I found the first article interesting, particularly how it started out. When I visited Munich, we walked around biergartens and we drove by where the Oktoberfest tents are set up. It was interesting reading this and being able to picture what they are talking about. Also, they say if Germans are stereotyped they'd be in lederhosen, which although it is traditional garb, I noticed some people wearing them around the larger cities, although it didn't seem to common. It also wasn't weird to see people drinking beer during lunch at the cafe's around a square, like the article said, it's the national drink. I wasn't aware of all the different types of beers. I couldn' t help but laugh at the fact that it gave a "hangover risk."
In the second article about the problems of the drinking, I feel that there are similar discussions in the U.S. over the safety of drinking, but beer is so ingrained into the German way of life I find this to be a much more difficult task in Germany.
The last article I decided to read was the organic Germany. When you are in Germany, everything is non-invasive of the surrounding environment it seems. When you get into the country side it is fresh air, or at least in the parts I was in. Also, there are few stores that supply everything like Wal*mart. They have a bakery, then there is a farmers market type place. I wish that it was easier to buy organic food in the U.S. as easily as this article says, because the gene minipulation in the U.S. food is freaky. I am all for the German eco-centric society!