A good friend of mine is organizing a conference about postfordistic working conditions.

Sorry, announcement in German only:

Tagung: Fr, 16. – Sa, 17. März 2007
Im Depot und IWK Wien

Ist der Raum prekärer Arbeit auch prekär? An welchen Orten arbeiten wir wie flexibel? Wenn wir davon ausgehen, dass die Fabrik, das “Arbeitshaus”, sowie die “white collar factory”, das Bürohaus, uns Raum- und Zeiterfahrung von Arbeit im System des Fordismus verdeutlichen, dann stellt sich nun die Frage: welche Räume, und davon ausgehend: welche Bewegungen, welche Rhythmen von Erfahrung, also auch: welche Zeitlogiken im Raumerleben werden in postfordistischen Arbeits- und Lebenswelten relevant? In welchen Bildern und Konzepten können wir sie begreifen? In der Tagung sollen aktuelle Arbeitstheorien, konkrete Räume und Raumbilder aus unterschiedlichen Disziplinen miteinander konfrontiert werden, um die Rolle von Architektur und Räumen in Relation zu heutigen Zeiten postfordistischer Arbeit auszuloten.

Konzept und Organisation: Gabu Heindl mit IWK Wien

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Fr, 16. März Depot, Breite Gasse 3, 1070 Wien

19.00 – 21.30: Arbeitende Körper
Karin Harrasser: Extensions of the working man. Von der Passung zum “passing"
Bettina Vismann, Nathalie Bredella: Clean.Ing
Moderation: Thomas Brandstetter

Sa, 17. März, IWK Wien, Berggasse 17, 1090 Wien

11.00 – 13.00: ArbeitsZeiten
Klaus Neundlinger: Spielräume im Postfordismus – Creative Self- destruction vs. Kooperativen der Diversität
Drehli Robnik: Betrieb und Betrieb – Affekte in Arbeit. Bild- Werdung als Wert-Bildung im Kino
Moderation: Claudia Slanar

14.00 – 16.00: Analysen
Maya McKechneay: cubicle hell – Arbeitsplatzfotografie am Beispiel der Foto-Sharing-Community Flickr
Andreas Rumpfhuber: Atmosphären der Arbeit
Moderation: Matthias Dusini

17.00 – 19.00: ArbeitsRäume
Gabu Heindl: Vom Herstellen zum Ausstellen – Fabriken und Schauräume des Fordismus, Toyotismus und Postfordismus
Siegfried Mattl: Klassenräume. Historische Konfigurationen von Stadt, Arbeit und sozialen Milieus
Moderation: Leo Kühberger

so, it finally happened: islamist terrorists have sent threats agains Austria. (download video here: http://iptv.orf.at/) saying that anyone supporting the USA is an enemy to them, even if it is only five soldiers in all that Austria has sent to Afghanistan Then adding that Austria is a rich and safe country, depending heavily on its summer- and wintertourism and as soon as Austria is on the list of countries threatened by the Mujahedin this will change.

Here is what I want to tell you: Sure, I believe how serious you are. But you are also a bigot coward. If you were a real man, you wouldn’t hide behind a mask but show your face. If you were a real man you wouldn’t have to kill and maim innocent women and children and civilians to fight your fight. If you were a real man you would stop throwing around useless propaganda and try to work your way out of the shit in a human and civilised way. Try to make a business and try to support your family, instead of blowing yourself to bits in a schoolbus full of children.

But no, you hide behind a mask, behind bland rethoric and you stroke your little ego by fantasizing about killing children and women. Allah told you so? Take your little god and shove it. There are thousands of gods out there and all of them say they are the real one.

You wonder why three quarters of the world don’t like islamic people? It is exactly because of people like you.

Here is what you should do: try to live in tolerance and respect with all people no matter what sex, nation, religious belief or sexual orientation they have. If you want to change the world, take a look at Mahatma Ghandi, John Lennon or Martin Luther King. Fast forward 500 years from your belief and say a friendly hello to the rest of the world. All you need is love.

Err, should we feel alarmed now? Should we take cover?

A supposed to be warning coming from an Islamist group via Globale Islamische Medien Front (GIMF) is threatening the governments of Austria and Germany for representing “an important support for Bush and his gang.”

Although reading the warning issued, you could say that these guys are reading the current events in Austria, especially the way they specifically pointed out the policies set down by the new government. It mentioned the socialist party’s broken promises: the planned deployement of troops, ability to maintain Austria’s neutrality and most of all, the botched abolition of university fees.

Populist idealogy, but hey, if it works?

It also talked about Austria’s political stability.

Austria was and is still, one of the safest countries in the whole world. Its people does not know correct threat and its economics is rosy, because mainly the winter and summer tourism on, which bring Austria annually much money, relies.

… and the Austrian soldiers’ proximity to Mujahidin.

They are closer to them as others (soldiers). And the Mujahidin prepares at present forwards for the spring attack, because of which the whole world trembles, before it took place. Fast and take off your soldiers decide, because this is not your war and this war can it also bear. This is a war between the Mujahidin and America and everyone, which places itself into its rows.

Lastly, it spoke of impending terroristic attact if the current coalition government will be like the the social democrats in Spain, “when they deceived their people, by withdrawing their soldiers from the Iraq, but sent 600 others to Afghanistan.”

So, should we be afraid now regardless of the Interior Ministry’s calling of the video “relatively abstract”? Although the ministry has been on alert ever since Mohammed caricatures came out in May 2006.
Hmmm…

(Thanks to Altavista because I am lazy)

Flocked among the guys, no one discussed the urgency of International Day of Women in Austria yesterday. Ha!

Did you know that suffrage right was granted to the Austrian women in 1907, a year before the Filipinas got theirs?

And that ever since 1911 the women have been fighting for their right on the streets?
Still, the Austrian maedels have more rights than the rest of my fellow women.

Anyway, I normally patronise any political parties but if you are interested, the Austrian electromagnetic pop band Saint Privat will render their services to the city of Vienna for the benefit of women. (I am a fan, so what?) Valerie and co. are performing at ega Frauen im Zentrum, Windmühlgasse 26 in the 6th District on March 10, at exactly 20.30 p.m. Entrance is gratis.
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The Kunshistorische Musuem (KHM) is one of the most renowned and traditional places that exhibit art in Vienna. The Babylon is the best known luxury brothel in Vienna. If you ever landed on Schwechat airport you’ll have seen their advertising. What do the two have in common? Actually, not a lot – but footage that was shot for a music video for the label, music collective and event organizers “Vienna Scientists” has somehow made it into a promo-video for the knock-shop Babylon.

The music video has been done by Hannes Rossacher, famous for his music videos for the Rolling Stones and Queen and lately for the 50 years of Austropop-documentation series. The director
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A lot of people are complaining that the new minister of defense didn’t serve in the military but opted for social service instead.

Made me think about the major of Vienna, Michael Häupl, and his doctor’s degree in zoology.

Well, probably that is actually quite fitting. for his occupation

A little crossposting from the Graz metroblog.
What a nice picture of the coalition talks…

Link: Danger! Land of Post-Apocalyptic Dwarfs!

Quote, German only:

Die Bundesvertretung der ÖH hat die SPÖ Zentrale in der Löwelstraße besetzt. Ist zwar schon einige Zeit her, aber derzeit kann mensch sogar noch ins Gebäude hinein. Die WEGA sowie ca. 150 SolidemonstrantInnen und natürlich auch Medien stehen derzeit vor der Zentrale. vorbeikommen erwünscht

More than reasonable. Right on, folks!

Location: 59A bus station, near Vienna Opera.

“2 % fat. Slavic? Go home!”

I’d like to foward the statement of the initiative currently squatting a part of the nature reserve “Lobau – Danube National Park” because a motorway is planned to cross the Danube…

Dear Guest in Vienna,

We, the “The Environmental Initiative “Rettet-die-Lobau” (“Save-the-Lobau”) want to inform you about our concern:

The city of Vienna plans to build two major motorways along and across the nature reserve “Lobau – Danube National Park.
A motorway is planned to cross the Danube south-east of the city of Vienna in four parallel tunnels.
Two tunnels should reach the surface close to the centre of the nature reserve called the “Panozza” lake area, which is a habitat of hundreds of rare animal and plant species.
Two other motorway tunnels should reach the surface in a residence area in the north-east of Vienna.
Additionally a motorway should lead along the banks of the New Danube river bed which is frequented for swimming by thousands of Viennese people in summer.

Consequences of the planned motorways:
The Lobau region is part of the Danube National Park between Vienna and the Slowakian border. This internationally protected nature reserve is threatened by this motorway construction, by noise and exhaust gases from the traffic expected.
The recreation area along the river bank would be heavily disturbed by construction work during many years.
After completion, noise and toxic pollutants from the traffic in the several kilometre long tunnels would be ventilated with exhaust chimneys each 30-50 metres high.
Thousands of families living along the planned motorway would expect hazards through traffic noise and toxic traffic exhaust.

Actual situation of traffic planning in the region north and north east of Vienna
The main motorways in Vienna crossing the river Danube are blocked with traffic regularly. A series of studies on regional planning about the development of traffic in the region North and East of Vienna confirm that about 90 % of the expected raise of traffic will be commuters to Vienna.
While there are several new motorway routes in the state of planning or construction there is a huge deficit in public transport, as well in suburban and regional trains as in buses and trams in the outer parts of the city of Vienna.
Additionally the train connections to the Czech and Slowak republic have not been rebuilt after the fall of the Iron curtain. Parts of the tracks are not electrified, at several rail tracks only a few hundred metres of rail connection to cross the borders are still missing as if the Iron Curtain never had been removed.
e.g. The route from Vienna via Marchegg to Bratislava is still single track without electrification, the second track had been removed when these countries became Eastern bloc states.

Therefore we demand:
Cancel the motorway projects in the north and north-east of Vienna, esp. the Lobau motor way
Improve public transport by building capacity, intensifying frequence and optimising routes of public transport to support commuters and by constructing or renewing the railways.

Dear Guest,
We ask you to support our concern and to inform your friends and colleagues about it.

Contact and Information:
Initiative “Rettet-die-Lobau” (“Save the Lobau”)
E-mail: ghertenb@pflaphy.pph.univie.ac.at
Phone: 0664-9127260
www.lobau.org (Homepage in German language)