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2/23/2026
German potatoes - The Kartoffel-Flut
They are calling it the Kartoffel-Flut: the potato flood. Germany, the largest producer of potatoes in the European Union, together with
Belgium, France and the Netherlands are enjoying the biggest harvest in a
generation, owing to optimal growing conditions. Last year’s yield was 17%
higher than the long-term average..
In fact, there are so many potatoes—one farm near
Leipzig had a surplus of 4,000 tons—that farmers are giving them away. There
are 200 distribution points in Berlin. Schools, homeless shelters and even the zoo are stocking up.
The potato is filling and calorie-dense relative to
other vegetables. It is used in an extraordinary variety of meals. The organizers
of the giveaway launched a recipe challenge to inspire Kartoffel cooks, sharing tips for soups, salads and plenty
more.
After the potato discovery by Spanish conquerors in the Andes, the potato became a staple food worldwide. Potatoes
now feed over 1 billion people in more than 150 countries. Crop failure can have
disastrous consequences. After the harvest in Ireland was infected and lost in
1845, 1 million people died and almost 3 million emigrated.
To avoid famine, in 1756 Frederick the Great of
Prussia issued a “potato decree” that obliged farmers to plant potatoes on at
least a tenth of their land. Local traditions say that his royal guards
protected potato fields for farmers to think it a precious crop. Today visitors
leave potatoes on Frederick’s tomb at Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. ■
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Article from The Economist (edited)
1/27/2026
US climber scales Taiwan's tallest building without ropes (video)
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Climbing the Taipei 101 skyscraper
Climber Alex Honnold, the famous 40-year-old American, successfully scaled the 1,667 feet Taipei 101 skyscraper - formerly the world's tallest building - on Sunday January 25 without any ropes.
His nerve-shredding stunt was broadcast live by Netflix, although the feed was on a 10-second delay in case tragedy struck.
Cheers erupted from a street-level crowd as Honnold reached the top of the spire of the tower about 90 minutes after he started. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, he waved his arms back and forth over his head and took selfies.
Honnold received a 'mid six-figure sum' for agreeing to take part. He also acknowledged that the amount was "less than what my agent wanted." According to sources close to the organization, the payment fell in the mid-six-figure range in dollars, that is, between USD 400,000 and USD 600,000.
Although for much of the public this is a high figure, within the context of professional sports and entertainment it is low, especially considering the extreme risk the climber assumed during the broadcast.
The building has 101 floors, with the hardest part being the 64 floors of the middle section - the 'bamboo boxes' that give the building its signature look.
Divided into eight, each segment has eight floors of steep, overhanging climbing followed by balconies, where he took short rests as he made his way upward.
'It was like what a view, it´s incredible, what a beautiful day,' he said afterward. 'It was very windy, so I was like, don´t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely. But it was, what an incredible position, what a beautiful way to see Taipei.'
Having a cheering crowd was unusual for Honnold, whose climbs are usually in remote areas.
'When I was leaving the ground, it was intense, there were so many people watching, But then honestly, they were all wishing me well. I mean basically it just made the whole experience feel almost more festive, all these nice people were out supporting me and having a good time,' he said.
The much-anticipated event caused excitement across the globe but many people questioned the 40-year-old's motive, because he is a married father of two girls.
Critics of Honnold asked why he risked his life with two young daughters: June and Alice
Honnold is not be the first climber to ascend the skyscraper but is the first to do so without a rope.
French rock climber Alain Robert scaled the building on Christmas Day in 2004, as part of the grand opening of what was then the world's tallest building. He took nearly four hours to finish, almost twice as long as what he anticipated,. He injured an elbow and faced wind and rain.
Honnold, who trained for months, previously did not think the climb would be hard.. He practiced the moves on the building.
Before the climbing, speaking on a podcast, he said: 'I don't think it'll be that extreme. We'll see. I think it's the perfect sweet spot where it's hard enough to be engaging for me and at the same time, I feel I can do it without ropes. It will be an interesting climb.'
From Daily Mail (edited)
1/14/2026
The danger of a single story (TED talk)
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1/12/2026
The Evolution of Online Shopping (video)
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A 2-euro fee to visit the Trevi Fountain (video)
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A 2-euro fee to visit the Trevi Fountain (article)
From the first of
February, visitors will have to pay two euros to get close to the city's
world-famous Trevi Fountain. Tradition dictates that visitors toss a coin into
the water to guarantee their return to Rome.
City residents
will not have to pay the fee.
The small
surrounding square offering a view of the imposing monument will remain free
for everyone.
The famous
fountain is suffering because of overtourism.
There is a lot of
congestion in the summer. Crowds and people taking selfies are damaging the stonework
surrounding the fountain.
Rome's mayor,
Roberto Gualtieri, said the "Trevi levy" will raise 6.5 million euros
a year. On average, around 30,000 people visit the attraction every day. That amounts to over ten million
visitors.
The fountain was
initially commissioned in 1640 and was completed in 1762. It depicts Oceanus, the god of all water, and
symbolizes the force of the world's seas and
rivers.
Visitors
on Friday said they will be willing to pay if the money is put to good use.
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