i got in trouble today, and i blame the blog

ok, i didn't really get "in trouble." publicly reprimanded over the loudspeaker in the ubahn is more accurate, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

let me start at the beginning. fyi: this is where i wax on and on about german social programs, etc. if the topic "social well being of all peoples" does not interest you, i suggest you skip to the visual at bottom.

so, i used to idealize germany and its social programs, thinking them to be far superior to US programs (uh, mostly because germany actually has social programs). having learned more about them in my german class, i can still say that german programs are still far better than any welfare-type aid you would receive in the US. the germans have also had health insurance for years, but so have all other 'first-world countries'; who's really keeping score anyways? we've caught up now finally...kind of.

in any case, germans (and some immigrants who are not yet citizens) are eligible for 'harz VI', a program which pays rent and utilities for a modest apartment and awards approximately 350 Euro a month for food/clothing per person (child dependents receive slightly less money per month, depending on their age).

nevertheless, there is still a considerable number of homeless people in berlin (for whatever reason, they find themselves in need of extra dough) and many of them sell the motz. the motz is a newspaper with a salaried editor and publisher, and people down on their luck can sell the newspaper for 1.20 euro, 80 cents of which they get to keep.

technically, it's illegal to sell the motz on the ubahn, but it happens, regardless of a pesky little thing like the law. the other day i decided i just needed to write a post on the great institution that this paper is and decided to buy one on the ubahn; basically, the homeless dude had to change my 10 euros since i only had paper moneys. this took approximately five minutes and apparently there are cameras on the ubahn, cuz the conductor publicly reprimanded me (well, over the loudspeaker) for buying the paper. uhhh, it was awkward and everyone glared at me.

but i felt pretty hard core, breaking the law and all. ahem. and here i am, with my papahh.