Showing posts with label Eckhard. Show all posts

Sunday, May 1, 2016

From the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns to the Minnesota Vikings

Moritz Boehringer's last competitive football came as a member of Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns of the German Football League. The next time he suits up, it will be as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
We saw some history in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft on Saturday when Boehringer became the first international player to go straight from a European league to the NFL.

It was fitting that Boehringer landed with the Vikings. His interest in football began just five years ago, when he stumbled upon highlights of Adrian Peterson running past defenders on YouTube.

"I searched for a team in Germany and found one in my hometown, but we only had seven players," Boehringer (6-foot-4, 227 pounds) said during a recent studio appearance on the Move The Sticks Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks. "We just practiced a bit, and after half a year we (found a full team) about 25 miles from my hometown and played there."

Boehringer, 22, was an immediate star in the German Football League, the highest level of football in Europe. He arrived in America on Feb. 29 and put himself on the NFL radar with a head-turning performance at the Florida Atlantic pro day. That performance, in addition to his dominant Unicorns game tape, made him a buzzy Day 3 pick.

"That's kind of what the draft is all about -- making dreams come true," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. "He's a really smart kid ... he understands football and is able to repeat the different routes to us and things like that. Obviously, he has a lot of work to do, but it's been fun."

After the Vikings made their selection, Boehringer found himself on the NFL Network draft set for the second time in an hour. During his first appearance, NFL Media's Mike Mayock looked into the camera and implored Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman to select the big German. The plea might have been enough to move Boehringer to the top of Minnesota's board. In a related story, Boehringer owes Mayock a Krombacher.

Mayock asked Boehringer how it felt to suddenly be on the same team as Peterson, the legendary player whose dominance on his tablet kickstarted his football dreams.

Replied Boehringer: "The coolest thing ever."

Pretty cool indeed.

HIER IST DER JUNGE:

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Und vom Dr. Kuhn-Osius, hier ist mehr ueber das Deutsche Footballbund -- German Football League = GFL

American Football in Germany

Statistics on the relative size of American Football and soccer in Germany. I summatize some and quote some other sources (usually GermanWikipedia or the associations themselves):

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Football_League_2015#Zuschauerzahlen_2015

Average spectator attendance during the regular GFL season: 1373 / game
Saison Gruppe Nord (more popular) 1831 / game
Saison Gruppe Süd 1027 / game
Playofffs attendance on average 2519 / game

The total number of clubs is 15, and they are in their 37th season.

They had their high point around 2000 when the NFL tried to expand Football worldwide (but their businesses collapsed for lack of spectators). Some German teams had over 30,000 spectators occasionally (partly boosted their numbers by combining with concerts by Nena or Herbert Groenemeyer). The NFL pulled out in 2007. Now it is a German affair.

The German Association for American Football is the 10th largest team sport association of Germany.

In Deutschland gibt es 7 Spielstufen (7 levels of play) für Herrenmannschaften (for the mens' teams).
......+
Die höchsten (= highest level) beiden Ligen sind die German Football League (GFL) und die German Football League 2 (GFL2). Darunter folgen die Regionalligen, Oberligen, Verbandsligen, Landesligen und Aufbauligen, die alle durch die jeweiligen Landesverbände organisiert werden. ...
Mit 46 Mannschaften spielen in der fünftklassigen Verbands-, beziehungsweise in Hessen und Rheinland-Pfalz in der Landesliga, die meisten Vereine.
Currently there are 32.000 football players, and approximately 300 clubs registered with the AFVD and the state organizations.

[1]<https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Football_in_Deutschland#cite_note-DOSB_Bestandserhebung-1
Nearly half of all European players are in Germany.

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Alternatively, here are some statistics on the Deutscher Fussballbund;' "Soccer" as we know it.

As opposed to the 32K registered Football playlers, in the DFB there are close to 7 million registered soccer players throughout Germany's 21 various state organizations. [Aktuell 6.889.115]

There are over 25K registered clubs [Aktuell 25.324].
The number of teams (based on age and skill) is 161.727 different teams..

The current number of registered junior players from ages 15-18 years old is 515.364.
The current number of registered girls up to 16 years old is 336.464..

German Soccer spectator numbers: Borussia Dortmund has almost 81,000 spectators per game

The Bundesliga club with the lowest number of spectators (FC Ingolstadt -- newcomer to the Bundesliga) has 14,778. The team's Audi Stadion has under 10K seats, and the balance are in the cheer section (standing only).

Eckhard Kuhn-Osius
German Department
Hunter College, CUNY

Friday, December 19, 2014

Weniger Müll dieses Jahr (2014) in Deutschland produziert

Hunderte Kilo pro Kopf

So viel Müll produziert jeder von uns

18.12.2014 - 11:21

Wiesbaden - Die Deutschen haben 2014 weniger Müll produziert als im Vorjahr: Dennoch kommen auf jeden Einwohner Hunderte Kilo Abfall jedes Jahr.

3 Kilogramm weniger pro Person (each German resident threw away 3 KG less waste this year than last)

2013 warf jeder Einwohner drei Kilo weniger Haushaltsabfälle weg als im Jahr davor. 36,6 Millionen Tonnen Müll wurden in den deutschen Haushalten eingesammelt. Das waren 453 Kilogramm pro Einwohner, wie das Statistische Bundesamt am Donnerstag in Wiesbaden berichtete.

36 Prozent des Abfalls im Jahr 2013 war Restmüll: 13,1 Millionen Tonnen, zwei Kilogramm pro Einwohner weniger als im Vorjahr. „Somit konnte sich der rückläufige Trend beim Restmüll auch im Jahr 2013 weiter fortsetzen“, berichtete Destatis-Fachfrau Diana Eyer.

Beim Sperrmüll gab es kaum Veränderungen: 2,3 Millionen Tonnen wurden gesammelt, 29 Kilogramm pro Einwohner.

Mehr als die Hälfte aller Abfälle wurde getrennt gesammelt. Insgesamt waren das 21,2 Millionen Tonnen. 12,0 Millionen Tonnen Müll gelten als „Wertstoffe“ wie Papier, Glas und Verpackungsmüll. 2013 sammelte jeder Einwohner 148 Kilogramm davon, genauso viel wie im Jahr davor.

Den höchsten Anteil an den Wertstoffen hatte das Altpapier. Deutschlandweit waren es 5,8 Millionen Tonnen - 72 Kilogramm pro Einwohner. Mit einigem Abstand folgten Verpackungen mit 2,6 Millionen Tonnen - 32 Kilogramm pro Einwohner. Am wenigsten fiel Altglas an: 1,9 Millionen Tonnen oder 24 Kilogramm pro Einwohner.

Der Rest ist hauptsächlich Biomüll. 9,1 Millionen Tonnen organische Abfälle sammelten die Deutschen im vergangenen Jahr - 112 Kilogramm pro Person, ein Kilo weniger als 2012. Ab 2015 muss Biomüll bundesweit getrennt gesammelt werden. Das soll dazu beigetragen, dass diese Stoffe verstärkt für Biogasanlagen oder für die Düngerproduktion genutzt werden.

dpa

Saturday, October 25, 2014

DAAD: How and Why Study in Germany!

DAAD stands for German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst)

Ten reasons for Germany: Studying in Germany – the right choice for you!

Germany is the third most popular destination among international students in the world. More than twelve percent of students at German universities come from abroad – just like you. Germany is an attractive place to study and German university degrees are highly respected by employers worldwide.

by the Editors

International students © Horschig/DAAD — International students . © Horschig/DAAD

1. You have a top-class degree recognised around the world!

German higher education is one of the best in the world! Whether it’s cars or education, people everywhere recognise “Made in Germany” as a seal of quality. You can benefit from Germany‘s long and famous university tradition especially in the fields of engineering and science. A German university degree is highly respected by employers around the world.

2. You have a diverse range of study opportunities!

Germany’s higher education system has something for everyone! There are almost 450 state-accredited universities with some 17,500 degree programmes in Germany. German universities offer degree programmes in every possible subject and academic level – be it bachelor’s, master’s, state examinations or doctoral degrees. General universities focus strongly on scientifically oriented study in a wide range of disciplines. Universities of applied science, on the other hand, are very practice-oriented. If you’re more interested in artistic subjects, you can enrol at a college of art, film or music.

3. You can study in English!

More and more courses and degree programmes are being offered in English, especially at the master’s degree level. This is good news if you don’t know any German or if your German isn’t good enough yet. You’ll find an overview of international degree programmes in Germany in the large DAAD database.

4. You are not alone!

Around twelve percent of students at German universities come from foreign countries, just like you. You can make friends from around the world, become acquainted with different countries and expand your horizons. The universities offer support to make your start in Germany as easy as possible. There are many mentoring programmes available, such as “Buddy” and “Tandem” programmes.

Students on campus © DAAD — *Students on campus . © DAAD*

5. You pay very low tuition fees – and sometimes none at all!

Students normally don’t have to pay tuition fees at German universities, and if so, the fees are very low. Most German universities receive considerable financing from the government. Bachelor’s degree programmes are usually tuition-free at public universities. Some master’s degree programmes, however, come with tuition fees, but they’re not as high as in other countries.

6. You have very affordable living expenses!

Compared with other European countries, the cost of living in Germany is reasonable. The cost of food, rent, clothing and cultural activities are equivalent to the EU average. There are also a number of concessions available to students. You can receive reduced prices at theatres, museums, opera houses, cinemas, swimming pools and other institutions. All you have to do is present your student ID.

7. You can benefit from many scholarship programmes!

As an international student with outstanding academic achievement, you have good chances of receiving a scholarship to finance your studies in Germany. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is one of the largest scholarship organisations in the world and offers countless scholarship programmes. No matter what your country, subject or status, you’ll find a scholarship that matches your profile and needs in the DAAD scholarship database! And not only does the database contain programmes offered by the DAAD, but also many other organisations in Germany.

8. You live in a safe country!

Germany is a safe country – also on an international scale. The police are reliable and help you in every situation. Whether you live in a big city or in the country, you can move freely day or night without having to take any special precautions.

Cochem on the Moselle river © Klein/DAAD — *Cochem on the Moselle river . © Klein/DAAD*

9. You live in a diverse country in the heart of Europe!

Beaches and mountains, medieval city centres and pulsating metropolises, and above all, lots of nature. Germany is a diverse country with many facets! Living in Germany means living in the middle of Europe surrounded by many other countries. Whether you’d like to visit Paris, Prague, Rome or Copenhagen, you have a wide range of destinations at your doorstep. Within a couple of hours by train or plane, you can experience an entirely different culture and language. Weekend trips are no problem and affordable.

10. You learn a language which can open many doors!

German is one of the ten most spoken languages in the world. Some 185 million people worldwide can speak German. You can still study in Germany even if you don’t know German, but having some knowledge of the language can make everyday life easier and help you make friends faster. Knowing a foreign language also looks great on a résumé! Nobody says that German is an easy language, but there are many ways to learn German – in a course, with a tandem partner or with German flatmates.

Here's a super new video from DAAD entitled NEW HORIZONS:

HIER IST DAAD IM INTERNET MIT VIELEN ANTWORTEN: HERE IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND LOTS OF ANSWERS!

HERE IS THE COVER PAGE FORE DAAD!

FINALLY: Since German universities have nothing comparable to our General Studies, or even Liberal Arts, here is some truly practical advice from one of my main gurus, Dr. Kuhn-Osius, of Hunter College CUNY. --rsb

The DAAD material is very general. The two things to keep in mind for an American high schooler:

1. There is no general education at German universities, so you have to have a very good idea what you want to study.

2. To be admitted to a German university, you will need 4 AP tests in a specific combination. Otherwise you will either need two years of college or you'll have to go to a Studienkolleg.

This is not something you want to do on the spur of the moment. The German educational system can be excellent for those who know what they want (and so can be the US system). If you are in any way uncertain, it may not be worth it.

-- Eckhard Kuhn-Osius

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Tuition Free: GERMANY!

Danke Stephanie! With this news source I feel like we've hit the big time on the topic of the importance of supporting the goals of our youth!

CBS Money Watch

ByLYNN O'SHAUGHNESSYMONEYWATCHOctober 3, 2014, 8:12 AM

Where to get a free college degree

Want to attend college for free? It can happen if you learn German.

All German universities are now free to Americans and all other international students. The last German state to charge tuition at its universities struck down the fees this week.

Even before Germany abolished college tuition for all students, the price was a steal. Typically semester fees were around $630. What's more, German students receive many perks including discounts for food, clothing and events, as well as inexpensive or even free transportation.

In explaining why Germany made this move, Dorothee Stapelfeldt, a Hamburg senator, called tuition fees "unjust" and added that "they discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up study. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany."

Actually, German universities were free up until 2006 when they started charging tuition. That triggered such a crush of criticism that German states began phasing out this policy. Lower Saxony was the last holdout.

The most overrated and underrated jobs of the year

It's too bad that politicians in the U.S. don't feel that a college education is worth supporting appropriately. State aid to the nation's public universities took a nosedive during the 2008 recession and education funding remains well below those levels. The average state is spending 23 percent less per student than before the recession, according to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Actually, state support has been declining for public universities for a quarter of a century. Using an interactive tool from The Chronicle of Higher Education, you can see how state government subsidies have cratered at individual institutions.

With the average undergrad borrower now leaving school with more than $29,000 in debt, the free ride in Germany can look awfully tempting.

How to handle the language barrier

German is not an easy language to learn. Fortunately, however, there are international language programs in Germany, which have become very popular with international students before they tackle obtaining a degree in a different language.

What's more, an increasing number of German universities are offering degrees in English. These are often called international studies programs or in some other way have the word international in their title.

Comments

COVERTOOM October 10, 2014 1:1PM

There are some things to consider when seriously thinking about a German University degree. Does this mean if I go to a German University I can then work in the European Union? There are some differences in the educational systems of the United States and Germany. There are three types of high schools in Germany. Their University bound high school teaches the equivalent of the first two years of University in the United States. Most German Universities don't offer bachelor degrees. Their degrees are the equivalent of a masters degree. If you cannot work in the European Union, then upon return to the United States, someone from this country must put an equivalency to your German education. Most Americans don't know what they are looking at and will assume you don't have the equivalent of a bachelors degree because no general requirements are taught at German University. General requirements are taught at their University bound High School. To get a fair assessment, you should take your degree to someone who has experience in both educational systems. Then it takes a minimum of two years to really learn a language. Dive in, go to Germany and live the culture. Immerse yourself. If you can work in the EU, you'll work about 40 hours a week even if you are a manager. Over 40 means overtime for managers too. Then there is at least two or three holidays a month in which everyone is off. You'll start off with either 5 or 6 weeks vacation a year. Good Luck.

ÅNGSTRÖM October 10, 2014 11:11AM

As an American who just completed her MSc. in physics at Uni Stuttgart, a few pointers.

1.) Gaining fluency in German is not an option. It is mandatory for living in the country for several years. More master's degree have English options. Still be prepared to speak, read and learn in German.

2.) Attend university in America for your bachelors, double major in German and whatever it is you want to study (for me it was physics)

3.) Don't plan on doing a bachelors degree in Germany, all bachelor programs have lectures in German. Attend a cheap university back in the states (like San Diego State) and study abroad for the maximum of 2 years. You can then study abroad in Germany and attend relevant courses to your major in German to know for sure whether or not the move is right for you. German universities are academically more challenging than American ones. A's (1's & 1,3's) aren't common. Most courses have one grade, one chance to pass, the final exam.

I have spent nearly five years in Germany now and am happier and healthy then the first 20 years of my life in San Diego.

More information about studying in Germany can be found at the DAAD[.]org or you contact your local DAAD young ambassador with specific questions.

SEBASCHOEBEL October 9, 2014 5:5PM

Dear American friends,

as a German I'd just like to say: PLEASE don't all send you kids our way! Or at least don't send them to the bigger cities like Berlin, Munich or Hamburg. There are literally NO APARTMENTS left to rent and the state universities are bursting at the seams. Besides, judging from the fellows you keep sending already, they are NOT here to study (unless bar hopping is a major in the States, which sounds frighteningly possible). If you HAVE to pick a German university for your kid(s), look for smaller schools in the lesser known cities. BTU Senftenberg, University of Braunschweig, etc.

Oh, and btw: There is an election coming up in your country. And if you like free (or at least affordable) education, decided to make THAT a priority instead of gun ownership, curtailing women's reproductive rights, a childish obsession with lower taxes (for rich folks) or limiting the ability for non-white people to vote and VOTE FOR ANY PARTY THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ELEPHANT IN ITS LOGO!!!

Thank you.

MARIA LOPEZ VEGA October 3, 2014 4:4PM

This is where we should be focusing our taxpayers' dollars. Instead, we are hell-bent on destroying peoples and countries with our military might. $500,000,000 in military support to destabilize yet another country (Syria) may sound good politically, yet that amount would pay for a lot of tuition, books and housing for students. We are sending $500,000,000 to aid the gun deaths in Syria while our own FEMA has refused to allocate one dime to rebuilding our own citizens' homes destroyed by wildfires in Washington and other states. Shame on our politicians!

IAMTHESHERM October 12, 2014 5:5PM

@Maria Lopez Vega Many, if not most Germans, do not go to a college like the US. They have many technical apprenticeships and vocational schools that the US has moved away from. If Germany tried to give everyone a free education in an American-style education system, they'd be bankrupt in a month.

LINDAG20 October 3, 2014 2:2PM

Those sneaky Germans, educating their children. No wonder they are so productive.

QUE 84 October 3, 2014 0:12PM

What an outstanding effort by the German people to educate and produce productive citizens. America would be smart to rebuke the class system and cut down on violence and incarceration by giving their citizens a chance to make the country better by educating the masses. No wonder the Germans are the top industrialized country in the world and their engineers are supreme. Sad that racism and profits come first instead of building a strong foundation for the future of a great nation.