On Technical Issues

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 18 September 2008 in Architecture.

Germany's state development bank KfW transferred 300 million Euros ($427 million approx.) to Lehman Brothers, only minutes before Lehman collapsed. D'oh!

A few minutes later KfW officials tried to undo this transfer. Without success. 300 million Euros just thrown out of the window. Well, maybe they get 40 - 50 percent back from bankrupt's assets. D'oh!

Officials of our Finance Ministry said, there were some technical issues responsible for this transfer. Of course: it's always this dang software that automagically transfers all these millions without further request. D'oh!

Please do me a favour: forget all your beliefs of German efficiency, Teutonic thoroughness and the like. We're just fools. D'oh.

--
What you see here is my attempt to get something out of the shadows. When we arrived at St. Quirinus, located at the old city of Neuß*, the nave was closed and except for these glooms there was only little - very little - light. Quirinus is an exceptional Romanesque church, completed only years before the rise of the Gothic style. More about this later.

*Actually it's written "Neuss" (speak it like 'noise' with a very sharp 's'), but I prefer the old notation with 'ß'.

Download my coffee-table book of selected postings here. Enjoy!

More MadScientist: eclecticimaging.tumblr.com

Comments (8)

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

Great perspecitive, MS. a stunning image.

18 Sep 2008 5:16am

@Michael Skorulski: Thanks very much!

Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand

I think you did rather well at geting something out of the shadows. Its a splendid image from a great perspective. Excellent:-)

18 Sep 2008 6:01am

@Linerberry: I had to shoot through an iron railings. And this is one of Germany's distinguished Romanesque churches. *sigh*

Steven from Chicagoland, United States

The minimal lighting has a very interesting effect. I love the light coming through the "cross-shaped" windows. There is a lot of depth in this photo, enhanced by the nave's perceived "narrowness."

18 Sep 2008 2:39pm

@Steven: There is already a Gothic impression in this minster. Too bad it was closed, I had to shoot through an iron rails.

Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom

How can we forget when every 15 minutes we see on TV - AUDI Vorsprung durch Technik..! Germany has a reputation, which is quality and development. On the otherhand, what is quality when there is no money to buy..!

Nice church, the park was nicer.

18 Sep 2008 4:04pm

@Observing: Vorsprung durch Technik. Mwahaha! Germany's car producers failed completely in making energy efficient cars and now they're starting to howl like kicked dogs. Just a matter of time when managers ask for state money.

Rui from Leiria, Portugal

Wonderful perspective. The lighting creates an interesting mood. Well done

18 Sep 2008 4:47pm

@Rui: Thanks, Rui, glad you like it! In the next days I'll present more churches with better light.

JoeB from Brampton, Canada

It has a nice mood, the light rises to the top. I can't tell you how many times I have hit the wrong key and transferred millions to an American bank. At work the managers blame the computer for all actions that go wrong, the electronic scapegoat.

18 Sep 2008 11:35pm

@JoeB: Yeah, it's unbearable. And I, software developer and systems administrator, am to blame first.

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

I'd suspect something more nefarious --like the people responsible for the transfer getting a cut. Maybe the law in Germany is different, but in the US, if the government wanted it's money back, it would get it. Especially if they claimed the transfer was unintentional, as it would be a felony for the recipient to keep the money. If the US government said it wanted its money back but couldn't get it then they'd be lying.

21 Sep 2008 6:25pm

@Twelvebit: I don't know how this is handled with money transfers into foreign countries - at least two of the responsible chair persons have been fired. Hope they'll be liable with their entire personal assets, though this is unlikely to happen here.

Howard F. from South Pasadena, Calif., United States

Haha, love your story, I didn't know about the money transfer, and I still think Germans are very efficient people. This is a very nice perspective shot, and I think the shadowed area are well exposed, a bit smeary and noisy, but I do get the grandness of this church.

27 Sep 2008 11:59pm

@Howard F.: There was another bank (Bayerische Landesbank) with another 350 million 'investment' that vaporized later. A world full of experts!

This church was closed, I had to shoot between the bars. Almost no light, a cloudy sky outside - weather like this must be unknown to South Pasadena, Calif. ;-)

Add your comment ...

next day →

Canon EOS 300D
1/8 second
F/5.6
ISO 1600
10 mm