You set your imaginary STANDARD but we're not POOR

And that's exactly how it is! Did yall follow the latest news about the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded France and Austria?

When S&P downgraded two previously AAA rated European countries last Friday, the whole eurozone was shocked. Along with 7 other European countries France and Austria, two of the currency zone's six triple A rated countries, lost their top grade. This led to a downgrade of the rescue fund EFSF this afternoon. To obtain future independence from further ratings the eurozone countries try to launch  the permanent rescue fund ESM till the middle of 2012 which would have a basic capital of 100 billions of €.

Not only I have to agree with the statement France's finance minister François Baroin made when he said that "It's not the rating agencies that dictate the policies of France." It aren't the rating agencies that should dictate the policies of Europe either!
The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's is at least - like the other two big rating agencies Moody's and Fitch - an American company and even if they proclaim not to do it they all stick to the only financial system they know best: the American financial system with it's all-power-to-the-bank policy. One should think that someday, even they will learn that they can't force everyone else to adapt their political views. S&P's attack on European politics is seen as a big affront by most Europeans including myself.
So people, what do you think? Please let me know!

2012 - The view is great!

A great view and a good coffee. What else could I want? This photo was taken at the Café 360°. I think I told you about that café before, hm? Been there yesterday after a long discussion at the university regarding my school certificate.
This year began with much work and even more snow.

In Fiss everything is white. I had to work on New Years Eve so I couldn't celebrate like everyone else. After my work shift ended, my colleague Karin and I went to Hackls, an apres ski bar in the center of Fiss, where we spent the rest of the night. I came back home the next morning - completely wasted.
For me the new year started like the last year ended: lousy.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, drunk, fell on my ass on the way home and came to the conclusion that life sucks!
The last year was a disaster. I quit my job for sailing, went to Croatia and later back to Germany. I had no money. I decided to leave Germany for a winter job in Austria and came here. I loved and lost - again! The guy I met at the end of summer season (remember?) left me for no reason... well... at least no real reason. Said something like "I don't have feelings for you any more" blahblah... we didn't even see each other again after he left me in Glücksburg. Sometimes I think that maybe I never find someone who likes me enough to stay. Maybe I'll be alone for the rest of my life.
Christmas came and I was also alone. Had to work and couldn't see my family and friends.
And this year didn't start any better. A few days ago I had to find out that one of my nice lovely colleagues told our supervisor that I took a 40 minutes lunch break but only wrote 20 minutes into the work time report. Should I ever find out who that was... I'd definitely be the less nicest version of me.

I'll just wait and see what's coming next so I must be right saying that the view on 2012 is great: It can only get better.