"Going to Death Valley? Be prepared," readers say

The following comments reflect the views of DW-WORLD.DE readers. Not all reader comments have been published. DW-WORLD.DE reserves the right to edit for length and appropriateness of content.

Bones found in Death Valley might belong to German tourists

I live in California six hours from Death Valley. Each year I travel to Death Valley in the winter to enjoy the solitude, history and beauty only the desert provides. That said each time I return safely from my ventures I give thanks because it is an unforgiving place that offers no second chances for the unprepared and unfortunate. The German family and their unfortunate circumstance is well known among Death Valley enthusiasts. My condolences to the family and friends of this family. Death Valley is a wild, beautiful place, please be prepared when you visit. -- Jim, US

Death Valley is no more dangerous than any other tourist destination assuming you use common sense. Off-roading in a minivan during summer is not a good idea anywhere, but especially in the desert. Death Valley offers scenery unlike anywhere else in the world. It is one of the few places where you can see for miles and miles and there is no sign of humans; and that emptiness is very refreshing for many people. -- Patrick, US

What is attractive about Death Valley? Your article actually answers that question. It is a place where you can go a kilometer or two off the main road and find a place where no one has been, or will be, for dozens of years. It is a wild place with nooks to explore where you might find anything. -- Larry Laitner, US

Why would people go to Death Valley? It is a beautiful place, but the best time to visit is winter when daytime temperatures are reasonable. The place varies from mountains to dry desert with beautiful colors and shapes. In the Spring after a rain there are beautiful wild flowers. -- Carol A. Schneider, US

I have been all over Europe and nothing compares to Death Valley. You can see for miles in every direction and go for days without seeing another human being if you choose. The air is clear, dry and a pleasure to breath. Lots of history and open space. Makes me think how people survived in the old days without modern transportation and roads. I live in the desert out of Reno Nevada. -- Carl Ricco, US

I'm a native of southern California. For years I've regularly visited Death Valley National Park, as well as other areas in the region. There I've hiked canyons and mountains, driven jeep roads into remote and beautiful areas, visited historic mines and ghost towns, seen plants and wildlife that exist nowhere else and studied the geological "open book" that I was in the midst of. Over the years I have enjoyed and photographed some of the most stunning landscapes to be seen anywhere, including everything from forested peaks, to rugged canyons, to sand dunes, to below-sea-level salt flats. However, I would not visit any of these remote areas during the hotter months of the year! Travel away from "civilized" areas at any time requires some preparation and a reasonable amount of caution. The park provides plenty of good advice to help visitors safely enjoy it. Please pay attention to that, and you should be fine. -- Candace, US

GM Europe's move to Germany is designed to smooth ruffled feathers, but will it work?

GM Europe to move its headquarters to Germany

The bulk of GM Europe operations is concentrated in Germany anyway so to me it makes sense to have its headquarters there. Besides, the most talented automotive engineers in Europe, or perhaps the world for that matter, are German. -- Joe Kuhn, Jr., US

It does look curious, from this side of the pond, that it appears the whole German nation is opposed to a GM rescue, but a Canadian/Russian effort was OK? I don't think anyone has been as harsh a critic of GM's behavior the last 30 years as my countrymen. But Opel has been a part of Germany and GM for 80 plus years. Bob Lutz has more experience with the German corporate structure than any other American automotive industry executive. I don't mean to be rude, but the $2.2 billion is about three to five percent of what the American taxpayer has already put into the GM kitty and we don't get the high speed cars and Autobahn! -- Anthony McAdams, US

Bayern Munich censor critical defender Lahm

The best opportunity to express your ideas about a strategy is the training time during the season. This keeps the players from losing their temper. -- Malcolm Clayton, Canada

The Manager of Bayer Muenchen must take some blame for all the problems in the club. There is freedom of speech in Germany just like in the USA. So why fine a good player like Lahm? I hope some more players talk about all the problems. Its about time to get Juergen Klingmans back to discipline everyone. -- Reinhold Puetz, US

The record fine against Lahm is not justified but expected since the management's policy at FCB was to put all the burden on the coach's shoulders and then sack him. But I cannot understand why the same "policy" isn't applied to Van Gaal, the man who lost in Munich? Klinsmann was doing much better at this stage and was blamed and sacked, but here comes a sheep to slaughter at this stage, Lahm ... and nod to Van Gaal. -- Amjad, Jordan

Some support Kaessman, others oppose the notion of a female relgious leader

Russian Orthodox Church threatens to break ties over female German bishop

I support the election of Margot Kaessmann as the head of the Protestant church in Germany. -- Sara, Finland

As a Roman Catholic I must agree with the Russian Orthodox church. No Christian religion should have a female priest or bishop, especially a divorced one. Christians believe in the twelve apostles. They were the priest of their time. None of the apostles were female. If God wanted a female as a spiritual leader he would have anointed one but he did not. The protestants must getting desperate. I think Luther would turn in his grave. -- John Stuhr, US

Hallelujah! It's qualifications, not gender, that matters. The Episcopal Church in the US already has a woman as Presiding Bishop. -- Lyle Brown, US

I have no problem with a woman leader however Christianity seems to encourage marriage rather than divorce so a divorcee does not go down well in my book either like the Russian Orthodox Church. -- Stuart John Pearson, Australia

Compiled by Stuart Tiffen
Editor: Trinity Hartman