Reliability

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 21 October 2008 in Plant & Nature.

When 'Strange Days' is not just the title of a good movie,

but the headline of a crazy weekend (spent in the company because of a mega electricity maintenance that urged us to switch off several hundred servers),

followed by two bizarre events on the restructuring of our company (where we were told that there's no alternative and all signs indicate stormy weather, also known as strike) -

then I have this queasy feeling of living in the 21st century where everything is possible and nothing is reliable.

Nothing but hardship.

(Image: pond at Heltorf Garden)

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Comments (11)

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

That is a beautiful pond. It looks so isolated.

21 Oct 2008 6:09am

@Laurie: In a way it is: except for the owner's small castle there's no building within a kilometre and I need half an hour to get to there. Then again there's an airport nearby, a rail line, and a country road. I'm living in a rather spoilt part of the country.

Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand

Oh so sad ms:-( I hope things are not that bad for you and yours? This is a gorgeous image my friend:-) The dip in the treeline is just perfect for the composition and all those wonderful shades of green (my favourite colour ever), and the pond looks so still and constant, or reliable as you say:-)

21 Oct 2008 7:56am

@Linerberry: I'm fine! :-) But as we're living in interesting times it's difficult to look further than, say, three years. Many people I know are developing a personal 'plan B' for a possible crisis that cast its shadows before. So do I.

Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom

No matter how bad things are - or will get, this lovely pond will be there for you to enjoy. I know it's not much comfort, but what can I say.... the outlook is gloomy. Maybe you should come and live in the UK, you'll get 10 credits immediately... don't worry about repayment, nobody does.

Thanks for your comments :)

21 Oct 2008 3:24pm

@Observing: When things will get really bad, I'll refer to your offer. :-) (But Margie's and Linerberry's lonely beaches are also very pleasing...)

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

Indeed, a mystical wonderland!!!

21 Oct 2008 3:43pm

@Ana Lúcia: Yes, a really fine place for contemplating. Thanks, Ana Lúcia!

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

A lovely scene. pretty and fine.

21 Oct 2008 4:24pm

@Michael Skorulski: Thanks a lot, Michael!

Laurent from Lyon, France

lovely picture, make me think of an impressionist painting.
Hard days are definitely ahead . Unfortunately as every thing was spent to save banks there will be no money to save us. Financial crisis lead to a real economy crisis but wealthy financial sector does not means that real economy is ok...

21 Oct 2008 4:37pm

@Laurent: Even so. It's like watching a traffic accident in slow motion: you can see that bus driving against the wall very slowly but you can't do anything to avoid the catastrophe. There are better times imaginable than ours.

Maramy from Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom

Very nice image - with lovely lighting.

21 Oct 2008 6:38pm

@Maramy: Thank you very much, Maramy!

MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom

I feel for you MS and everyone who is or will be effected by the so called "Credit Crunch" stay strong.

Your post reminds me of a Monet painting, beautifully captured MS

21 Oct 2008 7:26pm

@MaryB: Thanks very much! What annoys me most are the crises to come as the fate of many companies - and the people working there - are depending from the banks' health. A very costly adventure, especially for us taxpayers.

JoeB from Brampton, Canada

The variety of green trees and serene water make for a nice getaway spot. It is strange times where billions turn into trillions and a million seems a small denomination. Since this started my disgust for Bush and his Administration just keeps growing, his eight years in office will be seen as one of the darkest periods in American history.

21 Oct 2008 10:09pm

@JoeB: You really think this already was the darkest period? I'm not so sure about that. Another Great Depression with millions of jobless people, worthless money, a world climate going haywire - there are many ugly things imaginable. And when I browse through some of my older books I easily feel like readjusting my worst case scenarios. The most disturbing insight is that you can't do much to avoid it, many of our recent developments are predestined, and I don't see the necessary spirit of optimism for changing tack.

dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, CA, United States

this is truly gorgeous -- amazing serenity...!!!

23 Oct 2008 4:36am

@dj.tigersprout: Yes, a nice place, I like it very much.

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

Was this taken on a windy day? I've seen that movie btw --even have it. Joe can probably feel a little more optimistic because he lives in Canada --things may not yet look so strange there. To the extent I can, I'm preparing for the worst. You know, hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

I don't think the future is really predictable. We can look at historical events and see all kinds of parallels --this country, for instance, has plenty in common with the last days of the Wiemar Republic and the rise of fascism-- but the world today is not the same world it was. Not all change has been for the worst and I don't think the same kinds of initiating events will play out to the same ends. I'm not by nature an optimistic person, but I think it's possible that there may be a somewhat limited catastrophe that leads to radical change and the destruction of the old and unworkable structures. Yeah, it's possible we may suffer though terrible times, but I think it's also possible we may be on the cusp of a new Golden Age.

23 Oct 2008 3:43pm

@Twelvebit: taken on a windy day? Because of the leaves? No, it was calm and sunny. But the pond had relatively few water, and it didn't exactly smell of roses. :-)
The Golden Age: that would be cool, indeed! I would travel to Texas during my five-year-world-trip and you could show me your 10 acres estate. Who knows! Until then, I think, we'll have to cross the one or other dark valley.

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