This week in Germany....there was a bit of amusement. There is a weekly comic that comes out via Disney....for kids....the Micky Mouse comic. Unlike the US version....and for years....this comic is pretty upscale and more expensive....but they insert a toy or a item of interest into the magazine. So the kid is willing to pay $4 for this simple $1 comic. Don't ask me about common sense here....I just report things.
So this week....it was a radio the size of two match-boxes. It was supposed to be a AM receptive radio....cheaply made of course....in China. I doubt that its worth more than $1 at the most.
At some point early in the week....up in Hannover....parents began to call up the cops and report the radio also picked up police chat over their radios. Naturally, because such receptive devices are forbidden and you just can't listen into German cop talk over the radio....the police got real upset. So starts the investigation.
So far, from what everyone is indicating....its only up in the Hannover area....and its pretty random when the radio picks it up. They won't admit how close they have to be.....but I'm guessing within 500 feet of the cop's radio.
The Disney folks naturally are saying that this has been tested completely and meets the spec's.
My guess is that there are some cop radios there....which are a bit off the normal frequency but since they are all off just a hair....no one notices. If they drove over to Bremen....they probably would have issues talking to the Bremen guys. The kid's radio's? Just a cheap toy that does what its suppose to.
Everyone will get peppy about this....and eventually someone will ask why the cops don't want anyone listening in....and then we'll have thousands of these receptive radios being sold.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Germany: The Cop Scanner Story
This week in Germany....there was a bit of amusement. There is a weekly comic that comes out via Disney....for kids....the Micky Mouse comic. Unlike the US version....and for years....this comic is pretty upscale and more expensive....but they insert a toy or a item of interest into the magazine. So the kid is willing to pay $4 for this simple $1 comic. Don't ask me about common sense here....I just report things.
So this week....it was a radio the size of two match-boxes. It was supposed to be a AM receptive radio....cheaply made of course....in China. I doubt that its worth more than $1 at the most.
At some point early in the week....up in Hannover....parents began to call up the cops and report the radio also picked up police chat over their radios. Naturally, because such receptive devices are forbidden and you just can't listen into German cop talk over the radio....the police got real upset. So starts the investigation.
So far, from what everyone is indicating....its only up in the Hannover area....and its pretty random when the radio picks it up. They won't admit how close they have to be.....but I'm guessing within 500 feet of the cop's radio.
The Disney folks naturally are saying that this has been tested completely and meets the spec's.
My guess is that there are some cop radios there....which are a bit off the normal frequency but since they are all off just a hair....no one notices. If they drove over to Bremen....they probably would have issues talking to the Bremen guys. The kid's radio's? Just a cheap toy that does what its suppose to.
Everyone will get peppy about this....and eventually someone will ask why the cops don't want anyone listening in....and then we'll have thousands of these receptive radios being sold.
Monday, May 18, 2009
American Style Politics in Germany
Sunday night, came a rather unusual program on German TV. First, shockingly enough, this was a US-format town-hall meeting, with Chancellor Merkle. Then came the fact that this wasn’t on Channel One or Channel Two (the state-channels)….but rather RTL.
The responses so far? Well, publicly….folks think it came off Ok and no really knocks it. From the media? Most think it was staged and too orchestrated.
Will the SPD attend their town-hall meeting? That’s yet to be said. I suspect that RTL will give them, the FDP folks, and the Green’s….a chance to have a one-hour show. As for the Linke Party….I’d have doubts but maybe I’m wrong.
Some folks think that Germans just won’t agree to this town-hall mess and that real professional journalists are required….to get to the heart of questions. Sadly, if we could find such professional journalists….it would be a great idea….so far….we haven’t found any such folks.
The responses so far? Well, publicly….folks think it came off Ok and no really knocks it. From the media? Most think it was staged and too orchestrated.
Will the SPD attend their town-hall meeting? That’s yet to be said. I suspect that RTL will give them, the FDP folks, and the Green’s….a chance to have a one-hour show. As for the Linke Party….I’d have doubts but maybe I’m wrong.
Some folks think that Germans just won’t agree to this town-hall mess and that real professional journalists are required….to get to the heart of questions. Sadly, if we could find such professional journalists….it would be a great idea….so far….we haven’t found any such folks.
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