setAttr "squash1Handle.scaleZ" 2;setAttr "squash1Handle.translateY" 0;

setAttr "squash1Handle.scaleX" 2;

setAttr "squash1Handle.scaleY" 2;

setAttr "squash1Handle.scaleZ" 2;

setAttr "squash1.factor" 0;

select -r ball ;setAttr "squash1.factor" 0;

nonLinear -type bend  -lowBound 0 -highBound 1 -curvature 0;

setAttr "bend1Handle.rotateY" 90;

setAttr "bend1Handle.scaleX" 5;

setAttr "bend1Handle.scaleY" 5;

setAttr "bend1Handle.scaleZ" 5;

select -r squash1Handle bend1Handle ball;

select -tgl ball_ctrl ;

parent;

select -r ball_ctrl ;

connectAttr -force ball_ctrl.Squash squash1.factor;

connectAttr -force ball_ctrl.bend bend1.curvature;

select -cl  ;

select -r squash1Handle bend1Handle ball ;

createDisplayLayer -name "DONOTTOUCH" -number 1 -nr;

select -cl  ;

select -r squash1Handle bend1Handle ;

setAttr "bend1Handle.visibility" 0;

setAttr "squash1Handle.visibility" 0;

select -cl  ;

};

Realism or Abstraction ?

Where does realism end and abstraction begin? Here the images above are painted from life on a beach at Southport as the sun is setting. This is done in watercolour and the light was changing constantly. The second images are entirely playful where there was no object of interest only exporation of materials.

Leaf & Fossil Series

This is a scan from an old series of paintings I
did some time ago all about impressions from
what remains. It was a period of experimentation
on small canvas's with acrylic, glue and gold paint.
Imprints of real plants pressings and linocut
20cm x 26cm framed in blue painted frame

Reclining Pose

I always look for a strong form within my life drawing
Here the hands lead along the arm to the hair which
contrasts against the line and form of the back. I like
reclining foreshortening  poses as they offer a challenge
as well as a a more interesting composition.

Coldest Dive ( so far )

Dived at Rastatt  - Plittersdorf today in the bright sunshine
However the outside temp was - 8 degrees and the water
ranged between 4 and 2.7 degrees. So you might ask ..!

Why do you do it ?...

Well it puts you in a different place ...once under any other
concerns with life just disappear...there is a connection with
2 of the primary elements, water and air, which puts you in a
special state of mind a sort of calm peaceful  place ..try it out..!