Oct. 3, the 20th anniversary of German unification, will also mark the completion of the final chapter of World War I with the end of reparations payments 92 years after the country's defeat.

The German government will pay the last installment of interest on foreign bonds it issued in 1924 and 1930 to raise cash to fulfill the enormous reparations demands the victorious Allies made after World War I.

Obama, who has promoted renewable energy, has come under pressure from environmentalists and the solar industry to install photovoltaic roof panels at the White House. President Jimmy Carter did so in 1979, but the panels were removed during the Reagan administration. President George W. Bush used solar energy to power a maintenance building on the grounds and heat the pool.

1. The view.  I don't have particularly good eyesight, but even if I did, there are only a handful of seats (right around the 50-yard-line) in a typical stadium where it would make a difference.  Otherwise, I'm constantly craning my neck to see what's happening at the other end of the field, and when that fails, looking up at the giant screens.  You know where else I could sit around and look at a screen?  On my couch.
2. The refreshments.  I have problems spending more than $1 on a beer, but I realize people need to make money, and many different people are involved in the shipping and handling of my beer from the factory through the stadium to my mouth.  But honestly, $8 for a single crappy beer in a 10-ounce plastic cup?  And $6 for a pretzel?  The markup is something like 800%, which is one of those things you'd think rational economics would dispense with.  But I like beer and pretzels.
3. The people.  I only like about 10 people on this planet, and as unlikely as the odds are, not one of the 80,000 drunk Italians at the game were in my circle of 10.  It's weird how that works.  Also, I could do without that lone Bears fan with the loudest human voice I've ever heard sitting directly behind me.
4. The effort.  Drive an hour to the stadium.  Navigate a maze of parking options while being yelled at by angry parking attendants.  Walk 12 miles up to our seats.  Sit around in cold rain, waiting for commercial time-outs.  Watch a three-and-out football game for three hours.  Walk 12 miles back to the car.  Sit in angry, drunk stadium traffic while being yelled at by angry parking attendants.  Make it home after midnight, making a 60-minute football game a 6-hour ordeal.