Cooling Basel, Neighbourhood Newsletter, and Power Ballads

To combat the heat in the city center and its surrounding neighborhoods, the canton of Basel-Stadt is deploying giant planters, parasols, and spray mists to bring more greenery, shade, and cool to Basel. A total of 136 mobile elements will be placed at 40 locations by the end of June where no permanent greenery is possible. Further locations will follow in the coming years. 

Ajita Chowhan from Neighbourhood News spoke to Esther Keller, who has been a Government Councilor of the canton of Basel-Stadt and Head of the Department of Construction and Transport since 2021. She informed us about the initiatives and the new campaign that will be launched next year – «Green Basel», where residents of Basel can get subsidies if they participate in making Basel greener. Listen to the interview here.

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Our music theme this week is that cheesiest of things: the power ballad. Sung by people with big hair and soft-focus music videos, mostly in the 1980s, power ballads combine the loud guitars and drums of hard rock with the keyboards and tender lyrics of soft rock. Power ballads were an outgrowth of '70s stadium rock – and they became inescapable, especially during the hair metal craze of the late '80s. Almost every band was compelled to include at least one ballad in their song catalogue. We played:

Whitesnake - Here I Go Again

Roxette - It Must Have Been Love

Phil Collins - Against All Odds

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

Heart - Alone

Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight

Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth

Bryan Adams - Heaven