Germany on Michael’s Domain

German Music for Beginners

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Germany's responsibility

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

It is difficult to spend vacation in Poland without coming across a concentration camp from Nazi-Germany. It happens to me every single time.Last time it was Stutthof , this week Płaszów. In Cracow, during my daily running, I suddenly saw the sign shown in the image next to the trail.,Remembering is one thing, but more important is to fight today’s fascism in all of its incarnations . Germany’s government should remember that Hitler’s expansionism was only stopped by concerted military action.

Putin wants you to drive fast and much!

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000

I drive rarely, and these days, I rent when I need a car. This summer we decided to spend a two-week vacation in a cottage at a lake in the middle of the Finnish forest. You need a car if you want to get around in the Finnish countryside. Public transport might be working well in the Finnish capital Helsinki, but it is for all practical purposes absent from the Finnish countryside. Filling up the tank of our rental car cost me more than 150€.Given that I could fill up the same tank for less than 75€ still a year ago, I expected that people adjusted their driving habits to save energy, the planet, and their wallets. But I was mostly wrong.Driving slower and driving lessEverybody, who has not been living under a stone, knows that the most efficient driving speed is somewhere between 50 and 90 km/h. The air resistance increases with the speed. This increase is not linear, but exponential. By speeding, you save a minimal amount of time by wasting an incredible amount of energy. Even though most drivers complain about the horrific gas prices, hardly anybody seems to adjust their behavior either by driving slower or by driving less. I would like to know what the reason is for this paradoxical behavior, it’s inexplicable to me. I know that some drivers like to drive fast (I belonged to this category when I was 18). But hey: then you should shut up and just pay for the “fun”!Infantile requests for state subsidiesSuddenly, people who usually defend our market economy are calling for state intervention to lower gas prices. WTF? Just because for the first time you realize that you yourself are subjected to the powers of demand and supply you forget your free market values and call for state intervention. The only way to solve the problem of rising gas prices is to trust the market. Unfortunately, in many countries, the governments are exactly acting against all experts’ advice and are artificially trying to lower gas prices, e.g. by lowering taxation (e.g. France, Austria, Netherlands). That keeps the demand artificially high, further widening the gap between supply and demand, which was causing the high prices in the first place.

Competing with immigration country heavy weights

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

There are about 10-11 Mio. foreigners living in Germany (12/2019) which is about 13% of the population. On top of this, there are 1.4 Mio refugees (statistics) .The new German government has serious plans to ease work-based immigration to Germany. There is hardly any country in Central or Northern Europe, which has not recognized the need to import workforce. Germany has experience with importing workforce. In fact, the 13% number feels low to me, but many of those foreigners that have entered Germany a long time ago have meanwhile German passports. Over the last centuries, there have been several massive waves of work-based immigration to Germany (the last major one between 1955-1975 mainly from Turkey and Italy). Perhaps that’s why you get the World’s best döners and pizzas not in Turkey or Italy, but in Germany (New Yorkers might disagree concerning the pizza).For me, it is unbelievable that the question of work-based immigration is even asked these days in Finland. There is no expert who disagrees that Finland needs work-based immigration*. Not in the future, but now. The problem is that Finland seemed to have competed successfully for being the least attractive place for work-based immigration in Western/Northern Europe. I am not talking about the weather (yes: the cold and dark are occasionally a PITA), but I am talking about the bureaucratic hurdles that even highly educated foreigners have to face when they want to come to Finland. Some progress is being made (e.g. students’ residence permits can be now as long as their studies last), and the current government’s goal is to double the rate of work-based immigration. But in the competition for the workforce, all other European countries up the ante. In order to be remotely competitive, much more has to change as Tuula Haatainen wrote in a recent opinion piece for the largest Scandinavian daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat . Unfortunately, the present system does not serve the industry well as another opinion piece from an affected entrepeneur demonstrates.*Experts who claim otherwise let their ideological biases trump their expertise. Because of their conflict of interest, their opinion should not count. It’s only an opinion; unbiased experts have the facts on their side.

Erichsen Geld & Gold

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

This post was originally only available in German because I was writing about what I consider to be the best German-language podcasts on the subject of money and finance. Money and finance are country-specific topics. When it comes to things like pensions or health insurance, advice from US podcasts is pretty much useless. Who here has a 401(k) plan (1)? But even within Europe, countries differ so greatly from one another that you should think carefully before adopting well-meaning advice from another country. A simple example is the differences in the use of cash: Here in Scandinavia, EVERYTHING is paid for by card , regardless of the amount. Cash is mainly only around here because of German tourists! As I live in Finland, I should therefore listen to a Finnish podcast about money and finances. Unfortunately, I haven’t found an interesting one yet. You probably need a certain amount of choice so that you can a) find something that suits your own life situation and b) something that is of high quality in terms of both content and production. Life circumstances, age and, not least, social attitudes create for all podcasters a (more or less) limited perspective, from which it is difficult to break free. That’s probably why my clear number one among finance podcasts is Erichsen: Geld und Gold . Why do I think “Erichsen Geld & Gold” is better than all the others? Probably because, apart from our professions, my life situation and Lars Erichsen’s are strikingly similar – from our age and family circumstances right down to details in our CVs and our social outlook. If I’d stayed in Germany, I’d be a Northern Light too (2). The fact that I can draw this comparison also says something about the podcast: although it’s a finance podcast, as a regular listener you quickly get the feeling that you know Lars Erichsen well as a person. It is this quasi-personal connection that has helped podcasts achieve their breakthrough, and it’s something that television – or even the professionally produced podcasts from media conglomerates, of which there are more and more – simply cannot compete with. The Handelsblatt ? Forget it!

For Science to Finland

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

When you think about going abroad to learn or do science, you mostly think of Anglo-American countries. Although still very attractive, the US and England have been losing some of their appeal. Staying in Europe is not anymore a dead-end for your scientific career. Finland is certainly not on the top of the list when looking at potential European destinations. However, especially among students, Finland gained a reputation as an insider’s tip for exchange periods abroad. Among these, German students form the biggest group, followed by French, Spanish, Dutch, and Italian students. Most of these come via the European Union-sponsored Erasmus exchange program. I recently wrote a guest blog on Claudia’s Helsinki about coming to Finland as a scientist. The blog post is in German, but its bottom line can be summarized in one sentence: there are several scientific areas, where Finland does world-class research. And Finnish universities are increasingly offering international study programs (mostly M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs). These study programs have a tuition fee, but if you come from an EU country (or the degree you apply with is from an EU country) you are exempt from the tuition fee. See what M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs are offered at the University of Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/admissions/explore-our-international-masters-programmeshttps://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/doctoral-schools-and-programmes

Lymphologie 2019

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A week ago, I visited Germany to participate in the Lymphologie 2019 conference, which took place in Bad Krozingen near Freiburg.The conference is jointly organized every two years by the DGL ( Deutsche Gesellschaft für Lymphologie ) and the GDL ( Gesellschaft Deutschsprachiger Lymphologen ). The meeting is overall very hands-on and clinically oriented with many workshops and practical advice. Therefore, it’s highly recommended for practitioners who are able to understand German. However, there is also a “basic science” track, and the organizers always manage to recruit some decent scientists for this track (see here: https://www.lymphologie-kongress.de/programm/samstag-03-10-15/) . Notably, the talks are delivered in German, which doesn’t make the recruiting task easier. Lymphologists in Germany continue to play a leading role in the treatment of lymphedema (and recently lipedema) with uniquely specialized experts and facilities ( Földiklinik ), but English has become the language of biomedical research also in Germany. However, there is still a need for dissemination of research results in German language and that’s why I contribute occasionally to the German-language journal “Lymphologie in Forschung und Praxis”.

Lymphologica 2017

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

On the Lymphologica 2017 (Lymphologie 2017) congress in Bad Soden (Oct. 5-7, Frankfurt, Germany), I presented an introduction to the molecular biology of VEGF-C and how mutations in the genes of the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling axis can cause or contribute to hereditary lymphedema. The talk was targeted at healthcare practitioners who work in the lymphology field. A mini-review based on this talk was published in Vasomed and was available online , but has meanwhile disappeared. You can download the presentation slides and the English translation of the mini-review via the download link below.

Nazis in the German Parliament

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Sad day for Germany: Nazis are sitting again in the German parliament. They don’t called themselves Nazis. Instead, they use the name AfD (Alternative für Deutschland = Alternative for Germany). And many people argue (in my opinion correctly) that Angela Merkel did nothing to prevent that from happening.Both big parties - conservatives and social democrates - massively lost support amoung the voters. Virtually all small parties could eithe keep or increase their representation in the German parliament, the Bundestag. Merkel needs at least two of them to stay in power and the numbers allow a coaliton of the Conservatives, Greens and Liberals (called Jamaica coalition after the colors of those three parties: colors black, green and yellow). The once revolutionary Greens will perpetuate the status quo in Germany… Many people seemingly voted against their own interest, but the social democrats could not convince enough people that they are the only viable alternative to Angela Merkel’s political agenda.

Essentials facts about VEGF-C in lymphology

Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Essentials facts about VEGF-C in lymphology

Dr. Michael Jeltsch, Adjunct Professor, University of Helsinki & Wihuri Research Institute, Finland, michael@jeltsch.org

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is essential for the development and growth of the lymphatic vasculature. Together with VEGF-D, it forms the lymphatic subgroup within the VEGF family of growth factors, whose other members (PlGF, VEGF/VEGF-A, VEGF-B) are primarily responsible for the growth and function of blood vessels. VEGF-C was discovered as a ligand of the tyrosine kinase receptor VEGFR-3 (1) and its specific effect on lymph vessels was first described in 1997 (2,3). About one-third of hereditary lymphedema cases in humans result from mutations in genes involved in VEGF-C signaling (4). The complete absence of VEGF-C leads to death during embryogenesis (5). Likely for this reason, clinical cases of hereditary lymphedema are characterised by a partial inactivation of the signal transduction. VEGFR-3 (6) is affected in most cases, but mutations of the hereditary lymphedema are described or suspected for all components of the VEGF-C signal transduction described below, partly within a multifactorial inheritance.

25 Years After

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 00:00:00 +0000

These are not all images that I took, some B/W portrait shots and other interesting negatives are still waiting to be scanned, but I just can’t seem to find to time…

Adjunct Professor

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Since December 13th, 2011, I am an adjunct professor (Finnish: dosentti ) at the University of Helsinki. This is not a tenured position, but a title, which requires a certain amount of scientific success after completing the PhD and teaching experience ( more about this in Finnish ).

Neulimburg - Die Siedlung im Wald

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The village of Blota was founded in 1771. On Prussian orders, German settlers from the County of Limburg in Hesse set off with their carts, tools and livestock. This is also where the village’s German name, Neulimburg, comes from. Initially, 300 hectares of woodland were cleared and the resulting land distributed amongst the 30 or so farmers. The loamy soil was heavy and not very fertile. To improve yields, a three-field crop rotation system was adopted. Cereal crops were grown on two fields, whilst the third was left fallow. Later, by official order, potatoes and sugar beet were cultivated, and cattle breeding was also taken up. Straw became an export commodity for the army. In the second half of the 18th century, arable farming was intensified and the cultivation of fodder crops such as clover and fodder beet began. Vegetables were grown in the gardens behind the houses, whilst cows grazed in the front gardens. The village was a linear settlement. The houses were made of wood and thatched. Two rooms and a kitchen with washing facilities were separated from the servants’ quarters by a corridor. The corridor led round the back to the stables and the cellar.

My family tree - Mein Stammbaum - Minun sukupuuni

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Here are some files with preliminary results of my family research. Two of the files below require a password to open! The password is the first name of the boy on the picture. If you have information, please help us to complete the genealogical tree! E-mail: michael@jeltsch.org . We are looking for pictures of all relatives!

My running achievements

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Distance	Time	Date	Event
800m	2:33	Oct. 9, 1986	Test run, Hemberg-Stadion
1500m	5:08,9	Sept. 19, 1984	Läuferabend, Hemberg-Stadion
5000m	18:05	Oct. 17, 1986	Test run, Hemberg-Stadion
10k	42:14	Dec. 31, 1984	4. Silvesterlauf "Rund um den Danzturm"
10k	41:55	Dec. 31, 1985	5. Silvesterlauf "Rund um den Danzturm"
10k	41:49	Oct. 5, 1986	17. Intern. Iserlohner Volkslauf
11k	43:18.1	Oct. 26, 1986	13. Intern. Gevelsberger Herbstwaldlauf
20k	1:25:17	Oct. 6, 1985	16. Intern. Iserlohner Volkslauf
Half marathon	1.53.26	May 17, 2003	Helsinki City Run
Half marathon	1.34.??	May 12, 2007	Helsinki City Run
Half marathon	1.39.36	May 30, 2004	Test run (Helsinki City Run Course)
Marathon	4:06:50	Aug. 2, 2003	Helsinki City Marathon
Marathon	3:45:54	Aug. 21, 2004	Helsinki City Marathon

Kloster Seeon Conference (October 1-4, 2000): Exploring the VEGF protein space

Wed, 01 Nov 2000 00:00:00 +0000

I participated in the first International Kloster Seeon “Angiogenesis” Meeting" https://www.vwfb.de/seeon-meetings in Germany, with a poster about VEGF growth factors. The venue was excellent: a former Benedictine monastery in Upper Bavaria .