The 99 Fire Film Awards offer a 9,999 euro prize to the best 99 second short film. This short film entry from 2012 entitled “Fabien” appears to be a trailer for a film that has not yet been made, but it looks like it could be a great one. Watch it yourself and decide!

Another great power ballad from from Austrian singer Christina Stürmer featuring the band rocking out and some nice shots of a hawk attacking a mouse… does it get away? The poetic metaphors abound, but don’t let that distract you from the music! Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen!

Want to go a museum, but either time is tight or the museum is on the other side of the world? No problem! With the Google Art Project you can take a virtual walk through many world-renowned museums from the comfort of your own smart phone. Check this video out and take in the “sites,” from “The Dream” by Henri Rousseau at the MoMA in New York to the marbled skin of a wounded Amazon at the Old National Gallery in Berlin. Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

Did you miss your German class last week? Well you can be glad you didn’t live in the Middle Ages, as the concept of punishment in those days was… torturous. The director of the Middle Ages Torture Museum of Rüdesheim/Rhein shows us the instruments of torture used on people who misbehaved, and points out that some Middle Age methods such as waterboarding are still used by some dubious governments today. Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

Who needs Hollywood? Well, everyone in the film industry, really, but there is enough glamour at the annual Berlinale Film Festival to keep the paparazzi shouting. Hear actor Jürgen Vogel and actress Birgit Minichmayr discuss their exciting new film entitled Mercy. Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

Barbara is still running through relative pronouns in the genitive case, but this time in relative clauses. We get to learn a lot about Jacob's appearance, and Elke has long hair, but who is Janno and why is his mouth so nice? This one ends in laughter, so see for yourself how you can have viel Spaß beim Lernen!

For “Muppet Show” and “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” fans alike, this funny video from the Augsburger Puppenkiste features some hilarious puppetry and a good song to boot. Don’t be put off by a couple of words in Southern German dialect — Yabla makes it easy to learn! Viel Spaß!

Wannsee is a subdistrict of the Berlin district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, which is in the far southwestern part of the city. There are many possible places to go swimming there, and a favorite is the Strandbad Wannsee, the ideal place to recover from the stress of the city!

Using metaphors of war and espionage for a love relationship, the singer Maxim delivers a powerful hit song with “Meine Soldaten” [“My Soldiers”]. Not only is the mix of electronic beats and orchestra great, but film and TV actor Frederick Lau gives a fine performance that feels like outtakes from a feature film — if only somebody would make it! Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen!

It’s Christoper Street Day in Frankfurt! Join Rhein-Main TV reporter Thomas Raudnitzky as he takes to the wild and crazy streets and discusses gay rights with the parade spokesman, the Green Party mayor and a surprisingly open and accepting member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union.

World No Smoking Day: Everybody knows that smoking isn’t healthy. Some enjoy it and do it with conviction, others want to quit. But it’s not at all that easy! Today could possibly be a good day to stop! „Copyright DPA”

This video is for fans of the classic Western shootout as seen in such films as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Wild Bunch, and the more recent Ned Kelly. And last, but not least, for fans of the best German punk rock band in the world, DIE TOTEN HOSEN! Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen!

This is the title track from the latest Tim Bendzko album entitled “Am seidenen Faden” (“Upon Silken Thread”). Incredibly filmed, with images ranging from an enticing woman angel floating through the air to a gray-bearded man crawling in the desert, this video is a must-see for fans of fantasy and beautiful music alike. Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen!

Join the Mile High Club of beauty pageants, performed live on a flying passenger jet miles above the earth! The chief flight attendant tells us that in nine years of Miss Condor Pageants, not a single winner went on to win the national title. (SPOILER ALERT) The world is saved: Miss Condor 2013 became this year’s Miss Germany!

Barbara runs the students through relative pronouns in the genitive case, and though she finds the form to be beautiful, not all of her students are convinced! Still, Alex has finally cleaned up, Sara is keeping a diary, and Barbara explains the genitive case in straightforward terms so you can ace them on your next test. Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

The Düsseldorf band "Die Toten Hosen" has been cranking out ye olde punk rock since 1982, and great power ballads like this one can serve to teach the kids a thing or two about sounding powerful and emotional without a trace of sappy sentimentality. Keeping it real! Kopfhörer aufsetzen, Musik aufdrehen!

Do you consider yourself big-hearted? Well, the Westphalian Museum of Natural History in Münster has a working replica of a sperm whale heart that is the size of a compact car! For more about the fascinating whale exhibition at the museum, watch this news report. Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

Metallica? Ozzy? Who needs the Monsters of Rock when we have the Monsters of Liedermaching! This band’s songs are both smart and funny, so sit back and enjoy this lively interview from the SUBSTAGE club in Karlsruhe. Viel Spaß!

In a refreshing change from the decades-old trend of building out suburban strip malls while the inner city decays, the city of Griesheim in Hesse has found a brilliant means of improving the streets for its residents old and young: Lots of play areas for the kids and seating areas for the adults. Winning prizes throughout Europe for urban innovation, see this video to find out how Griesheim became the most playable and sittable city in Europe!

Next time you find yourself on Planet Klingon and in need of a restroom, you needn’t feel shy: teacher Lieven Litaer is offering a course in the Klingon language in Saarbrücken. Careful though, if your date finds out you’re a closet Trekkie, you may be sleeping alone tonight… Lebe lang und in Frieden!
Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

The "Sternsinger School":www.kgs-longericher-hauptstr.de/ in Cologne is "going to the dogs," and what could be better than that? See how the Border Collie Felix and the Toy Poodle Mo help kids to develop social and verbal skills. Even taking the dogs for a brief walk helps the kids to focus better on their work, a lesson in the value of taking a break now and then. Enjoy!

“Sag einfach ja” [“Simply say yes”] is a nice pop song about love from Tim Bendzko’s debut album “Wenn Worte meine Sprache wären…” [“If Words were my Language”].

This time Barbara's lessons are about the verbs "to plant" and "to kiss". Things get a bit spicy with all the "kissing" and it appears poor Ian still remains heartbroken, though it is luckily not having any adverse effects on his ability to create a relative clause. Viel Spaß beim Lernen!

We know that cities use machines to clean the streets, but did you know that specially-designed sidewalks can clean the air we breathe? Learn about the new way that the city of Frankfurt is working to improve the environment in this fascinating report from Rhein-Main TV. Umweltverschmutzung? Nein danke!