There's been signs going up on trains and buses over the past month or two in the region (Hessen), over the new fare dodger fee which starts this Saturday. Every bus has a little blue colored sticker with the fee cost change.
The old fee? Forty Euro if you got caught on board a train or bus without a ticket..
The new fee? Sixty Euro.
What they will admit is that numerous countries and regions have a more hefty fee if you try to travel without any tickets. Brussels has a 200-Euro fee.....Rome has a 114-Euro fee.....Austria has a 100-Euro fee.....and even Helsinki has a 80-Euro fee.
The old fee of forty Euro has been around since 2003....almost twelve years. Some of the German transport folks think that people aren't worried about losing forty Euro if they get caught.....so it made sense to raise it to sixty.
How often do violators get caught? I'd say out of every ten bus trips I take.....an audit crew comes onboard and out of each two audit episodes.....at least one or two folks will be caught.
The most stupid episode I've seen in recent months was a twelve-year old kid who was dressed well and I kinda assume that Mom gave her the monthly amount to buy the 'card'. The kid probably looked at the thirty-odd Euro and just decided to pocket the money instead and hope that she didn't get caught. Maybe she'd done this for several months and just felt lucky. But the audit guy demanded the ID and there will be a letter coming to the house and asking for the fee (forty Euro). Mom will ask why the kid didn't have the ticket and the explanation will come out. Then Mom will ask what the kid spent the money on and it'll get into a bigger mess.
Last month, I witnessed two women (German gal's in the 30's) who were apparently here for some business episode and got on the bus to get from point A to point B without a ticket. I even sat and watched them get onboard on stop-X and it was the very next stop where the audit team got on and pressed for their tickets. The audit guys caught them and you could tell they were both a bit embarrassed. In a way, I felt sorry for them but the system requires you to be honest and buy a ticket.
On trains, it's usually foreigners that I've noticed without the tickets and getting caught. Over the last three years....I've probably seen six to eight train episodes and all were non-Germans. My belief is that they'd rather not pay it and just think they will save the money. You could ride the trains on a hundred occasions and only meet up with a audit guy once. It's especially true if you only ride in the rush-hours.....which the audit guys tend to avoid. It's the same way for the local bus runs.....you will almost never see an audit guy at 7AM.
The odd thing here in Wiesbaden that I've come to notice via the local news is that they've had several violent encounters with audit checks. One episode involved a couple of American punk kids from the Army post. A couple of violent encounters involved foreigners. The audit guys got pushed around, and the reaction has been to have more of the city-cops walking the bus with the audit guys. Any hint of trouble and the city-cop will lay you down on the ground real quick. It won't be a pleasant experience when you suggest you might use force to get past the audit guy or his associate (the cop).
As for the sixty Euro changing attitudes? No. If you really wanted to make an impression....I'd go the Zurich way.....160 Euro. And I'd even add a rule.....the second time around within five years....double the 160 Euro to 320 Euro. You'd get their attention real quick.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Trying To Grasp the Immigration Big Picture?
The heart and guts to refugees and immigration in Germany....goes to the Basic Law (the German constitution), and article 16a. Few Germans can cite this, and even fewer political figures in Germany can really explain 16a. Even in a group of intellectuals....don't anticipate that they can explain this in simplistic fashion.
To sum it up....the right to asylum is a fundamental right to all people who come and they will be offered a chance to spell out their situation and possibly qualify for visa status. At that point, the careful wording of 16a falls into an area where things can be read and understood in different ways.
Political persecution, language abilities, education, family status, and marriage situation will all be figured into the qualification. You got the right for a review and a chance for acceptance....but it really doesn't mean much of anything, you don't fit their perceived profile. Shocker? I think a lot of Germans are waking up to 16a and realizing that it's not a perfectly worded addition to the Basic Law. Political players have to be careful what they say or suggest because it just opens up a wide forum of topics.
Oddly, EU members (Greek, French, Dutch....for example) don't fall into 16a. They have the right of movement.
The other angle to this whole discussion is that Germany is losing population. If no immigrants or refugees came to Germany....it'd shrink to 63 million within thirty-odd years. This was widely reported by a university team earlier in the year and it's generally the accepted talk of the IAB which does business and statistical analysis over German companies and the future trends. IAB says in blunt language....Germany needs a minimum of 400,000 new people arriving and staying each year.....to maintain the 80 million resident count.
This draws me around to this group of sensitive topics....how many people can arrive each year and fit the profile? How many people can Germany care for in refugee or immigration camps without looking stupid or incompetent at management? How much of an integration effort can Germany maintain, on a yearly basis and hope to get the new people 'Germanized'? How many people will Germans themselves consider under the threshold before they freak out and hold political parties responsible for screw-ups?
The German news media works at one particular angle and you start to laugh as you notice these reports. They want to correct the German perception against foreigners and refugees. Each time a German makes a street-side comment to a reporter's statement, and the reporter does the 'correction' on the German on the street.....it leaves the basic questions I mentioned in the previous paragraph unanswered.
In the mind of a typical German.....there's a lot of foreigners showing up in Germany, and they don't see where this is going to be a positive thing in the end. The statistical guys are correct....the birth-rate is a very negative situation and doing nothing is not an option anymore. Having some journalist tell people they are wrong on their perception....doesn't really wrap up the big picture concerns.
I'm often amazed at the naive data thrown out there. The journalists want you to know that 500,000 refugees have shown up so far in Germany for 2015. How many were accepted and how many were sent back to their country? Unknown. It might be the summer of 2016, before you know the whole number set for 2015. Maybe out of one million refugees who showed up.....barely 300,000 were accepted and the rest were sent home. This might make some folks happy, but then some idiot will ask how many days you had to feed and house the unaccepted refugees and who paid for it (the local state or the federal government)?
There is a fair amount of acceptance on the Syrians showing up and they might have a better immigration chance than some other folks (Albanians for example). But then you discover that five or six Syrian communities have developed in a couple of urbanized areas of Germany and terms like "little-Damascus" has been labeled to some parts of towns. Oddly, then you find out that Syrians don't mix that well with Turks, unless it's a mosque situation where it's just religion being talked about.
You could convene a group of a hundred Germans in a chat group and find out that immigration and refugees are either topic number one or topic number two for every single member of the group. This doesn't thrill political figures, political parties, or journalists. It's not a topic that you can find cohesive answers to complaints or questions.
Some Germans will point out the 1966/1967 economic downturn in Germany where a high number of foreigners or visa-holders in the country....left and went back to their original country....but within five years years, returned to Germany when the economy returned to normal. Would the same episode occur again? Unknown.
During a forty-year period (1954-1994)....Germany had twenty-two million foreigners arrive in the country (UC Davis report). The numbers people say that from that group....roughly fifteen million eventually left and didn't come back. So, just because there's a million refugees or immigrants in Germany for 2015....may not really mean much in the long-run.....if the historical part of this episode repeats itself.
A difficult task for anyone to get their hands onto? Yeah, and that's really the emphasis of the whole episode.....there is no real solution or 'truth' to the matter.
To sum it up....the right to asylum is a fundamental right to all people who come and they will be offered a chance to spell out their situation and possibly qualify for visa status. At that point, the careful wording of 16a falls into an area where things can be read and understood in different ways.
Political persecution, language abilities, education, family status, and marriage situation will all be figured into the qualification. You got the right for a review and a chance for acceptance....but it really doesn't mean much of anything, you don't fit their perceived profile. Shocker? I think a lot of Germans are waking up to 16a and realizing that it's not a perfectly worded addition to the Basic Law. Political players have to be careful what they say or suggest because it just opens up a wide forum of topics.
Oddly, EU members (Greek, French, Dutch....for example) don't fall into 16a. They have the right of movement.
The other angle to this whole discussion is that Germany is losing population. If no immigrants or refugees came to Germany....it'd shrink to 63 million within thirty-odd years. This was widely reported by a university team earlier in the year and it's generally the accepted talk of the IAB which does business and statistical analysis over German companies and the future trends. IAB says in blunt language....Germany needs a minimum of 400,000 new people arriving and staying each year.....to maintain the 80 million resident count.
This draws me around to this group of sensitive topics....how many people can arrive each year and fit the profile? How many people can Germany care for in refugee or immigration camps without looking stupid or incompetent at management? How much of an integration effort can Germany maintain, on a yearly basis and hope to get the new people 'Germanized'? How many people will Germans themselves consider under the threshold before they freak out and hold political parties responsible for screw-ups?
The German news media works at one particular angle and you start to laugh as you notice these reports. They want to correct the German perception against foreigners and refugees. Each time a German makes a street-side comment to a reporter's statement, and the reporter does the 'correction' on the German on the street.....it leaves the basic questions I mentioned in the previous paragraph unanswered.
In the mind of a typical German.....there's a lot of foreigners showing up in Germany, and they don't see where this is going to be a positive thing in the end. The statistical guys are correct....the birth-rate is a very negative situation and doing nothing is not an option anymore. Having some journalist tell people they are wrong on their perception....doesn't really wrap up the big picture concerns.
I'm often amazed at the naive data thrown out there. The journalists want you to know that 500,000 refugees have shown up so far in Germany for 2015. How many were accepted and how many were sent back to their country? Unknown. It might be the summer of 2016, before you know the whole number set for 2015. Maybe out of one million refugees who showed up.....barely 300,000 were accepted and the rest were sent home. This might make some folks happy, but then some idiot will ask how many days you had to feed and house the unaccepted refugees and who paid for it (the local state or the federal government)?
There is a fair amount of acceptance on the Syrians showing up and they might have a better immigration chance than some other folks (Albanians for example). But then you discover that five or six Syrian communities have developed in a couple of urbanized areas of Germany and terms like "little-Damascus" has been labeled to some parts of towns. Oddly, then you find out that Syrians don't mix that well with Turks, unless it's a mosque situation where it's just religion being talked about.
You could convene a group of a hundred Germans in a chat group and find out that immigration and refugees are either topic number one or topic number two for every single member of the group. This doesn't thrill political figures, political parties, or journalists. It's not a topic that you can find cohesive answers to complaints or questions.
Some Germans will point out the 1966/1967 economic downturn in Germany where a high number of foreigners or visa-holders in the country....left and went back to their original country....but within five years years, returned to Germany when the economy returned to normal. Would the same episode occur again? Unknown.
During a forty-year period (1954-1994)....Germany had twenty-two million foreigners arrive in the country (UC Davis report). The numbers people say that from that group....roughly fifteen million eventually left and didn't come back. So, just because there's a million refugees or immigrants in Germany for 2015....may not really mean much in the long-run.....if the historical part of this episode repeats itself.
A difficult task for anyone to get their hands onto? Yeah, and that's really the emphasis of the whole episode.....there is no real solution or 'truth' to the matter.
The Patio Door Story
We had another crime episode of an odd nature in Wiesbaden.
On the far east side of town, in one of the more upper-class 'burbs'.....there's a house with a finely landscaped backyard, nicely composed patio area, and a charming atmosphere for summer relaxation. Likely for years and years.....the couple never felt any threat and would arrive home in the afternoon of a hot summer and just open up the big patio door.
At some point around Tuesday evening (7:30), the wife was upstairs and the husband down on the ground level near the patio door.
Suddenly two guys walk through the patio door from the backyard, into the living room. I'm assuming it kinda shocks the husband.
One of the guys in some accented German says he's got an injury and needs help with his wound. He's got the focus of the husband. The second guy is drawn toward the kitchen and is quickly rifling through the wife's purse.
The wife hearing all this chatter.....is coming downstairs from the second floor. She kinda interrupts the 2nd guy, and the two visitors quickly exit the patio door and leave the house. The couple....kinda shocked....now discover they've been robbed. Naturally, they call the cops but there's not much that the cops can do....other than making a report.
What happens now? I'm guessing the couple is in a bit of hostile and frustrated fear. They probably keep the patio door completely closed. They will be skittish about sitting on the patio....because the two guys might return. They will be uneasy about any noise that they hear from the backyard. The neighbors? Same thing.....they now live in fear.
All of this, with more potential episodes likely to occur in the remaining summer period and throughout 2016's summer....leads me to think that more and more Germans will question their safety enough to acquire weapons certification and a permit to hold a weapon. Things are not as safe as they were before.
On the far east side of town, in one of the more upper-class 'burbs'.....there's a house with a finely landscaped backyard, nicely composed patio area, and a charming atmosphere for summer relaxation. Likely for years and years.....the couple never felt any threat and would arrive home in the afternoon of a hot summer and just open up the big patio door.
At some point around Tuesday evening (7:30), the wife was upstairs and the husband down on the ground level near the patio door.
Suddenly two guys walk through the patio door from the backyard, into the living room. I'm assuming it kinda shocks the husband.
One of the guys in some accented German says he's got an injury and needs help with his wound. He's got the focus of the husband. The second guy is drawn toward the kitchen and is quickly rifling through the wife's purse.
The wife hearing all this chatter.....is coming downstairs from the second floor. She kinda interrupts the 2nd guy, and the two visitors quickly exit the patio door and leave the house. The couple....kinda shocked....now discover they've been robbed. Naturally, they call the cops but there's not much that the cops can do....other than making a report.
What happens now? I'm guessing the couple is in a bit of hostile and frustrated fear. They probably keep the patio door completely closed. They will be skittish about sitting on the patio....because the two guys might return. They will be uneasy about any noise that they hear from the backyard. The neighbors? Same thing.....they now live in fear.
All of this, with more potential episodes likely to occur in the remaining summer period and throughout 2016's summer....leads me to think that more and more Germans will question their safety enough to acquire weapons certification and a permit to hold a weapon. Things are not as safe as they were before.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
"Not All M and M's Are Blue"
It's an odd analogy but I'll use it in this case.
On Monday afternoon of this week....over in Trier....at a refugee camp set up by the Germans, there was a friendly soccer game that developed.
There's been some efforts by the German operations people over these immigration and refugee camps to get people busy and occupied. In this type of atmosphere where it might be weeks before your paperwork is approved or disapproved....there's tension. Folks have anxiety and stress on their mind. It's not a pleasant situation. You've come thousands of miles, endeared pretty harsh conditions, You've put yourself into some bitter days and nights.....to reach Germany and hope they won't send you back home.
Well....there's this accidental mess that the Germans created in this whole scheme of things....mixing nationalities together and thinking that it won't go badly.
On Monday afternoon in Trier, in the midst of this friendly soccer game between the Syrians and some Albanians....someone got a bit upset, and a fight started up. Cops got called. What the German news folks will say is that it was a plain old brawl. Spectators got into the fight. Estimates go as high as 200 people involved in this mess. Almost seventy cops or local authorities were involved in stopping the fight. A ambulance was called and at least one guy had some fair injuries requiring the hospital, although he was released later.
What the camp managers now say is that soccer games probably won't occur again....just to be on the safe side. And the cops indicate that they will show a presence around the camp....to ensure people get the idea that peace is expected.
The long term issue I end up seeing is that it's several different refugee groups in this German situation. Eritrea, Ethiopia, and a host of African countries have refugees in Germany currently. From the Middle East, you've got Syrians, Afghans, Pakistanis, and Iraqis. From down south, you have Albanians, Serbs, and Kosovarians. Each group has different feelings over their problems, and each feels hostile against other groups who apparently have a higher priority or higher acceptance deal in Germany. The Albanians know that they probably will not be approved to stay....while the Syrians are pretty confident they will be approved.
All of this will lead to more confrontations as time goes by.
So I'll make this prediction. Separate camps for separate nationalities. As silly and as much hassle as it will cause the Germans to create and run X number of camps with various dividing lines....I think it'll happen by spring of next year. If you think it's a mess now....it's only going to get worse. But I'll offer one more analogy into this mix as well.....life isn't fair. I think the refugees and immigrants on the trail to Germany are beginning to figure that out.
On Monday afternoon of this week....over in Trier....at a refugee camp set up by the Germans, there was a friendly soccer game that developed.
There's been some efforts by the German operations people over these immigration and refugee camps to get people busy and occupied. In this type of atmosphere where it might be weeks before your paperwork is approved or disapproved....there's tension. Folks have anxiety and stress on their mind. It's not a pleasant situation. You've come thousands of miles, endeared pretty harsh conditions, You've put yourself into some bitter days and nights.....to reach Germany and hope they won't send you back home.
Well....there's this accidental mess that the Germans created in this whole scheme of things....mixing nationalities together and thinking that it won't go badly.
On Monday afternoon in Trier, in the midst of this friendly soccer game between the Syrians and some Albanians....someone got a bit upset, and a fight started up. Cops got called. What the German news folks will say is that it was a plain old brawl. Spectators got into the fight. Estimates go as high as 200 people involved in this mess. Almost seventy cops or local authorities were involved in stopping the fight. A ambulance was called and at least one guy had some fair injuries requiring the hospital, although he was released later.
What the camp managers now say is that soccer games probably won't occur again....just to be on the safe side. And the cops indicate that they will show a presence around the camp....to ensure people get the idea that peace is expected.
The long term issue I end up seeing is that it's several different refugee groups in this German situation. Eritrea, Ethiopia, and a host of African countries have refugees in Germany currently. From the Middle East, you've got Syrians, Afghans, Pakistanis, and Iraqis. From down south, you have Albanians, Serbs, and Kosovarians. Each group has different feelings over their problems, and each feels hostile against other groups who apparently have a higher priority or higher acceptance deal in Germany. The Albanians know that they probably will not be approved to stay....while the Syrians are pretty confident they will be approved.
All of this will lead to more confrontations as time goes by.
So I'll make this prediction. Separate camps for separate nationalities. As silly and as much hassle as it will cause the Germans to create and run X number of camps with various dividing lines....I think it'll happen by spring of next year. If you think it's a mess now....it's only going to get worse. But I'll offer one more analogy into this mix as well.....life isn't fair. I think the refugees and immigrants on the trail to Germany are beginning to figure that out.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Old Railway Stations
The S-bahn stopped at the highly upgraded platform area (all the bells and whistles of a million-Euro project).
Sadly, they didn't include the old station....barely twenty meters from platform area.
As you can kinda note from the picture....this 1880s (just guessing) station house....has seen it's better days go by and is in bad shape. This is one of the issues of old stations today. They need money and most towns are NOT willing to put any cash into them.
The rail folks have modernized everything. There's no station master any longer. There's just a fancy ticket machine near the platform area.
I've been through fifty such towns over the last couple of years and noted the various uses or lack of uses for such old railway stations. There was a phase from the 1860s to 1914 era....to build up stations in most any village that connected to the railway system. From the 1960s on....modernization has caught up with the buildings and deemed them unnecessary.
A handful of stations are used as pubs, gift-shops, restaurants, or medical-related shops. The station near my place (the Niedernhausen bahnhof).....was rebuilt after WW II (highly damaged). Sadly, it turned into a modern place (no bricks or 1800's look) and the bulk of operations dried up by the late 1970s. It sits there empty today, with no real use in the forecast.
Oddly, you can sit there and imagine the Bieber railway station in the 1890s. By 7AM, there were probably a hundred folks out front and waiting on the morning train into Frankfurt for their job. The local store probably had a kid around with a wagon to pick up the goods dropped off. Six to ten trains a day probably came through and stopped off for five minutes. The station master was probably a mid-60's guy, with a fancy watch and tracked arrivals and departures like they were a matter of life and death. The middle-aged clerk did the tickets for people, and maybe provided some advice to folks who had long-distance ideas and needed some advice. A handy man was there to check the tracks and keep the station clean. The station was the hub of the town, and people probably felt it was the outlet for their lives. It meant something to everyone in town. Today, it's just real estate.
Real Stress
I sat and watched an immigrant/refugee news piece the other night on German TV. At some point, they did a brief twenty-second interview clip with some African gal (she was speaking in English and the network did a translation piece to German). I could hear the gal give her answer to the guy.....all relating to the difficult readjustment to Germany as her new homeland. To be honest, she was a bit stressed and admitting that even shopping for groceries in Germany was a fairly harsh task.
I've spent a while thinking over her comment and pondering.
Someone who has lived their whole life in the US and done regular grocery shopping, then comes over to Germany without any language ability.....then starts up grocery shopping....might have some conflicts and issues on the first trip or two. Words are different....product lines will be of a different name....and Germans do eat in a different fashion. I think after five or six visits....the American would get this down pat and feel just minimum stress with German shopping.
The African? I imagine German eating styles is a bit of a problem. Pricing? I'm guessing they are a bit shocked and keep thinking that there must be an open-market with cheaper vegetables or meat around. You can shop cheaply....if you have a strategy, know the discount chains, and actively follow the weekly sales pattern. Learning this strategy might take a month or two.
This brings me to the real issue of culture shock and adjustment. Typically, a refugee or immigrant didn't spend hundreds of hours discussing options and the best pick for the country to make 'home'. They might have had some relative tell them some bits of information....gaze over some pictures....or watch some movie and think that Bavaria looks charming. Maybe if some six-hour introduction video had been used in this process and shown the ninety-nine problems of German living....the guy might have shaken his head and asked more questions. Maybe Germany wouldn't be choice number one or two.
An American might arrive with no introduction and go through the same stress moments. The driving requirements and rules? Oh boy, you'd think after an hour of looking over the manual.....this test business is going to be impossible. Then you get on the autobahn in some rush-hour and start to freak out with folks traveling along at 150 kph.
Toss in complex bureaucratic paperwork situations with the German visa office or the local Rothaus, and you start to shake your head.
Patience and determination are a quality that you must have.
I'm guessing that almost every single refugee and immigrant reach some point about six weeks into this experience where they question themselves and if they can really adjust to Germany. They need some coaching and cooling-off periods.....to resettle their thinking.
As for Germans recognizing this with their 'new' associates? I'm not sure. Germans never seem stressed over their culture or developed society. They got used to it and just accepted it as the norm. It's the harsh reality for these new guys.
I've spent a while thinking over her comment and pondering.
Someone who has lived their whole life in the US and done regular grocery shopping, then comes over to Germany without any language ability.....then starts up grocery shopping....might have some conflicts and issues on the first trip or two. Words are different....product lines will be of a different name....and Germans do eat in a different fashion. I think after five or six visits....the American would get this down pat and feel just minimum stress with German shopping.
The African? I imagine German eating styles is a bit of a problem. Pricing? I'm guessing they are a bit shocked and keep thinking that there must be an open-market with cheaper vegetables or meat around. You can shop cheaply....if you have a strategy, know the discount chains, and actively follow the weekly sales pattern. Learning this strategy might take a month or two.
This brings me to the real issue of culture shock and adjustment. Typically, a refugee or immigrant didn't spend hundreds of hours discussing options and the best pick for the country to make 'home'. They might have had some relative tell them some bits of information....gaze over some pictures....or watch some movie and think that Bavaria looks charming. Maybe if some six-hour introduction video had been used in this process and shown the ninety-nine problems of German living....the guy might have shaken his head and asked more questions. Maybe Germany wouldn't be choice number one or two.
An American might arrive with no introduction and go through the same stress moments. The driving requirements and rules? Oh boy, you'd think after an hour of looking over the manual.....this test business is going to be impossible. Then you get on the autobahn in some rush-hour and start to freak out with folks traveling along at 150 kph.
Toss in complex bureaucratic paperwork situations with the German visa office or the local Rothaus, and you start to shake your head.
Patience and determination are a quality that you must have.
I'm guessing that almost every single refugee and immigrant reach some point about six weeks into this experience where they question themselves and if they can really adjust to Germany. They need some coaching and cooling-off periods.....to resettle their thinking.
As for Germans recognizing this with their 'new' associates? I'm not sure. Germans never seem stressed over their culture or developed society. They got used to it and just accepted it as the norm. It's the harsh reality for these new guys.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Nazis, Soccer, and A Story
I do a lot of historical reading....the stuff that you need to ask stupid questions over and it opens up a whole new world of knowledge.
Today, I got onto the topic of local soccer in Wiesbaden. I admit....we have a marginal two-star team that rarely climbs into the 3rd-level of competition within Germany. For the most part, if you want real competition or real soccer.....you'd have to cross the river over into Mainz or go to Frankfurt.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden is the name of the team. I had known that the team for years and years.....wasn't exactly a local Wiesbaden team. They were actually part of Taunusstein (a 'burb' about twenty minutes driving....north of Wiesbaden). I also came to know that they were shut down in 1933. Up until today, I never understood the angle to this shut-down.
So, in 1932....the Nazis come to political power in Germany. Oddly, one of the top things that the political arm of the Nazis wants to accomplish.....is have their people in charge of soccer, the soccer clubs and ensure the Jewish crowd was out.
Across Germany....both at regional and national levels....there were a fair number of Jewish coaches, managers, and players. The stadiums themselves....to some degree....had Jewish guys running them.
So in 1933, the clubs throughout Germany were told to meet at the table and agree that not only were the Jews out.....but the Nazi party guys were in.
SV Wehen Taunusstein decided to shut down, rather than cooperate.
The necessity for putting Nazi Party guys in charge? It's hard to say and no one has sat down as far as I can see and done some analysis over the scheme that the Party guys were working with. I would imagine that they felt these games were public events and there needed to be the right music, the right attitude displayed, the right enthusiasm for the nation, and something to get people pumped up over Nazi stuff.
In 1946, as the Americans were in firm control....SV wehen Taunusstein formed back up and became the regional club. About a decade ago....the city had control of a five-star property on the east side of town....near the Army post, and the newer arena was built. The club became a Wiesbaden vehicle instead of Taunusstein.
Just one of those curious things that you come across.
Today, I got onto the topic of local soccer in Wiesbaden. I admit....we have a marginal two-star team that rarely climbs into the 3rd-level of competition within Germany. For the most part, if you want real competition or real soccer.....you'd have to cross the river over into Mainz or go to Frankfurt.
SV Wehen Wiesbaden is the name of the team. I had known that the team for years and years.....wasn't exactly a local Wiesbaden team. They were actually part of Taunusstein (a 'burb' about twenty minutes driving....north of Wiesbaden). I also came to know that they were shut down in 1933. Up until today, I never understood the angle to this shut-down.
So, in 1932....the Nazis come to political power in Germany. Oddly, one of the top things that the political arm of the Nazis wants to accomplish.....is have their people in charge of soccer, the soccer clubs and ensure the Jewish crowd was out.
Across Germany....both at regional and national levels....there were a fair number of Jewish coaches, managers, and players. The stadiums themselves....to some degree....had Jewish guys running them.
So in 1933, the clubs throughout Germany were told to meet at the table and agree that not only were the Jews out.....but the Nazi party guys were in.
SV Wehen Taunusstein decided to shut down, rather than cooperate.
The necessity for putting Nazi Party guys in charge? It's hard to say and no one has sat down as far as I can see and done some analysis over the scheme that the Party guys were working with. I would imagine that they felt these games were public events and there needed to be the right music, the right attitude displayed, the right enthusiasm for the nation, and something to get people pumped up over Nazi stuff.
In 1946, as the Americans were in firm control....SV wehen Taunusstein formed back up and became the regional club. About a decade ago....the city had control of a five-star property on the east side of town....near the Army post, and the newer arena was built. The club became a Wiesbaden vehicle instead of Taunusstein.
Just one of those curious things that you come across.
Black Market Ice Cream
One of the odd things that an American in Germany comes to notice after a while....especially if he buys ice cream...is that it's a cash transaction. You get the ice cream you desire....you pay cash....and you walk away, with no receipt. There's hardly a profession in Germany, where you pay and you don't get a receipt. But with the ice cream folks....it's fairly good odds....no receipt unless you sit down and have a coffee or drink with the ice cream.
Well....it's come out in the German finance news today, that the tax folks are well versed into this problem. They think there's TEN BILLION Euro of lost revenue generated in Germany....via the lack of no receipt.
Fixing this? Well, they've hinted to a great extent that the ice cream 'mafia' folks need to get a system (already marketed) and do cash on the spot transactions with a receipt printed out. Forcing the issue? They say the law is already on the books. Course, until you start arresting ice cream guys left and right....there's not much that will occur.
Ten billion? Yeah.....that's a lot of income that just slides by.
From early spring to late summer, I figure I probably buy around two dozen ice creams....all cash of course. So, yeah, I'm contributing to the black market of ice cream in Germany. And frankly, it's pretty good black market ice cream....if you ask me.
Well....it's come out in the German finance news today, that the tax folks are well versed into this problem. They think there's TEN BILLION Euro of lost revenue generated in Germany....via the lack of no receipt.
Fixing this? Well, they've hinted to a great extent that the ice cream 'mafia' folks need to get a system (already marketed) and do cash on the spot transactions with a receipt printed out. Forcing the issue? They say the law is already on the books. Course, until you start arresting ice cream guys left and right....there's not much that will occur.
Ten billion? Yeah.....that's a lot of income that just slides by.
From early spring to late summer, I figure I probably buy around two dozen ice creams....all cash of course. So, yeah, I'm contributing to the black market of ice cream in Germany. And frankly, it's pretty good black market ice cream....if you ask me.
The Free Coffee Idea
I live in the 'shadow' of Frankfurt. Generally, I rarely go over or walk the streets of Frankfurt.....maybe four or five times a year. It's kinda like visiting New York City, but without the drama and things tend to work efficiently.
Yesterday, Monday.....was the exception to efficient operations....at least on one level of life.
Yesterday was day three of the Hessen vacation period (to include Frankfurt), and it was the beginning of a thirty-day project to renovate the subway system under Frankfurt City. Tons of cabling is being pulled out....electrical boxes being replaced....and some repairs being done. Naturally, it requires the subway tunnels from the main station in town.....going through the heart of Frankfurt and ending at Frankfurt South.....to be shut down...completely.
It's a harsh thing and affects around a million-odd people who go from one side of Frankfurt to the other side.
What I found curious about this effort, where they brought in buses and try awful hard to make customers happy....is that on day one....they offered up free drinks (coffee and water) along with free chocolate. It's not to say that you will get more free coffee or more free chocolate....but on day one because of the stress....they felt it was an enticement to get people to react in a more positive way to the chaos involved.
It's hard for me to imagine any chaotic mess in my life where people got smart and proactive.....offering free coffee to make you feel happy. It just doesn't happen....not in most situations.
Based on comments and media attention....oddly....people actually feel into this month-long mess with some ease, and accepted things.....as they are. Luckily, vacation is in effect for most local folks and school kids aren't affected by the mess at all.
A lesson learned for future episodes? I'm wondering about that....course, free coffee isn't really free....someone is paying for it.
Yesterday, Monday.....was the exception to efficient operations....at least on one level of life.
Yesterday was day three of the Hessen vacation period (to include Frankfurt), and it was the beginning of a thirty-day project to renovate the subway system under Frankfurt City. Tons of cabling is being pulled out....electrical boxes being replaced....and some repairs being done. Naturally, it requires the subway tunnels from the main station in town.....going through the heart of Frankfurt and ending at Frankfurt South.....to be shut down...completely.
It's a harsh thing and affects around a million-odd people who go from one side of Frankfurt to the other side.
What I found curious about this effort, where they brought in buses and try awful hard to make customers happy....is that on day one....they offered up free drinks (coffee and water) along with free chocolate. It's not to say that you will get more free coffee or more free chocolate....but on day one because of the stress....they felt it was an enticement to get people to react in a more positive way to the chaos involved.
It's hard for me to imagine any chaotic mess in my life where people got smart and proactive.....offering free coffee to make you feel happy. It just doesn't happen....not in most situations.
Based on comments and media attention....oddly....people actually feel into this month-long mess with some ease, and accepted things.....as they are. Luckily, vacation is in effect for most local folks and school kids aren't affected by the mess at all.
A lesson learned for future episodes? I'm wondering about that....course, free coffee isn't really free....someone is paying for it.
The 'Toxic' Bricks
The local German channel (HR) did a report last night with a curious deal over toxic bricks. They'd actually told the bulk of this story at least two years ago, but there's been some more information that they seem to have found.
So this story circles around Woolrec (the company). Woolrec made bricks.....millions and millions of bricks. Somewhere along the way.....they ended up putting carcinogenic material into the bricks. Woolrec today? Shutdown. It was located in central Hessen......near Braunels (Lahn region).
The new info to the story is that the same brickworks added heavy metals-type material to the bricks as well.
As you kinda look over the story.....these are all homes built in the last couple of years....modern houses. The owners? Well.....one can only sit and pause over the story. Woolrec made different kinds of bricks......so you don't really know the type used in the construction of your house unless the brick guy wrote the brand and model into this delivery report. Or you end up having a brick carried off to the lab to confirm that it's "X".
Then what?
I mean.....so you got a toxic house with toxic bricks? Well no. The general feeling is that it's not a hazard, but then they kinda mention that you shouldn't be drilling holes in the walls (for hanging TV's for example).....the dust from the drilling would get into the air, and potentially trigger cancer years down the road. Naturally, if you mention this hint to folks.....they get all freaked out and start talking to lawyers. The fact that Woolrec is shut-down, and I'm assuming they are insolvent.....means you can sue all you want.....but it won't matter.
The toxic house? Well.....I'm guessing that new neighborhoods where all the houses were built in a three-year period will be the cluster issue. One guy will prove his place has the toxic bricks and the word will get out. In a year's time-frame, I could see a quarter of the houses up for sale and everyone doing a fake grin and just hoping that no one asks stupid questions.
The German mentality for "fixing things" usually takes about a decade to unfold. I'm guessing that someone will mandate a brick test on every house prior to a sell eventually, with a brick report, and it must be provided to the new purchaser. All of this will condemn the owners to a miserable situation where the house is basically unsellable and even the kids in three or four decades who would inherit the house.....won't ever use it.
So, I'll predict this.....newly built neighborhoods in thirty years with these toxic bricks will be dead-zones as they sit empty and city councils are shaking their heads because they can't even tear the houses down because of the threat of toxic dust clouds moving around their fine town. Kind of an odd problem, with no solution.
So this story circles around Woolrec (the company). Woolrec made bricks.....millions and millions of bricks. Somewhere along the way.....they ended up putting carcinogenic material into the bricks. Woolrec today? Shutdown. It was located in central Hessen......near Braunels (Lahn region).
The new info to the story is that the same brickworks added heavy metals-type material to the bricks as well.
As you kinda look over the story.....these are all homes built in the last couple of years....modern houses. The owners? Well.....one can only sit and pause over the story. Woolrec made different kinds of bricks......so you don't really know the type used in the construction of your house unless the brick guy wrote the brand and model into this delivery report. Or you end up having a brick carried off to the lab to confirm that it's "X".
Then what?
I mean.....so you got a toxic house with toxic bricks? Well no. The general feeling is that it's not a hazard, but then they kinda mention that you shouldn't be drilling holes in the walls (for hanging TV's for example).....the dust from the drilling would get into the air, and potentially trigger cancer years down the road. Naturally, if you mention this hint to folks.....they get all freaked out and start talking to lawyers. The fact that Woolrec is shut-down, and I'm assuming they are insolvent.....means you can sue all you want.....but it won't matter.
The toxic house? Well.....I'm guessing that new neighborhoods where all the houses were built in a three-year period will be the cluster issue. One guy will prove his place has the toxic bricks and the word will get out. In a year's time-frame, I could see a quarter of the houses up for sale and everyone doing a fake grin and just hoping that no one asks stupid questions.
The German mentality for "fixing things" usually takes about a decade to unfold. I'm guessing that someone will mandate a brick test on every house prior to a sell eventually, with a brick report, and it must be provided to the new purchaser. All of this will condemn the owners to a miserable situation where the house is basically unsellable and even the kids in three or four decades who would inherit the house.....won't ever use it.
So, I'll predict this.....newly built neighborhoods in thirty years with these toxic bricks will be dead-zones as they sit empty and city councils are shaking their heads because they can't even tear the houses down because of the threat of toxic dust clouds moving around their fine town. Kind of an odd problem, with no solution.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Bikes
I stood in front of a Mainz bike shop on Friday.....admiring their five-star bike in the window. This was a battery-powered deal and had all the bells and whistles....at a cost of 4,599 Euro. Yeah, a heck of a price.
From what I could figure....it was German-made and had a lot of modern technology built into it. It's the kind of bike that you'd have to go and buy special insurance for, because of the theft potential. I won't even take a guess on the insurance cost per year, but it's safe to say it won't be cheap.
Who buys a bike like this? It's out of range for roughly fifty-percent of German society. Most folks don't have four and a-half thousand Euro to throw at a bike in this range. The cheaper Chinese made bikes? You can go buy at a fair price.....roughly 250 to 400 Euro a decent bike which would probably last three to five years. In the case of this bike in the picture.....if you replaced the battery every three or four years.....it'd probably still be around in twenty years....unless it got stolen.
Bike usage in Germany? Well....it goes up and down. In a lot of rural areas, you won't find that many folks who use a bike at least once a week. In my old village near Kaiserslaturn....I'd take a guess that barely two percent of the locals rode at least once a week. In the urbanized areas like Wiesbaden or Mainz.....it might be closer to five to eight percent.
Oddly, if you go walking through both Wiesbaden and Mainz....you tend to say that Mainz is more bike-friendly than Wiesbaden....with dedicated biking areas noted in the middle of Mainz. Mainz though....is a university town and I think that plays into the situation. Over the past year, I've noted comments by the Wiesbaden political folks that they want suggestions on how to make Wiesbaden more bike-friendly. They might be willing to throw more money at projects, but it's hard to say how you'd create the atmosphere here.
All of this brings back to the topic of how prices on bikes have changed over three or four decades. You can't be marvel at how engineering has take the simple bike and made it ten times better, but also tossed the old pricing scheme for a loop. What happens in another thirty-odd years? It'll be curious to see.
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Chinese Lantern Case
Six years ago here in Hessen.....we had this couple in Dieburg get married. In a traditional marriage situation.....there are various customs and curiosities. Some are modern and some are a thousand years old. It would be correct to say that people are continually looking for a new idea or gimmick to make their ceremony very unusual.
Well, in the case of this couple.....the wife's mom and the soon-to-be husband had decided on this Chinese idea......sky lanterns. If you've never seen a Chinese sky lantern.....it's a small item which has a hot-air balloon idea situation.....a candle inside which is lit and the lantern rises up into the air and floats off. At night....it's a nifty idea. The candle will illuminate the lantern and you can see from 3,000 feet away as it drifts off.
Now, a guy from Alabama would naturally watch this type of situation and ask this fundamental question.....when the candle starts to lose intensity....there's no more hot air flow.....so it drifts down, and you kinda wonder....where does it land....safely?
In this episode in Dieburg....one lantern came down on neighbor property....setting two buildings on fire. These are farm buildings.....at least by the description in the local news. Total loss? 300,000 Euro. Yeah, it was a hefty loss for the owners.
For six years, it's been going through the court system. Finally.....yesterday, the judge issued a ruling. The wife's mom and the husband are held responsible and they will have to pay 'something'. It's not clear on the amount. I'm guessing that the court will spend another month and try to figure out the amount of money involved and it might be all of the 300,000 Euro or maybe some hefty portion. Getting the payment down to zero? I don't see that happening.
Did the authorities warn the folks ahead of time? Well.....yes and no. Mom and the husband-to-be both went to the local county office and asked it was illegal, and got the answer of no. But the clerk noted.....this was highly dangerous and suggested they not do it.
Within weeks of this episode......Hessen state legislation moved onto banning the lantern deal.
What happens next? I'm guessing a long waiting period and a lot of stress put upon the wife, husband and family. Most folks don't have 300,000 Euro sitting around and it might create a fair amount of stress on relationships. Maybe local folks will come out and donate some money to the fund, but I doubt if it'd go past twenty thousand Euro. Someone will have to pay back a fairly heft amount of money. All for the thrill of a Chinese lantern.
Well, in the case of this couple.....the wife's mom and the soon-to-be husband had decided on this Chinese idea......sky lanterns. If you've never seen a Chinese sky lantern.....it's a small item which has a hot-air balloon idea situation.....a candle inside which is lit and the lantern rises up into the air and floats off. At night....it's a nifty idea. The candle will illuminate the lantern and you can see from 3,000 feet away as it drifts off.
Now, a guy from Alabama would naturally watch this type of situation and ask this fundamental question.....when the candle starts to lose intensity....there's no more hot air flow.....so it drifts down, and you kinda wonder....where does it land....safely?
In this episode in Dieburg....one lantern came down on neighbor property....setting two buildings on fire. These are farm buildings.....at least by the description in the local news. Total loss? 300,000 Euro. Yeah, it was a hefty loss for the owners.
For six years, it's been going through the court system. Finally.....yesterday, the judge issued a ruling. The wife's mom and the husband are held responsible and they will have to pay 'something'. It's not clear on the amount. I'm guessing that the court will spend another month and try to figure out the amount of money involved and it might be all of the 300,000 Euro or maybe some hefty portion. Getting the payment down to zero? I don't see that happening.
Did the authorities warn the folks ahead of time? Well.....yes and no. Mom and the husband-to-be both went to the local county office and asked it was illegal, and got the answer of no. But the clerk noted.....this was highly dangerous and suggested they not do it.
Within weeks of this episode......Hessen state legislation moved onto banning the lantern deal.
What happens next? I'm guessing a long waiting period and a lot of stress put upon the wife, husband and family. Most folks don't have 300,000 Euro sitting around and it might create a fair amount of stress on relationships. Maybe local folks will come out and donate some money to the fund, but I doubt if it'd go past twenty thousand Euro. Someone will have to pay back a fairly heft amount of money. All for the thrill of a Chinese lantern.
A Dog Story
This is one of those oddball German travel stories that you pick up in the summer. I think if journalists would collect them each year.....you could write a 300-page book over such weird episodes.
So, there's this German couple.....guy, a gal, and they had this dog....Flecki.
Now, they'd decided this summer to go off to Croatia. They'd had a great trip, and some point....they went to an animal shelter and adopted Flecki. So he's not that familiar with them, but they'd been with the dog for a number of days, and things were looking good for a great new home for Flecki in Germany.
So, they started this trip back home. They'd crossed the border.....gotten onto A8 and gotten somewhere near Stuttgart. There.....they pulled off for a rest break and were letting Flecki run free in the parking lot grassy area.....next to some woods. The Stuttgart-21 project is underway, and there's some dynamite being used to dislodge some boulders. You can kinda guess.....an explosion occurred while Flecki was running free. He got disturbed......took off for the woods and never came back.
The couple? Well....they were kinda attached to Flecki. They stood there and waited. As of yesterday (Friday).....they'd been there since Monday afternoon.....waiting in this parking lot and hoping he'll come back. I assume this weekend.....they will give up.
They slept in the car and made the best out of the situation. I'm guessing that Flecki is a bit tired and hungry by this point. He'll eventually show up somewhere.
Years ago, I went to a going-away dinner for a guy in the office.....who had an Army MP friend attend. The MP sat next to me and we conversed about Army life. One of his jobs related to the Army dog business. He had a dog assigned to him and had the dog with him for about two months. Things were fine, as he thought. Good dog.....seemed friendly.....never any issues.
One day, Sarge says to this guy.....take the dog to the Army vet office on post and get the quarterly check-up. So he goes over and the vet with his assistant....take the dog and do the complete check-out. The MP walks across the street and gets a coffee. When the vet finished his job....he told the assistant to take the dog out back and let him run a little....without the leash. So the helper does this. Not more than ten seconds after they get out there in this yard, without a fence......this dog takes off....turbo speed.....going for the woods.
Yep, this dog makes it there and just keeps on running. The dog never looked back.
The MP shows up and the helper explains this.....very unnatural of the dog. I'm guessing the anal temperature thing on the dog had him a bit hyped up and angry.
The MP spent that entire afternoon in the woods looking for the dog. Sarge got called and got kinda peeved.....these dogs are costly. It's a full report if they don't find him. The next day.....Sarge has several folks with the MP.....looking for this dog in the woods. They never do find him.
Dogs are a curious animal. They love humans and get fairly attached. They also are quick to note issues and react in different ways. Maybe this couple will find Flecki.....but I kinda think that he's moved on and probably a fair distance from the parking lot area now.
So, there's this German couple.....guy, a gal, and they had this dog....Flecki.
Now, they'd decided this summer to go off to Croatia. They'd had a great trip, and some point....they went to an animal shelter and adopted Flecki. So he's not that familiar with them, but they'd been with the dog for a number of days, and things were looking good for a great new home for Flecki in Germany.
So, they started this trip back home. They'd crossed the border.....gotten onto A8 and gotten somewhere near Stuttgart. There.....they pulled off for a rest break and were letting Flecki run free in the parking lot grassy area.....next to some woods. The Stuttgart-21 project is underway, and there's some dynamite being used to dislodge some boulders. You can kinda guess.....an explosion occurred while Flecki was running free. He got disturbed......took off for the woods and never came back.
The couple? Well....they were kinda attached to Flecki. They stood there and waited. As of yesterday (Friday).....they'd been there since Monday afternoon.....waiting in this parking lot and hoping he'll come back. I assume this weekend.....they will give up.
They slept in the car and made the best out of the situation. I'm guessing that Flecki is a bit tired and hungry by this point. He'll eventually show up somewhere.
Years ago, I went to a going-away dinner for a guy in the office.....who had an Army MP friend attend. The MP sat next to me and we conversed about Army life. One of his jobs related to the Army dog business. He had a dog assigned to him and had the dog with him for about two months. Things were fine, as he thought. Good dog.....seemed friendly.....never any issues.
One day, Sarge says to this guy.....take the dog to the Army vet office on post and get the quarterly check-up. So he goes over and the vet with his assistant....take the dog and do the complete check-out. The MP walks across the street and gets a coffee. When the vet finished his job....he told the assistant to take the dog out back and let him run a little....without the leash. So the helper does this. Not more than ten seconds after they get out there in this yard, without a fence......this dog takes off....turbo speed.....going for the woods.
Yep, this dog makes it there and just keeps on running. The dog never looked back.
The MP shows up and the helper explains this.....very unnatural of the dog. I'm guessing the anal temperature thing on the dog had him a bit hyped up and angry.
The MP spent that entire afternoon in the woods looking for the dog. Sarge got called and got kinda peeved.....these dogs are costly. It's a full report if they don't find him. The next day.....Sarge has several folks with the MP.....looking for this dog in the woods. They never do find him.
Dogs are a curious animal. They love humans and get fairly attached. They also are quick to note issues and react in different ways. Maybe this couple will find Flecki.....but I kinda think that he's moved on and probably a fair distance from the parking lot area now.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Crime on the Increase
I noticed this morning on 'Focus' that the German cops up in the North Rhine region (Cologne) are admitting robbery and burglary numbers are way out of sight. What they are saying for that region is that foreign crime groups are showing up in massive numbers.....breaking in....and quickly fencing the goods. As quickly as they acquire anything.....they dump it to the next guy.
The one number I noticed in the report.....twenty to fifty percent growth in some areas, over the past year.
Sadly, it's a trend that's going on across Germany....even here in Wiesbaden.
I noted in the local news yesterday that cops got called on the shopping zone on Tuesday.....some young guy had robbed a jewelry shop and ran a fair distance before the owner caught up with him. He took a turn or two while being chased, and when the owner finally got him.....the cops were there in five to ten minutes. Oddly.....he didn't have any of the stolen jewelry on him and had probably dumped it with his 'partner' along this run. Cops interviewed the kid later and then released him. Nothing on him....other than writing a report and maybe forcing the episode off onto a couple of detectives to watch the kid and figure out his friends......there's nothing to occur out of this.
They've fine-tuned their methods and come to Germany to hit the big time. One German journalist wrote the comment that these guys are now chess players.....they have a strategy.....they sit and watch your moves....and they simply wait for you to make a mistake. Like some cat sitting in a backyard and watching for birds.
Cops changing tactics? The unions are calling for more cops, and the public readily agrees on that....but numbers won't fix this alone. I think they will end up with neighborhood watch groups (something rare in Germany), and technology will be part of the future for this issue. Filming them won't do much good.....they get arrested, released, and then move onto the next town. The cops are facing a difficult creature in this type of problem.
The one number I noticed in the report.....twenty to fifty percent growth in some areas, over the past year.
Sadly, it's a trend that's going on across Germany....even here in Wiesbaden.
I noted in the local news yesterday that cops got called on the shopping zone on Tuesday.....some young guy had robbed a jewelry shop and ran a fair distance before the owner caught up with him. He took a turn or two while being chased, and when the owner finally got him.....the cops were there in five to ten minutes. Oddly.....he didn't have any of the stolen jewelry on him and had probably dumped it with his 'partner' along this run. Cops interviewed the kid later and then released him. Nothing on him....other than writing a report and maybe forcing the episode off onto a couple of detectives to watch the kid and figure out his friends......there's nothing to occur out of this.
They've fine-tuned their methods and come to Germany to hit the big time. One German journalist wrote the comment that these guys are now chess players.....they have a strategy.....they sit and watch your moves....and they simply wait for you to make a mistake. Like some cat sitting in a backyard and watching for birds.
Cops changing tactics? The unions are calling for more cops, and the public readily agrees on that....but numbers won't fix this alone. I think they will end up with neighborhood watch groups (something rare in Germany), and technology will be part of the future for this issue. Filming them won't do much good.....they get arrested, released, and then move onto the next town. The cops are facing a difficult creature in this type of problem.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Documentary on Germans and Immigration
Last night, ARD (Channel One) ran a documentary piece....."Welcome to Germany".
It was a fairly long piece which did a recent and even-handed report on the players in a immigration situation in northern Germany.....from two towns. There were the pro-immigration folks, the immigrants themselves, and the anti-immigrant folks.
What I'll say is that it really took you through the problems and issues. Sadly, they ran this at 11PM and I doubt if more than 300,000 Germans watched the show.
It was a fairly long piece which did a recent and even-handed report on the players in a immigration situation in northern Germany.....from two towns. There were the pro-immigration folks, the immigrants themselves, and the anti-immigrant folks.
What I'll say is that it really took you through the problems and issues. Sadly, they ran this at 11PM and I doubt if more than 300,000 Germans watched the show.
Course, maybe it was probably not the kind of story that you'd want half the country watching. It's not a topic that you ought to engage with most Germans.
I noticed over on ARD's news page today.....through some institute.....they noted that only half of the eastern population of Germany will agree on a pro-immigration situation. In the western part of Germany....it's roughly sixty-percent.
I would recommend the documentary and you go over to ARD.de and find it on their library.
I noticed over on ARD's news page today.....through some institute.....they noted that only half of the eastern population of Germany will agree on a pro-immigration situation. In the western part of Germany....it's roughly sixty-percent.
I would recommend the documentary and you go over to ARD.de and find it on their library.
Hospitalized Because of Global Warming?
I'm waiting for the regional news folks here in Hessen to build up another climate change or global warming story from this episode this morning in Lollar.
School year is coming to a close and most schools are working up various non-education activities. So in Lollar.....they were hold a Federal Youth Games day (a sports day for the kids)......grades seven to ten. Over the past day or two....temperatures have crept back up to around 30 C (86 F). Most folks in the US would say that 86 F is not that hot but you need to pay attention to your hydration situation.
Well.....roughly ten young gals collapsed this morning because of the heat. Rushed off to the regional hospital. The symptoms reported by the news media all include the normal heat-related injury situations......collapse, nausea, and malaise.
Based on comments.....it appears that the school did have a water stand and were offering up water to folks who needed it. What I've generally noticed in Germany is that there isn't a great perception over heat stroke or heat exhaustion.....where you notice it in yourself or perceive it as a problem for a co-worker or friend.
Comments indicate that after two or three people had issues.....teachers tried to take control of the situation and it was probably already too late.....with more young gals collapsing within a short period of time.
All of this because of climate change or global warming? If I were a German journalist.....I'd try to figure out a gimmick and just note how this is just another example. Sadly....it's plain old heat exhaustion....where you fail to note the temperature and you fail to exercise common sense. If you'd gotten people onto a hydration scheme at 8AM and made them sip some water and shut down harsh athletic activities when it got real hot.....you would have overcome climate change/global warming.
Sorry if I seem harsh, but people need to review reality and common sense.
School year is coming to a close and most schools are working up various non-education activities. So in Lollar.....they were hold a Federal Youth Games day (a sports day for the kids)......grades seven to ten. Over the past day or two....temperatures have crept back up to around 30 C (86 F). Most folks in the US would say that 86 F is not that hot but you need to pay attention to your hydration situation.
Well.....roughly ten young gals collapsed this morning because of the heat. Rushed off to the regional hospital. The symptoms reported by the news media all include the normal heat-related injury situations......collapse, nausea, and malaise.
Based on comments.....it appears that the school did have a water stand and were offering up water to folks who needed it. What I've generally noticed in Germany is that there isn't a great perception over heat stroke or heat exhaustion.....where you notice it in yourself or perceive it as a problem for a co-worker or friend.
Comments indicate that after two or three people had issues.....teachers tried to take control of the situation and it was probably already too late.....with more young gals collapsing within a short period of time.
All of this because of climate change or global warming? If I were a German journalist.....I'd try to figure out a gimmick and just note how this is just another example. Sadly....it's plain old heat exhaustion....where you fail to note the temperature and you fail to exercise common sense. If you'd gotten people onto a hydration scheme at 8AM and made them sip some water and shut down harsh athletic activities when it got real hot.....you would have overcome climate change/global warming.
Sorry if I seem harsh, but people need to review reality and common sense.
How to Shape a Bogus But True Story
I try hard not to bash German news episodes because they are generally even-handed. Last night, the late news on ARD ran a piece on the climate business. The first-half of 2015, has been the warmest period on record for Germany (over the 200-odd years that temperatures have been kept). They then coupled this with temperatures around the world, with again went with a few facts which are accurate. Finally, they coupled this with 4,500-odd people who died in June in Pakistan and India from heat-related issues and this is all connected back to global warming.
I sat for a moment and looked at the last piece of their factual story, and kinda grinned. It's not exactly true, and I suspect they knew that but just pushed it hard to fit into their storyline.
You see.....it is true a massive heat wave came through Pakistan and India for June. Generally every single June, heat is an issue in Pakistan, and it's been that way not just for years or decades or centuries.....but even longer.
But in this case.....there's this odd thing where Ramadan (the Islam holy month) fell in June (at least twelve-odd days). What happens when you take a guy into a 40C situation, and insist that he survive with no water for 15-odd hours during the day? Well.....the guy will collapse with a heat stroke, and possibly die. The bulk of these 4,500 people they are talking about....are Ramadan participants. They put themselves into a dangerous situation, and they paid with their life.
Connected to global warming? Well.....no.
All of these people....had they sipped water and hydrated themselves.....would have survived. To say it's connected to global warming.....is bogus. Ramadan participants must adhere to the rule established over 1,300 years ago.....even if it means they must die in the process.
That's the thing about the news.....you start with one fact while people won't argue much about, and you couple it with another fact. Maybe three or four facts get coupled up.....then you take the bogus slant item, and tie it into the overall story. A typical German will assume everything is correct and he'd never get a bogus story put together.
How many people saw the episode? Probably over three million, and the bulk (probably over ninety-five percent) will believe the item entirely without asking any questions.
I sat for a moment and looked at the last piece of their factual story, and kinda grinned. It's not exactly true, and I suspect they knew that but just pushed it hard to fit into their storyline.
You see.....it is true a massive heat wave came through Pakistan and India for June. Generally every single June, heat is an issue in Pakistan, and it's been that way not just for years or decades or centuries.....but even longer.
But in this case.....there's this odd thing where Ramadan (the Islam holy month) fell in June (at least twelve-odd days). What happens when you take a guy into a 40C situation, and insist that he survive with no water for 15-odd hours during the day? Well.....the guy will collapse with a heat stroke, and possibly die. The bulk of these 4,500 people they are talking about....are Ramadan participants. They put themselves into a dangerous situation, and they paid with their life.
Connected to global warming? Well.....no.
All of these people....had they sipped water and hydrated themselves.....would have survived. To say it's connected to global warming.....is bogus. Ramadan participants must adhere to the rule established over 1,300 years ago.....even if it means they must die in the process.
That's the thing about the news.....you start with one fact while people won't argue much about, and you couple it with another fact. Maybe three or four facts get coupled up.....then you take the bogus slant item, and tie it into the overall story. A typical German will assume everything is correct and he'd never get a bogus story put together.
How many people saw the episode? Probably over three million, and the bulk (probably over ninety-five percent) will believe the item entirely without asking any questions.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
The Amusement Park Story
August of last year (2014).....over at the Hassloch amusement park (40 minutes south of Frankfurt), there was a tragic accident where an American kid was killed on a ride at the park.
There's been a lengthy investigation of the episode, with comments by witnesses, and the court finally reach a conclusion that three guys should stand trial. The two operators of the ride, and their supervisor....are suspected of violating safety regulations.
What the news journalists will say is that if each gets convicted (could be a year or so before this comes to a court appearance).....the max for prison is five years.
The general story to this is the girl reached an open ride and was about to enter.....when the operator simply flipped the switch and started the ride. The girl fell.....never got up.....then was run over a couple of times before the ride was stopped.
It made it into the local Hessen news on several occasions last year.....even with an interview with the German mother and the American Army father. Generally, if you are at some amusement park.....you expect a safe atmosphere and the worst that can occur might be heat-related issues or sunburns. Law suits going on? I've yet to see any court action or news of such. I think they might be waiting until this case with the three is settled (might be the end of 2016 before you see this part concluded).
Oddly, I'm kinda interested in this because it's the same park I took my son to on three occasions. It's a popular place for Americans in the summer time, with a decent offering of rides and it's been kept up over the years.
There's been a lengthy investigation of the episode, with comments by witnesses, and the court finally reach a conclusion that three guys should stand trial. The two operators of the ride, and their supervisor....are suspected of violating safety regulations.
What the news journalists will say is that if each gets convicted (could be a year or so before this comes to a court appearance).....the max for prison is five years.
The general story to this is the girl reached an open ride and was about to enter.....when the operator simply flipped the switch and started the ride. The girl fell.....never got up.....then was run over a couple of times before the ride was stopped.
It made it into the local Hessen news on several occasions last year.....even with an interview with the German mother and the American Army father. Generally, if you are at some amusement park.....you expect a safe atmosphere and the worst that can occur might be heat-related issues or sunburns. Law suits going on? I've yet to see any court action or news of such. I think they might be waiting until this case with the three is settled (might be the end of 2016 before you see this part concluded).
Oddly, I'm kinda interested in this because it's the same park I took my son to on three occasions. It's a popular place for Americans in the summer time, with a decent offering of rides and it's been kept up over the years.
Frankfurt Project
If you've ever been around the Frankfurt Bahnhof (train station).....you'd generally say that it's a massive complex with various uses. In the past year or so.....they've added another purpose....long-distance buses. What the city says is that roughly 180 such buses pull into the area around the bahnhof daily now (they weren't part of the scheme before 2014). Naturally, there's more issues and consumer complaints.
So, yesterday....the city announced a major renovation project for the area around the Frankfurt bahnhof. On the southside of the station.....there's going to be a entire bus terminal put up.
The pieces? A multi-story car park, a 300-bike parking area, benches, a bike-wash area, and finally some toilets near the bus stop area. The final phase won't be done until 2018.
If you add it up and assume at fifty passengers per bus, there's roughly 10,000 riders going through on these buses daily. All of this has recently been on a trend....remember, long-distance buses were illegal for years and years.....to help the Bahn folks out.
So, yesterday....the city announced a major renovation project for the area around the Frankfurt bahnhof. On the southside of the station.....there's going to be a entire bus terminal put up.
The pieces? A multi-story car park, a 300-bike parking area, benches, a bike-wash area, and finally some toilets near the bus stop area. The final phase won't be done until 2018.
If you add it up and assume at fifty passengers per bus, there's roughly 10,000 riders going through on these buses daily. All of this has recently been on a trend....remember, long-distance buses were illegal for years and years.....to help the Bahn folks out.
Monday, July 20, 2015
The Bernd Lucke Party
The guy who developed the AfD (Alternative for Deutschland) Party got dumped from the leadership role of the AfD recently. So, over the weekend, Bernd Lucke started his next political party. The meeting, held in Kassel, attracted roughly seventy members of the old AfD party.
The chief focus of the new party? Back to the criticism of the Euro and the EU economic policy. They also noted that they will be for some minor form of immigration policy....to show their differences from the AfD.
The German news media covered the meeting but when it was all said and done for the nightly news.....it amounted to a 40-second bit, and it was done.
Splitting off the AfD Party? Last year, you could walk around Germany and probably find around five to seven percent of the public interested in the politics of the AfD. Lucke talked mostly anti-Euro rhetoric and he tried to keep the forums limited to economics. For the first year or two....that worked. I think the anti-immigration crowd were looking for a political vehicle that could take up the subject (most German political parties keep their distance from the topic), and the AfD accepted the crowd.
As for Lucke's new party surviving? The name of the party is officially ALFA, referring to some German phrase of "alliance for progress and renewal". The national election is in the fall of 2017 and they've got some time to develop. The problem is.....it's really the Bernd Lucke Party....lasting as long as they allow him to be the party boss. Once they tire of him and elect a new party boss.....he'll walk off and develop another political party.
I kinda think this is why the news media doesn't take him serious anymore.
The chief focus of the new party? Back to the criticism of the Euro and the EU economic policy. They also noted that they will be for some minor form of immigration policy....to show their differences from the AfD.
The German news media covered the meeting but when it was all said and done for the nightly news.....it amounted to a 40-second bit, and it was done.
Splitting off the AfD Party? Last year, you could walk around Germany and probably find around five to seven percent of the public interested in the politics of the AfD. Lucke talked mostly anti-Euro rhetoric and he tried to keep the forums limited to economics. For the first year or two....that worked. I think the anti-immigration crowd were looking for a political vehicle that could take up the subject (most German political parties keep their distance from the topic), and the AfD accepted the crowd.
As for Lucke's new party surviving? The name of the party is officially ALFA, referring to some German phrase of "alliance for progress and renewal". The national election is in the fall of 2017 and they've got some time to develop. The problem is.....it's really the Bernd Lucke Party....lasting as long as they allow him to be the party boss. Once they tire of him and elect a new party boss.....he'll walk off and develop another political party.
I kinda think this is why the news media doesn't take him serious anymore.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
The Airport Story
Somewhere around fifteen years ago in Spain.....some government guys got together on a project to mostly spend money. No one says much now over the intended value or how the location would draw people.....but the original crew had this idea that several million passengers would pass through this airport in the middle of nowhere.
Ciudad Real Central Airport is in the southern quarter of Spain.....at least two hours from Madrid and probably the same amount of distance from the coastal region where people go for vacations. Maybe if it'd been designed as a small airport....this might have worked to some degree. In the end, they went big.
The runway? It's 13,000 feet long....one of the longest in Europe. It was built to handle 10 million passengers a year. They even built a connecting bridge from the airport which was to lead out around 1,000 feet to a railway terminal that connected to the link between Madrid and Seville. Sadly, the terminal was never built. No one explains why but it seems like the money got turned off when they realized the airport had no value.
For roughly four years (starting in 2010).....they tried to run the airport. It was a complete disaster in terms of building it and expecting some tourism angle to just take over. By 2013, it was shut down....they couldn't sustain a profit.
Why does this come up in discussion? Well....it went into a bankruptcy court and it had to be sold. They were hoping on a bid of thirty-million Euro (a billion Euro investment to start with). From the Spanish news folks.....they say the current bid is 10,000 Euro.....way under the minimum.
The bidder? A Chinese company. What is generally said is that they want a big runway and the terminal area for a cargo enterprise. There's going to be a bit of renovation going on and the most they will bid is 10,000 Euro. Oddly, no one else bid on the airport.
I will occasionally point out incompetence in business and government. This is a case where the two met, and both dreamed up an airport with no value and spent a billion Euro to create it. The Chinese company will get it for ten thousand Euro, an unbelievable deal.
My prediction? In three years.....Spaniards wake up and realize that forty Chinese cargo planes are landing each week and off-loading goods to dump onto the Spanish market. Not only did they contribute money to build the stupid airport which they gave away, but they invited the Chinese to market their goods in the middle of Spain.
Ciudad Real Central Airport is in the southern quarter of Spain.....at least two hours from Madrid and probably the same amount of distance from the coastal region where people go for vacations. Maybe if it'd been designed as a small airport....this might have worked to some degree. In the end, they went big.
The runway? It's 13,000 feet long....one of the longest in Europe. It was built to handle 10 million passengers a year. They even built a connecting bridge from the airport which was to lead out around 1,000 feet to a railway terminal that connected to the link between Madrid and Seville. Sadly, the terminal was never built. No one explains why but it seems like the money got turned off when they realized the airport had no value.
For roughly four years (starting in 2010).....they tried to run the airport. It was a complete disaster in terms of building it and expecting some tourism angle to just take over. By 2013, it was shut down....they couldn't sustain a profit.
Why does this come up in discussion? Well....it went into a bankruptcy court and it had to be sold. They were hoping on a bid of thirty-million Euro (a billion Euro investment to start with). From the Spanish news folks.....they say the current bid is 10,000 Euro.....way under the minimum.
The bidder? A Chinese company. What is generally said is that they want a big runway and the terminal area for a cargo enterprise. There's going to be a bit of renovation going on and the most they will bid is 10,000 Euro. Oddly, no one else bid on the airport.
I will occasionally point out incompetence in business and government. This is a case where the two met, and both dreamed up an airport with no value and spent a billion Euro to create it. The Chinese company will get it for ten thousand Euro, an unbelievable deal.
My prediction? In three years.....Spaniards wake up and realize that forty Chinese cargo planes are landing each week and off-loading goods to dump onto the Spanish market. Not only did they contribute money to build the stupid airport which they gave away, but they invited the Chinese to market their goods in the middle of Spain.
Catholic Church Trend
It's a brief article in this weekend's local news for Hessen......a wave of people quitting the Catholic Church over the past year.
In Germany, membership of a religion is noted by an official paper that you sign with the local Rothaus (gov't of the local town), and you indicate you ARE a member of this religion, and this allows the government a form of taxation to pay from your pay situation.....direct to the regional church authority. Church taxes? Yeah.....that's how it all works in Germany.
I should note that there's a continual trend each year as German teens go through the Church process to join.....there is also a continual trend for Germans to get tired of the church tax and quit their religion. Tens of thousands quit each year in Germany, that's a fact.
Over the past two or three years....since the Limburg episode of thirty-odd million Euro being thrown at some renovation project for the Catholic Church.....folks have had a stronger desire to quit....to send a message to the leadership of the church.
What the local news folks say is that Limburg lost around 7,900 members last year. It's a pretty fair number of folks who quit. In neighboring Fulda (population of 65,000 roughly).....they saw almost 3,400 Catholics quit.
The renovation project in Limburg stayed in the news for several months, and I think just about every single Hessen followed the news updates. No charges were ever filed on the Bishop in charge. The most you could say is that he's absolutely incompetent at project management and handling money. The Limburg Catholic Church is stuck with a resort-like Bishop house and the project opinion is sour over the episode.
Long-term trend? No one says anything. Are we at some peak? That remains unclear. Germans settle around in groups and chat. You might have four guys meeting at some pub one night, and they note they've quit the church in the past year.....with a dozen other guys around them asking questions. So, eventually half of the dozen guys might agree it's a good idea, and they quit. How this trend stops would be an interesting question to ask.
In Germany, membership of a religion is noted by an official paper that you sign with the local Rothaus (gov't of the local town), and you indicate you ARE a member of this religion, and this allows the government a form of taxation to pay from your pay situation.....direct to the regional church authority. Church taxes? Yeah.....that's how it all works in Germany.
I should note that there's a continual trend each year as German teens go through the Church process to join.....there is also a continual trend for Germans to get tired of the church tax and quit their religion. Tens of thousands quit each year in Germany, that's a fact.
Over the past two or three years....since the Limburg episode of thirty-odd million Euro being thrown at some renovation project for the Catholic Church.....folks have had a stronger desire to quit....to send a message to the leadership of the church.
What the local news folks say is that Limburg lost around 7,900 members last year. It's a pretty fair number of folks who quit. In neighboring Fulda (population of 65,000 roughly).....they saw almost 3,400 Catholics quit.
The renovation project in Limburg stayed in the news for several months, and I think just about every single Hessen followed the news updates. No charges were ever filed on the Bishop in charge. The most you could say is that he's absolutely incompetent at project management and handling money. The Limburg Catholic Church is stuck with a resort-like Bishop house and the project opinion is sour over the episode.
Long-term trend? No one says anything. Are we at some peak? That remains unclear. Germans settle around in groups and chat. You might have four guys meeting at some pub one night, and they note they've quit the church in the past year.....with a dozen other guys around them asking questions. So, eventually half of the dozen guys might agree it's a good idea, and they quit. How this trend stops would be an interesting question to ask.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
One Reason Why I Hate German Language
I'm in the middle of a German language course, and this week.....another reminder came up on why I dislike the language.
There are two German words to display 'pain' or 'hurt'. They are schmerzen and tut weh.
Here's the thing.....they both mean the exact same thing. There is no difference in the meaning of the two words. If you had to mess around with a German doctor......you'd have to use one of these words. Same for a German nurse, or some emergency technician. If you ask any German language expert....they are two separate words with the exact meaning.
So, here's the harsh reality of this.
My instructor this week.....put up twenty-five-odd body parts: Zeh (toes), Knie (knee), Herz (heart), Auge (eyes), Pol (butt), Bauch (stomach), etc.
Here's the thing.....depending on which problem you have, you have to use schmerzen for these, tut weh for those.
Example: Schmerzen: Zahn (teeth), Bauch (stomach), Ohr (ear), and Herz (heart). For tut weh: Finger (finger), Pol (butt), Auge (eyes), and Bein (leg).
Mixing and matching these? NO. If this is the knee.....you can only use tut weh. You can't use schmerzen.
Logic? There is none. I even asked the wife later and she admitted.....there is some rule to this, but you can say you have knee schmerzen and the German doctor won't say nothing much. The nurse writing this into your records.....might correct you and say it can only be tut weh, but no one really cares that much except language experts (her humble words).
Why two description existing with the same meaning but you can only use them for certain things? Unknown. Some guy back a thousand years ago probably invented the medical terminology and people just stuck to this guy's rules.
For a non-German.....it just adds to the pain and suffering of people trying to memorize the language and it's just not a practical thing to do.
So if you are ever in a German hospital and got some pain going on, and that nurse wants to correct you on this being a tut weh situation or a schmerzen situation.....well, now you know the basic reason why you need to be corrected.
There are two German words to display 'pain' or 'hurt'. They are schmerzen and tut weh.
Here's the thing.....they both mean the exact same thing. There is no difference in the meaning of the two words. If you had to mess around with a German doctor......you'd have to use one of these words. Same for a German nurse, or some emergency technician. If you ask any German language expert....they are two separate words with the exact meaning.
So, here's the harsh reality of this.
My instructor this week.....put up twenty-five-odd body parts: Zeh (toes), Knie (knee), Herz (heart), Auge (eyes), Pol (butt), Bauch (stomach), etc.
Here's the thing.....depending on which problem you have, you have to use schmerzen for these, tut weh for those.
Example: Schmerzen: Zahn (teeth), Bauch (stomach), Ohr (ear), and Herz (heart). For tut weh: Finger (finger), Pol (butt), Auge (eyes), and Bein (leg).
Mixing and matching these? NO. If this is the knee.....you can only use tut weh. You can't use schmerzen.
Logic? There is none. I even asked the wife later and she admitted.....there is some rule to this, but you can say you have knee schmerzen and the German doctor won't say nothing much. The nurse writing this into your records.....might correct you and say it can only be tut weh, but no one really cares that much except language experts (her humble words).
Why two description existing with the same meaning but you can only use them for certain things? Unknown. Some guy back a thousand years ago probably invented the medical terminology and people just stuck to this guy's rules.
For a non-German.....it just adds to the pain and suffering of people trying to memorize the language and it's just not a practical thing to do.
So if you are ever in a German hospital and got some pain going on, and that nurse wants to correct you on this being a tut weh situation or a schmerzen situation.....well, now you know the basic reason why you need to be corrected.
Culture Trip
I ended up yesterday at the Rheingau Music Fest....over in Eltville (south of Wiesbaden). This was a violin episode at the Kloster Eberbach (an old wine operation that was a Basilica). The Rheingau folks have a summer-long period where various jazz and classical concerts will occur at different locations.
If you were interested in getting tickets to some of the remaining episodes for 2015.....well....they are practically sold out, so you need to start thinking about this as early as Christmas for summer of next year.
I should note several things. The ticket you buy via Rheingau....will include a kombi-ticket, which entitles you a free bus-ride from Wiesbaden to the fest location. They stop at the train-station, Deutsche Einheit in the middle of town and a park-and-ride location at the end of town. I'd suggest using it because parking while adequate at Kloster Eberbach......it's a fair distance (figure 20 minutes walking) to reach the Kloster.
I should note that yesterday was absolutely miserable in terms of the temperature at 6PM (the concert started at 8PM). The bus barely cools, and they don't open the doors to the building until 15 minutes prior to the concert. The curious thing is that it's at least 15 degrees F cooler inside the building than it is outside. This is a 1,000 year old building....made out of stone.....and very impressive on the interior. As hot as it might be outside, it's actually very comfortable on the inside.
There is a twenty-minute pause in the middle of the deal.....where they sell you drinks at a fairly expensive rate (three Euro for a small bottle of water). I'd strongly suggest that you bring your own personal bottle of water with you.
Finally, combining classical music and the Kloster together is a unique experience and worth the money to attend. Kids probably won't get anything much out of this, and I wouldn't waste the effort or money on thinking they'd find enjoyment in this. If you wanted a bit of culture.....this is a five star way to go.
If you were interested in getting tickets to some of the remaining episodes for 2015.....well....they are practically sold out, so you need to start thinking about this as early as Christmas for summer of next year.
I should note several things. The ticket you buy via Rheingau....will include a kombi-ticket, which entitles you a free bus-ride from Wiesbaden to the fest location. They stop at the train-station, Deutsche Einheit in the middle of town and a park-and-ride location at the end of town. I'd suggest using it because parking while adequate at Kloster Eberbach......it's a fair distance (figure 20 minutes walking) to reach the Kloster.
I should note that yesterday was absolutely miserable in terms of the temperature at 6PM (the concert started at 8PM). The bus barely cools, and they don't open the doors to the building until 15 minutes prior to the concert. The curious thing is that it's at least 15 degrees F cooler inside the building than it is outside. This is a 1,000 year old building....made out of stone.....and very impressive on the interior. As hot as it might be outside, it's actually very comfortable on the inside.
There is a twenty-minute pause in the middle of the deal.....where they sell you drinks at a fairly expensive rate (three Euro for a small bottle of water). I'd strongly suggest that you bring your own personal bottle of water with you.
Finally, combining classical music and the Kloster together is a unique experience and worth the money to attend. Kids probably won't get anything much out of this, and I wouldn't waste the effort or money on thinking they'd find enjoyment in this. If you wanted a bit of culture.....this is a five star way to go.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Some Will Stay.....Some Will Go
The chief highlight of German news yesterday....was this roughly ten-minute video of Chancellor Merkel at some youth-to-Chancellor meeting, and this Palestinian gal (14 years old I would judge by viewing the video)....got into an emotional moment with Merkel over her families problem. They've been in Germany for roughly four years on a temp-visa deal and it's about to run out. Dad can't get an extension. The young girl has been in German school.....found a liking for Germany and desperately wants to stay.
For any politician.....especially an American one.....it'd be a harsh reality moment and they'd screw it up. Wouldn't matter if it was Bush or Obama, or any of a dozen-odd Senators.....they'd just plain screw it up.
What Merkel does is a logical professor-like chat, and she basically says that everyone wants to immigrate into Germany, and it's just not possible. Some will stay.....some will go.
Naturally, that peeved off a bunch of the pro-immigration folks and they say she was awful hard on this poor, poor, poor teenage immigrant girl. I've watched the various angles to this via the German media and grasp the games being played out.
I'm not a German, a journalist, or a rocket scientist.....but I can generally view the bigger picture of what is going on with Germany and the immigration topic.
Here is the blunt truth. There are around two hundred million people (minimum), who are in a harsh or an economically unpleasant environment. They know it because they can watch videos of other places and talk to people who've actually left the 'homeland'. These people on any given minute would like to leave, and make their way to some fantasy land that they've heard about.
If you opened up borders, offered the transportation deals at a reasonable cost.....Europe would be viewed by at least a hundred million people entering as their region of choice. The US and Canada would probably get the other hundred million.
Oddly, most of these potential immigrants aren't interested in Sweden or Norway.....that's icy and snowy. They aren't interested in Greece or Portugal because of economic issues. Spain and Italy rarely make it on their list. So the bulk of these people want either France or Germany.
Could Germany handle thirty-odd million immigrants? Even if you spaced them out over twenty years? No.
When some idiot stands up and voices negative comments over Chancellor Merkel and her statement....some will stay and some will go.....well...it's a bogus argument from the far left. They want to charm some naive members of society and convince them of the wonderful opportunities in Germany. There are such opportunities....sadly, you can't have twenty or thirty million people show up in Germany over a year and think the same opportunities would continue to exist. Germany itself.....would cease to exist.
The sad part about this video-clip is that it will generate at least a dozen public TV (state-run TV) public forums. They will spend at least ten hours over the next week.....chatting about this Merkel comment.....the some will stay and some will go statement.....and reality. The bulk of German society (my humble guess of fifty percent or more).....believe Merkel is right about this. Around a quarter of the population will have no real opinion.....they are worried about more pressing issues, the upcoming soccer season, their companies profit margin, and the cost of raising two kids. Some folks will stress that Germany needs to take in lots of immigrants, but they will never say the number that they mean. It'll be a clever way of pushing an agenda but not being truthful about the agenda.
My suggestion for the Germans? Start hyping up negativity. Germany is not a pleasant place. Too many old castles. Wild music and festive occasions out of control. Too much in taxes. Too harsh of a vehicle inspection standard. Too many criminals. Too many robberies. Too many potholes. Too many women hanging around street corners with their boobs exposed. Too many poor people. Shortages of schnitzel and beer reported daily. Car accidents occurring on a fantastic pace. People falling off cruise boats on the Rhein. Strikes paralyzing airports and train stations. People buying marginal bio food at local grocery operations. Wolves dragging little kids and old retired guys off into the woods because they are starving. Yeah....make up every negative story possible and just hype them up with the foreign public. Make Germany sound miserable. That'll convince people to look elsewhere....like Poland or Russia.
Like I said....I'm not a German, a politician, or a rocket scientist.
For any politician.....especially an American one.....it'd be a harsh reality moment and they'd screw it up. Wouldn't matter if it was Bush or Obama, or any of a dozen-odd Senators.....they'd just plain screw it up.
What Merkel does is a logical professor-like chat, and she basically says that everyone wants to immigrate into Germany, and it's just not possible. Some will stay.....some will go.
Naturally, that peeved off a bunch of the pro-immigration folks and they say she was awful hard on this poor, poor, poor teenage immigrant girl. I've watched the various angles to this via the German media and grasp the games being played out.
I'm not a German, a journalist, or a rocket scientist.....but I can generally view the bigger picture of what is going on with Germany and the immigration topic.
Here is the blunt truth. There are around two hundred million people (minimum), who are in a harsh or an economically unpleasant environment. They know it because they can watch videos of other places and talk to people who've actually left the 'homeland'. These people on any given minute would like to leave, and make their way to some fantasy land that they've heard about.
If you opened up borders, offered the transportation deals at a reasonable cost.....Europe would be viewed by at least a hundred million people entering as their region of choice. The US and Canada would probably get the other hundred million.
Oddly, most of these potential immigrants aren't interested in Sweden or Norway.....that's icy and snowy. They aren't interested in Greece or Portugal because of economic issues. Spain and Italy rarely make it on their list. So the bulk of these people want either France or Germany.
Could Germany handle thirty-odd million immigrants? Even if you spaced them out over twenty years? No.
When some idiot stands up and voices negative comments over Chancellor Merkel and her statement....some will stay and some will go.....well...it's a bogus argument from the far left. They want to charm some naive members of society and convince them of the wonderful opportunities in Germany. There are such opportunities....sadly, you can't have twenty or thirty million people show up in Germany over a year and think the same opportunities would continue to exist. Germany itself.....would cease to exist.
The sad part about this video-clip is that it will generate at least a dozen public TV (state-run TV) public forums. They will spend at least ten hours over the next week.....chatting about this Merkel comment.....the some will stay and some will go statement.....and reality. The bulk of German society (my humble guess of fifty percent or more).....believe Merkel is right about this. Around a quarter of the population will have no real opinion.....they are worried about more pressing issues, the upcoming soccer season, their companies profit margin, and the cost of raising two kids. Some folks will stress that Germany needs to take in lots of immigrants, but they will never say the number that they mean. It'll be a clever way of pushing an agenda but not being truthful about the agenda.
My suggestion for the Germans? Start hyping up negativity. Germany is not a pleasant place. Too many old castles. Wild music and festive occasions out of control. Too much in taxes. Too harsh of a vehicle inspection standard. Too many criminals. Too many robberies. Too many potholes. Too many women hanging around street corners with their boobs exposed. Too many poor people. Shortages of schnitzel and beer reported daily. Car accidents occurring on a fantastic pace. People falling off cruise boats on the Rhein. Strikes paralyzing airports and train stations. People buying marginal bio food at local grocery operations. Wolves dragging little kids and old retired guys off into the woods because they are starving. Yeah....make up every negative story possible and just hype them up with the foreign public. Make Germany sound miserable. That'll convince people to look elsewhere....like Poland or Russia.
Like I said....I'm not a German, a politician, or a rocket scientist.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Fifteen Votes on the German Side
It was an odd thing on Monday to read over reports from the news media of the EU meeting for Greece. If you read reports out of Germany and the UK....most said that the majority of EU countries at the meeting (19 total)....were supporting the Greek position, and against Germany's hardline. Naturally, this led onto a 400-word reasoning why the Germans were in so much trouble and why Merkel had burned a number of bridges to reach this point.
Oddly, forty-eight hours later.....you start to get an odd piece of the story. ONLY three nations supported the Greek position (Italy, Cyprus and France).
Yeah, that's it.
The Germans actually had fifteen countries from the group in their corner. They were in agreement with the fifteen to take a harsh view of the whole mess and hand some tough measures over to Greece.
Why the news media message that Germany had screwed up? Unknown. It would be nice if the top-seated journalists would come back to the news forums and chat over their harsh treatment of the whole story.....but I doubt if they want to explain their logic or reasoning.
The present mess on Wednesday afternoon? Well.....the German Bundestag needs to vote on the 'help' for Greece. So far, a lot of public commentary from CDU/CSU members has been negative. It's a big question if Merkel will find enough Green, SPD and remaining members of the effort to agree on this.
I've noticed several SPD members who'd normally be out front and chatting in front of cameras......are absolutely silent on this matter. The Focus news media source says a vote might come by Friday night.
As for the Greek side? I noticed in the past thirty minutes that a couple of demonstrations and strikes are starting up today in Athens. Some hostile folks and angry feelings are in the mess now. Whether they can get the votes to approve this deal.....is now questionable. Some odd interview occurred with the Greek national leader, and he didn't really have what you'd call a four-star plan on getting this whole thing going in gear.
Also, the Greek guy did note.....he didn't expect banks to open again until August (two weeks away). It's not a good sign.
This is way far away from concluding.....if you ask me.
Oddly, forty-eight hours later.....you start to get an odd piece of the story. ONLY three nations supported the Greek position (Italy, Cyprus and France).
Yeah, that's it.
The Germans actually had fifteen countries from the group in their corner. They were in agreement with the fifteen to take a harsh view of the whole mess and hand some tough measures over to Greece.
Why the news media message that Germany had screwed up? Unknown. It would be nice if the top-seated journalists would come back to the news forums and chat over their harsh treatment of the whole story.....but I doubt if they want to explain their logic or reasoning.
The present mess on Wednesday afternoon? Well.....the German Bundestag needs to vote on the 'help' for Greece. So far, a lot of public commentary from CDU/CSU members has been negative. It's a big question if Merkel will find enough Green, SPD and remaining members of the effort to agree on this.
I've noticed several SPD members who'd normally be out front and chatting in front of cameras......are absolutely silent on this matter. The Focus news media source says a vote might come by Friday night.
As for the Greek side? I noticed in the past thirty minutes that a couple of demonstrations and strikes are starting up today in Athens. Some hostile folks and angry feelings are in the mess now. Whether they can get the votes to approve this deal.....is now questionable. Some odd interview occurred with the Greek national leader, and he didn't really have what you'd call a four-star plan on getting this whole thing going in gear.
Also, the Greek guy did note.....he didn't expect banks to open again until August (two weeks away). It's not a good sign.
This is way far away from concluding.....if you ask me.
The 'Boycott Germany' Gimmick of Greece
I noticed in German news this morning....an odd campaign erupted out of Greece in the last couple of days....."boycott Germany".
Yeah, so the angle on this is that Greeks are furious at the way the Germans manipulated the deal for the loan money. They insist that they will not buy German (Porsche, Adidas tennis shoes, Audi, Siemens, etc). It's mostly what I'd call a Twitter campaign and one has to have doubts that it's captured the enthusiasm of that many Greeks.
From my walks around Athens six weeks ago.....I'd say less than forty-percent of the adult population is 'hooked-up' with smart-phone or computer technology. You have to remember....up until 2013....Greeks insisted that computers were awful stressful and if you were a gov't employee.....you needed another six days of vacation a year.
How this 'boycott Germany' deal will come across in Germany itself? Here's the curious thing. More or less.....2.5 million Germans do a vacation in Greece yearly. With a population in Greece of eleven million people.....having 2.5 million Germans fly in and spend a week or two...is a big deal. While some Germans might stay at a 2-star hotel....eating cheaply, and mostly just laying at local beaches....I'd say the bulk (well over 75-percent) stay at nicer resorts/hotels and spend at least 1,500 Euro on their vacation (a family of four).
These are the people that buy t-shirts from some local peddler on the street. These are the people that eat ice cream each afternoon. These are the people who spend three or four evenings during the trip at some cafe and sip Greek wine. These are the people who will sit down and have a fabulous dinner at a nifty Greek cafe. These are the people who pay six Euro for a trip into the 'Cave of Zeus', then turn around and get a t-shirt noting they've been to the 'Cave of Zeus'. These are the people who rent a car for seven days while in Greece. These are the people who buy fake Chinese-made statues from the Greece gift shops while in Greece. And these are the people who pay tour-bus operators forty Euro per person for an afternoon drive of the Greek countryside or ninety-Euro per person for a four-hour boat trip to see some Greek dolphins while in the 37-degree C heat.
The question is....why would I piss off a bunch (2.5 million) of Germans?
Just from the prospective of the two Greek airline companies.....there's at least forty flights a day from various German cities during the summer months. There's tons of money being made with 200-odd passengers on each plane. Why would you want to screw around and lose a ton of business?
There's at least five billion Euro lost if you trigger the 2.5 million Germans into skipping on vacation in Greece. They will go elsewhere.
The sad thing here, is that hotels, pubs, and restaurants, along with the bus and airline companies....employed literally tens of thousands of Greeks to make this operation as smooth as possible. When you go up to some public beach and those six ice cream shops sit there on a two-kilometer stretch of beach.....they all employed people to run them. The pub next to the hotel with a nice view of beach? They employed five or six folks to run the bar and ensure a four-star operation.
Somewhere in this threat of a boycott of Germany....I see a fair amount of foolishness....people with no common sense or vision of how the economy of Greece is hinged to public perception. The last thing on Earth that you'd want 2.5 million Germans to do.....is have this really stupid view of an unfriendly place....where it's best to avoid.
I have no idea of the success or direction of this boycott. But as Germans wake up this morning and read their local paper....they will have an idea of the story, and might bring this up with a friend or neighbor. By this weekend.....ninety-percent of Germans will know about the boycott idea. Sadly, I don't think they will take it in a friendly way. And no.....they won't talk of boycotting Greece....they will simply smile and say they've got better places to spend their money. If you ask me.....the Turks might be grinning a bit and know precisely where the alternate deal will be.
Yeah, so the angle on this is that Greeks are furious at the way the Germans manipulated the deal for the loan money. They insist that they will not buy German (Porsche, Adidas tennis shoes, Audi, Siemens, etc). It's mostly what I'd call a Twitter campaign and one has to have doubts that it's captured the enthusiasm of that many Greeks.
From my walks around Athens six weeks ago.....I'd say less than forty-percent of the adult population is 'hooked-up' with smart-phone or computer technology. You have to remember....up until 2013....Greeks insisted that computers were awful stressful and if you were a gov't employee.....you needed another six days of vacation a year.
How this 'boycott Germany' deal will come across in Germany itself? Here's the curious thing. More or less.....2.5 million Germans do a vacation in Greece yearly. With a population in Greece of eleven million people.....having 2.5 million Germans fly in and spend a week or two...is a big deal. While some Germans might stay at a 2-star hotel....eating cheaply, and mostly just laying at local beaches....I'd say the bulk (well over 75-percent) stay at nicer resorts/hotels and spend at least 1,500 Euro on their vacation (a family of four).
These are the people that buy t-shirts from some local peddler on the street. These are the people that eat ice cream each afternoon. These are the people who spend three or four evenings during the trip at some cafe and sip Greek wine. These are the people who will sit down and have a fabulous dinner at a nifty Greek cafe. These are the people who pay six Euro for a trip into the 'Cave of Zeus', then turn around and get a t-shirt noting they've been to the 'Cave of Zeus'. These are the people who rent a car for seven days while in Greece. These are the people who buy fake Chinese-made statues from the Greece gift shops while in Greece. And these are the people who pay tour-bus operators forty Euro per person for an afternoon drive of the Greek countryside or ninety-Euro per person for a four-hour boat trip to see some Greek dolphins while in the 37-degree C heat.
The question is....why would I piss off a bunch (2.5 million) of Germans?
Just from the prospective of the two Greek airline companies.....there's at least forty flights a day from various German cities during the summer months. There's tons of money being made with 200-odd passengers on each plane. Why would you want to screw around and lose a ton of business?
There's at least five billion Euro lost if you trigger the 2.5 million Germans into skipping on vacation in Greece. They will go elsewhere.
The sad thing here, is that hotels, pubs, and restaurants, along with the bus and airline companies....employed literally tens of thousands of Greeks to make this operation as smooth as possible. When you go up to some public beach and those six ice cream shops sit there on a two-kilometer stretch of beach.....they all employed people to run them. The pub next to the hotel with a nice view of beach? They employed five or six folks to run the bar and ensure a four-star operation.
Somewhere in this threat of a boycott of Germany....I see a fair amount of foolishness....people with no common sense or vision of how the economy of Greece is hinged to public perception. The last thing on Earth that you'd want 2.5 million Germans to do.....is have this really stupid view of an unfriendly place....where it's best to avoid.
I have no idea of the success or direction of this boycott. But as Germans wake up this morning and read their local paper....they will have an idea of the story, and might bring this up with a friend or neighbor. By this weekend.....ninety-percent of Germans will know about the boycott idea. Sadly, I don't think they will take it in a friendly way. And no.....they won't talk of boycotting Greece....they will simply smile and say they've got better places to spend their money. If you ask me.....the Turks might be grinning a bit and know precisely where the alternate deal will be.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
The Anchor on Germans
Based on the various summaries of the Greek 'deal'.....there's a hefty anchor on Greece and a hefty anchor on Germany....if this goes through.
To get the deal done.....Greece has to pass all the promised legislation within roughly seventy-two hours. Some Greek political folks are furious at the deal.....it being worse than the one that they had two weeks ago. Some votes might go negative and it's not a guaranteed thing that they will all side on this....just to end the mess.
The Greek public may decide that it's time for another national election......which is another issue to play with eventually.
Germany's Chancellor Merkel has to present the deal to the German Bundestag and get them to agree to pay out more money. No one is sure about this deal either. Several CDU members have said they would absolutely not support any new loans. A couple of SPD folks have said the same thing.
So, let's say that Merkel gets the necessary votes and things pass. Is it really done? Well.....no. German national elections are in the fall of 2017. Ample time for Greece to screw up and present a five-star mess to Merkel's replacement candidate for the CDU.
With the SPD supporting this measure as well....their followers will be harsh to blame them for stupidity.
So, a radical small party could quickly get fifteen to twenty percent of the national vote....simply to punish both for supporting a possible failed Greek loan.
It's a hefty anchor to bear, if you ask me. You have to hope that the Greeks aren't that screwed up or will fail intentionally....just to screw with German voters.
How angry will Germans be in a year or two, if the Greeks fail on change? You can stop a hundred Germans on the street and roughly eighty of them will say Greece has built-in issues and can't solve problems....so why loan them more money. This attitude is pretty concrete now.
To get the deal done.....Greece has to pass all the promised legislation within roughly seventy-two hours. Some Greek political folks are furious at the deal.....it being worse than the one that they had two weeks ago. Some votes might go negative and it's not a guaranteed thing that they will all side on this....just to end the mess.
The Greek public may decide that it's time for another national election......which is another issue to play with eventually.
Germany's Chancellor Merkel has to present the deal to the German Bundestag and get them to agree to pay out more money. No one is sure about this deal either. Several CDU members have said they would absolutely not support any new loans. A couple of SPD folks have said the same thing.
So, let's say that Merkel gets the necessary votes and things pass. Is it really done? Well.....no. German national elections are in the fall of 2017. Ample time for Greece to screw up and present a five-star mess to Merkel's replacement candidate for the CDU.
With the SPD supporting this measure as well....their followers will be harsh to blame them for stupidity.
So, a radical small party could quickly get fifteen to twenty percent of the national vote....simply to punish both for supporting a possible failed Greek loan.
It's a hefty anchor to bear, if you ask me. You have to hope that the Greeks aren't that screwed up or will fail intentionally....just to screw with German voters.
How angry will Germans be in a year or two, if the Greeks fail on change? You can stop a hundred Germans on the street and roughly eighty of them will say Greece has built-in issues and can't solve problems....so why loan them more money. This attitude is pretty concrete now.
Monday, July 13, 2015
The Effects of No
Greeks were awful proud two weeks ago as they cast the big no vote on the EU deal offered then. Time has passed, and based on interviews and lack of action by the EU over the weekend....you can generally say three things about the Greek mess now.
1. They had a better deal going before the 'no' vote with the EU. I watched five different update pieces yesterday where they chatted with Greeks on the street. They all kinda admitted that the present deal that is on the table is way beyond anything they could imagine and they wonder what the whole no vote was about.
2. By Sunday night, you can more or less admit that Greece will not be sent out of the Euro-zone. But the amount of pain that will have to be accepted by Greece is significant, and still....at best, there's at least another day or two of talks which might shape up, or might fall apart. The opera feeling....with hour-by-hour updates hitting Greece.....isn't helping.
3. If you look at public sentiment in Greece and various comments being made.....I'd take a guess that fresh new national elections are maybe just ninety days away. There's a lost cause here hanging over the present leadership and people losing confidence in anything being worked out. The next government? I don't think it matters who claims the winner's circle....they have no real chance to emerge from this mess.
The German view? If you go over the past four weeks, I'd say almost sixty hours of TV interviews and forums have been held. You can ask any German over the age of eighteen, and I'd take a guess that seventy percent have an opinion that they'd share with you. Of that group, I'd say that seventy-five percent of the folks with an opinion are mostly negative about the Greek mess and have no desire to fund any bail-out or loan. If you find someone who claims to be a Green Party member.....they might be a bit more friendly toward the Greek situation.
Oddly, no one asks the big question.....what happens if no bail-out loan is rigged up? I've sat there for hours looking over the chats and you just never see this question posed or someone asking if thousands of Greeks might pack up and try to claim refugee status in Germany.
So, a fresh Monday.....more debate.....more Greek stories.....and the tourist industry in Greece sinking fast with the summer crowd who should have come to spend tons of money but just said "no" as well.
1. They had a better deal going before the 'no' vote with the EU. I watched five different update pieces yesterday where they chatted with Greeks on the street. They all kinda admitted that the present deal that is on the table is way beyond anything they could imagine and they wonder what the whole no vote was about.
2. By Sunday night, you can more or less admit that Greece will not be sent out of the Euro-zone. But the amount of pain that will have to be accepted by Greece is significant, and still....at best, there's at least another day or two of talks which might shape up, or might fall apart. The opera feeling....with hour-by-hour updates hitting Greece.....isn't helping.
3. If you look at public sentiment in Greece and various comments being made.....I'd take a guess that fresh new national elections are maybe just ninety days away. There's a lost cause here hanging over the present leadership and people losing confidence in anything being worked out. The next government? I don't think it matters who claims the winner's circle....they have no real chance to emerge from this mess.
The German view? If you go over the past four weeks, I'd say almost sixty hours of TV interviews and forums have been held. You can ask any German over the age of eighteen, and I'd take a guess that seventy percent have an opinion that they'd share with you. Of that group, I'd say that seventy-five percent of the folks with an opinion are mostly negative about the Greek mess and have no desire to fund any bail-out or loan. If you find someone who claims to be a Green Party member.....they might be a bit more friendly toward the Greek situation.
Oddly, no one asks the big question.....what happens if no bail-out loan is rigged up? I've sat there for hours looking over the chats and you just never see this question posed or someone asking if thousands of Greeks might pack up and try to claim refugee status in Germany.
So, a fresh Monday.....more debate.....more Greek stories.....and the tourist industry in Greece sinking fast with the summer crowd who should have come to spend tons of money but just said "no" as well.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Smoking Changes in Austria
This week, Austria passed up a law that will eliminate smoking in any public place by the beginning of 2018.
Naturally, it's gotten a hostile review by pub, bar, and restaurant owners. They know the trend and statistical averages from Germany when they tried the same thing. Smokers will come into a pub or bar to have one drink, then leave.....no more multiple drink customers if they are smokers.
I read over the wording of the law as described in two Austrian papers.....the key term is "public". Private venues are excluded.....at least by the present wording. This kinda opens the door for pubs and bars to limit themselves to a membership 'game' and be strictly private in nature. You could sell memberships at the door for a Euro a month and note that a member has to accept smokers as part of the membership. If it sounds like a bogus way of getting around the law.....I imagine dozens, if not hundreds, of owners are thinking over the idea already.
I can remember back in the late 1970s.....being in a German beer-hall, and the whole place was one big smoke cloud. No one worried about it, and the owners never said a word over complaints made of the situation. Today? All it takes is one or two customers to get a owner worried.
No one said much in the Austrian articles over the new vapor technology and I kinda wonder if they will label that just as 'bad'.
What happens in 2018? My humble bet is that Austria wakes up about six months into the ban and discovers that thirty-percent of pub business evaporated.....to include tax revenue and roughly two-hundred Austrians lost their jobs because of less business. In the restaurant arena.....I'm betting on a ten-percent loss. All of this will lead to political conflict as people try to figure why customers won't stay for the second or third drink. Some idiot will suggest that the second or third drink should be non-taxed....to entice people to stay and drink more, which will get a few laughs around the Austrian countryside.
In the end.....the same number of smokers will exist.....but drinking more at home or on their balcony. It'll be curious to see what they do next.....like eliminate smoking from balconies across Austria or forbid patio smoking.
Naturally, it's gotten a hostile review by pub, bar, and restaurant owners. They know the trend and statistical averages from Germany when they tried the same thing. Smokers will come into a pub or bar to have one drink, then leave.....no more multiple drink customers if they are smokers.
I read over the wording of the law as described in two Austrian papers.....the key term is "public". Private venues are excluded.....at least by the present wording. This kinda opens the door for pubs and bars to limit themselves to a membership 'game' and be strictly private in nature. You could sell memberships at the door for a Euro a month and note that a member has to accept smokers as part of the membership. If it sounds like a bogus way of getting around the law.....I imagine dozens, if not hundreds, of owners are thinking over the idea already.
I can remember back in the late 1970s.....being in a German beer-hall, and the whole place was one big smoke cloud. No one worried about it, and the owners never said a word over complaints made of the situation. Today? All it takes is one or two customers to get a owner worried.
No one said much in the Austrian articles over the new vapor technology and I kinda wonder if they will label that just as 'bad'.
What happens in 2018? My humble bet is that Austria wakes up about six months into the ban and discovers that thirty-percent of pub business evaporated.....to include tax revenue and roughly two-hundred Austrians lost their jobs because of less business. In the restaurant arena.....I'm betting on a ten-percent loss. All of this will lead to political conflict as people try to figure why customers won't stay for the second or third drink. Some idiot will suggest that the second or third drink should be non-taxed....to entice people to stay and drink more, which will get a few laughs around the Austrian countryside.
In the end.....the same number of smokers will exist.....but drinking more at home or on their balcony. It'll be curious to see what they do next.....like eliminate smoking from balconies across Austria or forbid patio smoking.
The Open Border
I was looking over German news this morning and there's this small item which details the fact that this week.....the German cops met up with the statistical number of 1,000 refugees being noted in ONE day. The German cops also kinda admit.....this is the breaking point and they really can't handle this type of number.
I should note.....this came out of Bavaria and represents the southern front of Germany where you'd find most refugees entering the country anyway.
What the 1,000 a day number equates to? Well.....if it stayed on course, you'd be talking about 365,000 people entering Germany in one year....a hefty number if you compared it against a decade ago. No one has ever done a survey or study to say how many could enter and find accommodations or fit into integration efforts. No one has said how all this relates to the current job trends and the unemployment numbers.
What got pointed out in a Focus article this morning was that some of the border experts note that without some type of control.....ISIS members might enter Germany and become part of the overall crowd, and later stage attacks. I doubt if there's any four-star investigation over each person and their past background or behavior. Thirty years ago.....there would have been some cop report done on each person before you gave them any type of visa or period of immigration. I'm not sure of that with the current trend.
My prediction? Some political players will insist on upping the German border patrol and the police force. Maybe another 1,000 cops just for Bavaria alone. The general national election is roughly two years away, but I imagine that some minor German political party will be anti-immigrant and draw ten-percent or more of the national vote as a hard-line develops on the issue.
I should note.....this came out of Bavaria and represents the southern front of Germany where you'd find most refugees entering the country anyway.
What the 1,000 a day number equates to? Well.....if it stayed on course, you'd be talking about 365,000 people entering Germany in one year....a hefty number if you compared it against a decade ago. No one has ever done a survey or study to say how many could enter and find accommodations or fit into integration efforts. No one has said how all this relates to the current job trends and the unemployment numbers.
What got pointed out in a Focus article this morning was that some of the border experts note that without some type of control.....ISIS members might enter Germany and become part of the overall crowd, and later stage attacks. I doubt if there's any four-star investigation over each person and their past background or behavior. Thirty years ago.....there would have been some cop report done on each person before you gave them any type of visa or period of immigration. I'm not sure of that with the current trend.
My prediction? Some political players will insist on upping the German border patrol and the police force. Maybe another 1,000 cops just for Bavaria alone. The general national election is roughly two years away, but I imagine that some minor German political party will be anti-immigrant and draw ten-percent or more of the national vote as a hard-line develops on the issue.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Book Review: The Full Catastrophe
Travels Among the New Greek Ruins, by James Angelos
I spent the last five days pouring over The Full Catastrophe.....a through review of Greece and how they arrived at a five-star mess. The book was wrapped up in January and is fairly up to date.
First, I'll say that Angelos writes like Steinbeck and gives a wonderful rich full-color explanation of events and characters of Greek society. When he describes a scene of a Greek gal doing an interview, smoking a unfiltered cigarette and wearing cowboy boots....you actually stop and re-read the whole paragraph and get the significance of the moment. These are brilliant descriptions of mortal men and women....put to paper.
Second, there are only seven chapters to the book, but he divides the chapters into great explanations as to how Greek fall into a pit of despair. I would strongly suggest a slow read of chapter one....'Island of the Blind', which covers the disability gimmick used by a number of Greeks to claim a disability status using a fraudulent claim. Oddly, no one really feels shamed when they admit they were on the receiving end of the false claims.
As you pour over the book, you are left with three gut-feelings.
First, Greeks are screwed. They know they are screwed, and even admit to visitors they are screwed. It's almost like some national character flaw.....needing to be screwed and be public over the intense nature of the screw-job. They talk about being screwed with the neighbor, the retired guy at the pub, the local minister, and even their relatives. It's like a badge, and they wear it proudly.
Second, no one really wants to cooperate on tax-payment. Not the rich, not the middle-class, and not the poor. They worked hard for their assets and feel no one deserves their money. So when the gov't says they've collected X-amount of revenue for tax revenue.....it's probably half of what they should have collected.
Third, Greek politics work like a Shakespeare-Samuel Beckett-Oscar Wilde-T. S. Eliot twenty-five act play, with comedy, lust, deceit, fraudulent honor, and woeful heroes. Oddly, in the middle of the book, there's a chapter to cover 1940 to 1945, and you do get the idea that Greeks probably suffered more than any society at the hands of the Nazis....maybe just as much as the Jews in fact. Even in a thousand years.....I don't think the Nazi era will ever be forgotten in Greece.
My recommendation? If you have a curious nature over how Greece screwed up.....this is the book for you, and it'll be a rich reading experience. Don't worry about college economics being explained or some difficult-to-understand Greek history lesson. Angelos does a great job of telling a simple story and keeping you in full sight of the intended goal of the book.
Greece is.....in my humble opinion.....Disneyland-Med. It's the place where you want a week of relaxation, cobblestone streets, wonderfully cooked dinners, cheap wine, and a desire for a low-crime or low-stress environment. Greeks are among the nicest people in the world, and absolutely genuine in their character (they really aren't faking you). But somewhere over the past 2,500 years.....they've latched onto tax-avoidance, low view of law, and attached themselves to the ninth degree to socialism. It's the kind of socialism that you demand in receipt, but never seem to know the true cost, and act shocked later when you don't have the money to pay for what you desire.
I spent the last five days pouring over The Full Catastrophe.....a through review of Greece and how they arrived at a five-star mess. The book was wrapped up in January and is fairly up to date.
First, I'll say that Angelos writes like Steinbeck and gives a wonderful rich full-color explanation of events and characters of Greek society. When he describes a scene of a Greek gal doing an interview, smoking a unfiltered cigarette and wearing cowboy boots....you actually stop and re-read the whole paragraph and get the significance of the moment. These are brilliant descriptions of mortal men and women....put to paper.
Second, there are only seven chapters to the book, but he divides the chapters into great explanations as to how Greek fall into a pit of despair. I would strongly suggest a slow read of chapter one....'Island of the Blind', which covers the disability gimmick used by a number of Greeks to claim a disability status using a fraudulent claim. Oddly, no one really feels shamed when they admit they were on the receiving end of the false claims.
As you pour over the book, you are left with three gut-feelings.
First, Greeks are screwed. They know they are screwed, and even admit to visitors they are screwed. It's almost like some national character flaw.....needing to be screwed and be public over the intense nature of the screw-job. They talk about being screwed with the neighbor, the retired guy at the pub, the local minister, and even their relatives. It's like a badge, and they wear it proudly.
Second, no one really wants to cooperate on tax-payment. Not the rich, not the middle-class, and not the poor. They worked hard for their assets and feel no one deserves their money. So when the gov't says they've collected X-amount of revenue for tax revenue.....it's probably half of what they should have collected.
Third, Greek politics work like a Shakespeare-Samuel Beckett-Oscar Wilde-T. S. Eliot twenty-five act play, with comedy, lust, deceit, fraudulent honor, and woeful heroes. Oddly, in the middle of the book, there's a chapter to cover 1940 to 1945, and you do get the idea that Greeks probably suffered more than any society at the hands of the Nazis....maybe just as much as the Jews in fact. Even in a thousand years.....I don't think the Nazi era will ever be forgotten in Greece.
My recommendation? If you have a curious nature over how Greece screwed up.....this is the book for you, and it'll be a rich reading experience. Don't worry about college economics being explained or some difficult-to-understand Greek history lesson. Angelos does a great job of telling a simple story and keeping you in full sight of the intended goal of the book.
Greece is.....in my humble opinion.....Disneyland-Med. It's the place where you want a week of relaxation, cobblestone streets, wonderfully cooked dinners, cheap wine, and a desire for a low-crime or low-stress environment. Greeks are among the nicest people in the world, and absolutely genuine in their character (they really aren't faking you). But somewhere over the past 2,500 years.....they've latched onto tax-avoidance, low view of law, and attached themselves to the ninth degree to socialism. It's the kind of socialism that you demand in receipt, but never seem to know the true cost, and act shocked later when you don't have the money to pay for what you desire.
What I'd Expect on Sunday
Tomorrow is the big meeting in Brussels over the Greek loan request. Yesterday, some journalists felt they had the inside scoop and that Germany's Chancellor Merkel was agreeable to some type of loan deal. If you asked a hundred adult Germans.....barely ten I think.....would be approving of some loan. Greece comes over fairly negative in the German press and I just don't see the Greeks repairing the situation....that's not their past behavior.
This is the deal that I would offer the Greeks:
1. Agree to a forty-odd billion and three year deal. But the agreement of the deal doesn't end with a Brussels vote.....mandate another vote in Greece on 'yes-no', and mandate a second vote with the Greek Constitutional Court on 'yes-no'. If either vote against the deal....terminate the deal and end the misery for the EU. Let Greece walk way. Put the pressure on the court members to be agreeable with the deal or veto the deal.
2. After the 'yes' vote, immediately pay out a five-billion Euro down-payment and give the Greek parliament sixty days to pass specified changes that the agreement has in it. If they fail to wrap this up by the sixty-first day.....delay all future loan payments. If they meet the sixty-day requirement, make another five-billion Euro down-payment on the loan.
3. Six months must pass and no challenges or veto's by the Greek Supreme Court....otherwise, it'll delay the payment of the next five-billion.
4. Anger by the public with the current political party in charge, and another election to bring a new party in.....which says they never signed this deal and aren't responsible? Stop payments, and suspend the deal for six months.
There are over a thousand ways that the Greeks could take the fifty-odd billion Euro and actually do a positive thing with the money, and come out of this crisis in five to ten years. Sadly, no one expects them to do this.
My humble bet is that roughly 250,000 Greeks will pack up by late August and leave for Germany, France, Italy or central Europe. They will pack bags and cars, and just leave. Teachers will step into classrooms which ought to have twenty-five students and find only fifteen kids there. By December, I'm betting that almost a half-million Greeks will have left the country in 2015....giving up.
The sad truth is that they've spent two thousand years building this character and mentality.
This is the deal that I would offer the Greeks:
1. Agree to a forty-odd billion and three year deal. But the agreement of the deal doesn't end with a Brussels vote.....mandate another vote in Greece on 'yes-no', and mandate a second vote with the Greek Constitutional Court on 'yes-no'. If either vote against the deal....terminate the deal and end the misery for the EU. Let Greece walk way. Put the pressure on the court members to be agreeable with the deal or veto the deal.
2. After the 'yes' vote, immediately pay out a five-billion Euro down-payment and give the Greek parliament sixty days to pass specified changes that the agreement has in it. If they fail to wrap this up by the sixty-first day.....delay all future loan payments. If they meet the sixty-day requirement, make another five-billion Euro down-payment on the loan.
3. Six months must pass and no challenges or veto's by the Greek Supreme Court....otherwise, it'll delay the payment of the next five-billion.
4. Anger by the public with the current political party in charge, and another election to bring a new party in.....which says they never signed this deal and aren't responsible? Stop payments, and suspend the deal for six months.
There are over a thousand ways that the Greeks could take the fifty-odd billion Euro and actually do a positive thing with the money, and come out of this crisis in five to ten years. Sadly, no one expects them to do this.
My humble bet is that roughly 250,000 Greeks will pack up by late August and leave for Germany, France, Italy or central Europe. They will pack bags and cars, and just leave. Teachers will step into classrooms which ought to have twenty-five students and find only fifteen kids there. By December, I'm betting that almost a half-million Greeks will have left the country in 2015....giving up.
The sad truth is that they've spent two thousand years building this character and mentality.
Friday, July 10, 2015
"Alle Kinder Raus"
This week, I had to utilize my local bus service on several occasions. Typically, at 8AM, half the bus would be empty leaving my village. We are in the last week or two of school, and the teachers have flipped the schedule enough to allow kids to show up at 8:30AM.....this means they leave after the 8AM point and the bus is fairly crowded. In the city of Wiesbaden, it just gets worse.
So, one day this week.....the 'perfect storm' arrived.
I switched to another bus in town to reach my destination. The bus was packed full with regular riders (adults) and at least half the bus was fourteen to seventeen-year old kids trying to reach school. Packed.....would be an understatement.
Well....this is also the time of year when kindergarten kids are doing day-trips.
So we pull up to one stop and here are three 'cattle-herders' and their herd (approximately 15 kids of approximately five to six years old. The 'cattle-herders' are trying hard to corral the kids while on the bus and keep them in line.....all near the rear of the bus.
Next stop? Another herd to enter, with their three 'cattle-herders', and they try hard to keep these kids toward the front of the bus.
It's crammed full now and the bus driver knows it.
So we pull up and one of the 'herds' are ordered "alle kinder raus" (which translates, all kids disembark or leave). Course, it's only the herders of group A saying this. I'm kinda half-way watching this event and realize that some of group B are near the kids in group A, and there's at least one or two kids from B.....taking the order to get off. The herders of the second group aren't really catching onto this.
So, the group get off and the herders of group A are counting and the bus driver is ready to launch.....naturally.....the count is off, and they count again, and again.
Yeah, finally, the herders of group B catch on that they've lost some of their herd and try hard to retrieve a lost 'cow' from the group.
It was chaotic and amusing at the same time. Eventually, after wasting probably four minutes at this stop.....we finally retrieve this 'cow' and proceed on.
So, one day this week.....the 'perfect storm' arrived.
I switched to another bus in town to reach my destination. The bus was packed full with regular riders (adults) and at least half the bus was fourteen to seventeen-year old kids trying to reach school. Packed.....would be an understatement.
Well....this is also the time of year when kindergarten kids are doing day-trips.
So we pull up to one stop and here are three 'cattle-herders' and their herd (approximately 15 kids of approximately five to six years old. The 'cattle-herders' are trying hard to corral the kids while on the bus and keep them in line.....all near the rear of the bus.
Next stop? Another herd to enter, with their three 'cattle-herders', and they try hard to keep these kids toward the front of the bus.
It's crammed full now and the bus driver knows it.
So we pull up and one of the 'herds' are ordered "alle kinder raus" (which translates, all kids disembark or leave). Course, it's only the herders of group A saying this. I'm kinda half-way watching this event and realize that some of group B are near the kids in group A, and there's at least one or two kids from B.....taking the order to get off. The herders of the second group aren't really catching onto this.
So, the group get off and the herders of group A are counting and the bus driver is ready to launch.....naturally.....the count is off, and they count again, and again.
Yeah, finally, the herders of group B catch on that they've lost some of their herd and try hard to retrieve a lost 'cow' from the group.
It was chaotic and amusing at the same time. Eventually, after wasting probably four minutes at this stop.....we finally retrieve this 'cow' and proceed on.
The 53.5 Billion Euro Question
News reports this morning via the German press indicate the magic number of the Greek loan to keep them afloat.....is 53.5 billion Euro. In exchange for the loan.....Greece would bring up pension changes, cut spending, and push forward more sales taxes.
Where did the 53.5 billion Euro number come from? No one says much. Behind this....has to be some spreadsheet with some idea of the funds necessary to get them by for a period of three years (at least that's the other magic number they talk about). All of this would keep them in the EU, still able to use the Euro, and lay out some path to a new currency deal (Drachma). Some journalists aren't sure that the Greeks will really carry out the Drachma idea.
I was reading an oddball story late yesterday. Over the past week, there's been a big upswing on passport applications....especially for Greek kids. Some people believe that this is mostly for people admitting it's all a failure and no reason to stay.....so they are planning on an exit and taking their kids with them. Typically for a Greek......this is a permanent exit and they don't intend to move back.
I watched a German news piece last night. They sent a reporter on a plane down to Kos.....one of the major vacation resort islands in Greece. The plane? It was your typical 200-passenger plane and the majority of seats were empty. Normally in July.....every single seat would be full. The reporter went out to the beaches and interviewed Germans who were somewhat happy with their vacation but were a little apprehensive. The reporter went to the ATM to get cash and found the 100-Euro limit in place. If you were a tourist.....you'd best bring all your cash with you.....before flying into Kos.
The problem with the 53.5 billion Euro deal....at least within Germany.....no one believes the Greeks are capable of change. No department of the Greek government will downsize. No rich folks will be brought in for tax audits. No one with foreign bank accounts will be audited. Nothing much is expected the change. Personally, I would even have doubts that the 53.5 billion Euro would last to the end of the third year. With fake promised changes.....I'd give them twelve months at best.
My suggestion would be to agree to some fifteen billion Euro 'gift' (not a loan), and just say that's the end of the connection to the EU in terms of the Euro and Greece.
Let's be realistic....this three-year game-plan here? This current government will likely not be around to see it.....nor will it's replacement govenrnment. Whoever comes in....will have no connection to the agreement and say it wasn't done on their participation (the typical Greek stance to take). So cooperating and giving them the 53.5 billion Euro really doesn't matter. Neither does the 3-year deal.
The curious thing would be the data used to dream up the magic number of 53.5 billion Euro. Who knows.....maybe it was just a 16-year old kid working on some class project and he suggested the number to his dad who works in the finance ministry.
Where did the 53.5 billion Euro number come from? No one says much. Behind this....has to be some spreadsheet with some idea of the funds necessary to get them by for a period of three years (at least that's the other magic number they talk about). All of this would keep them in the EU, still able to use the Euro, and lay out some path to a new currency deal (Drachma). Some journalists aren't sure that the Greeks will really carry out the Drachma idea.
I was reading an oddball story late yesterday. Over the past week, there's been a big upswing on passport applications....especially for Greek kids. Some people believe that this is mostly for people admitting it's all a failure and no reason to stay.....so they are planning on an exit and taking their kids with them. Typically for a Greek......this is a permanent exit and they don't intend to move back.
I watched a German news piece last night. They sent a reporter on a plane down to Kos.....one of the major vacation resort islands in Greece. The plane? It was your typical 200-passenger plane and the majority of seats were empty. Normally in July.....every single seat would be full. The reporter went out to the beaches and interviewed Germans who were somewhat happy with their vacation but were a little apprehensive. The reporter went to the ATM to get cash and found the 100-Euro limit in place. If you were a tourist.....you'd best bring all your cash with you.....before flying into Kos.
The problem with the 53.5 billion Euro deal....at least within Germany.....no one believes the Greeks are capable of change. No department of the Greek government will downsize. No rich folks will be brought in for tax audits. No one with foreign bank accounts will be audited. Nothing much is expected the change. Personally, I would even have doubts that the 53.5 billion Euro would last to the end of the third year. With fake promised changes.....I'd give them twelve months at best.
My suggestion would be to agree to some fifteen billion Euro 'gift' (not a loan), and just say that's the end of the connection to the EU in terms of the Euro and Greece.
Let's be realistic....this three-year game-plan here? This current government will likely not be around to see it.....nor will it's replacement govenrnment. Whoever comes in....will have no connection to the agreement and say it wasn't done on their participation (the typical Greek stance to take). So cooperating and giving them the 53.5 billion Euro really doesn't matter. Neither does the 3-year deal.
The curious thing would be the data used to dream up the magic number of 53.5 billion Euro. Who knows.....maybe it was just a 16-year old kid working on some class project and he suggested the number to his dad who works in the finance ministry.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Bernd Lucke
Bernd Lucke was at the front of the AfD political party since the very beginning. AfD took a fair amount of the FDP voters and a few CDU folks as they progressed. Today, around Germany.....AfD has roughly six-percent of the national voting audience.
The appeal of Lucke hasn't exactly been a bright star. He doesn't charm people, and some journalists have the opinion that he's more of a fraud than a leader for a political party. For political forums.....he just didn't seem to fit into the situation.
Well....this past week....AfD had a meeting and replaced Lucke as their head guy.
Yesterday, German political news noted that Lucke had a brief discussion with some reporter, and noted that he was now going to build a new political party and lead it.
Yeah.....the guy is a born politician and will not accept 'no'.
As for AfD? No one is really saying much over the changed leadership.....and if it means much. Maybe AfD has peaked at six percent and this is the highest they will ever rise. As for Lucke? Well....maybe there's enough room for another oddball political party in Germany and he's the right guy for it.
The appeal of Lucke hasn't exactly been a bright star. He doesn't charm people, and some journalists have the opinion that he's more of a fraud than a leader for a political party. For political forums.....he just didn't seem to fit into the situation.
Well....this past week....AfD had a meeting and replaced Lucke as their head guy.
Yesterday, German political news noted that Lucke had a brief discussion with some reporter, and noted that he was now going to build a new political party and lead it.
Yeah.....the guy is a born politician and will not accept 'no'.
As for AfD? No one is really saying much over the changed leadership.....and if it means much. Maybe AfD has peaked at six percent and this is the highest they will ever rise. As for Lucke? Well....maybe there's enough room for another oddball political party in Germany and he's the right guy for it.
More Greece
I picked up The Full Catastrophe by James Angelos yesterday and got about seventy pages into it so far. It's an up to date book over Greece and how they screwed up....year after year.....decade after decade. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who is curious about the Greece mess.
I noted in Monday's episode at the EU.....Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium representative at the EU), gave a fairly blunt speech to the Greek Prime Minister and basically said that they weren't that naive at the EU anymore. If you have time.....it's a short seven-minute speech and you can find at YouTube. The Greeks might be able to find thirty-percent of the folks at the EU who would vote for more cash and more time. I have doubts that it'd ever go past the fifty percent point based on comments spoken by several German journalists.
The three-year deal? Well.....from what the news folks talk about.....Greece is saying 'enough', and intends to drop the Euro but wants three years to stabilize things, and the Greeks need cash to survive this three year period. So far.....no one says how how much. From the 300-odd billion of the last effort, they survived almost five years. So logically, you'd figure we'd be talking about 150-odd billion Euro as a minimum.
I have doubts that Greece will get 150-odd billion Euro.....I have doubts that the EU would even offer 30-odd billion Euro.
As folks come up on Sunday and hear the active discussion and determine the final stage of the event.....my belief is that Greece will be offered an exit to the Euro and be able to stay within the 'zone' under some amazing umbrella of sorts. The EU will offer up some 60-to-90 day 'gift' (never to be paid back) and just say that's the end of this relationship. Greece will have to stage the Drachma return or find a second currency on its own.
Can the Drachma return in 90 days? My humble guess is yes. Contract out the service....haul the currency out to banks, and figure the right exchange rate. Prioritize your tasks and do only what is required. Huge inflation in the first year? Absolutely. Hostility by the hotels and tourist operations? Absolutely.
The thing is....no one outside of Greece believes that they can change or fix their problems. Lack of confidence now.....is a bigger problem than the crisis itself.
I noted in Monday's episode at the EU.....Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium representative at the EU), gave a fairly blunt speech to the Greek Prime Minister and basically said that they weren't that naive at the EU anymore. If you have time.....it's a short seven-minute speech and you can find at YouTube. The Greeks might be able to find thirty-percent of the folks at the EU who would vote for more cash and more time. I have doubts that it'd ever go past the fifty percent point based on comments spoken by several German journalists.
The three-year deal? Well.....from what the news folks talk about.....Greece is saying 'enough', and intends to drop the Euro but wants three years to stabilize things, and the Greeks need cash to survive this three year period. So far.....no one says how how much. From the 300-odd billion of the last effort, they survived almost five years. So logically, you'd figure we'd be talking about 150-odd billion Euro as a minimum.
I have doubts that Greece will get 150-odd billion Euro.....I have doubts that the EU would even offer 30-odd billion Euro.
As folks come up on Sunday and hear the active discussion and determine the final stage of the event.....my belief is that Greece will be offered an exit to the Euro and be able to stay within the 'zone' under some amazing umbrella of sorts. The EU will offer up some 60-to-90 day 'gift' (never to be paid back) and just say that's the end of this relationship. Greece will have to stage the Drachma return or find a second currency on its own.
Can the Drachma return in 90 days? My humble guess is yes. Contract out the service....haul the currency out to banks, and figure the right exchange rate. Prioritize your tasks and do only what is required. Huge inflation in the first year? Absolutely. Hostility by the hotels and tourist operations? Absolutely.
The thing is....no one outside of Greece believes that they can change or fix their problems. Lack of confidence now.....is a bigger problem than the crisis itself.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Baking or Browning
We have this legal case brewing here in Germany.....over an odd topic....when is baking....really baking?
So, this starts with the ALDI grocery chain. For Americans who aren't familiar with ALDI.....I'd describe it as a grocery operation that runs on discount to a big degree and you will find a streamlined and fairly unremarkable store operation. It's not fancy....nor modern-looking....nor designed to be appealing. It's simple, and they try to cut operational costs via every possible method that you could dream up.
ALDI had this idea a couple of years ago.....to have fresh bread. This typically means that you employ bakers, and you run some oven in the operation. My local grocery (500 ft away) has such a bakery, with two ovens and eight-part-time folks who toss the delivered dough products there, and they bake it.
Well....ALDI found that they could buy a process-system where you push a button....dough would be put onto a conveyor belt, and run through a heated system.....to be delivered a couple of minutes later as a hot bread item. Pricing was very low, which appeals to most folks.
Somewhere in this use of the process-system.....the bakers union folks got involved and asked some stupid questions. They say that this process is not baking BUT browning (the German term utilized). If true, then ALDI can't use the term 'baking' in their advertising.
So a court has this problem to discuss. Why this all matters? For centuries.....craftsmanship has been a big deal in Germany. Whether you were discussing bakers, roofers, carpenters, or butchers.....people protected their trade and expertise. When a couple of German plumbers meet....it's almost like a secret society meeting, and they sit around with beers to discuss their trade, new developments, and the future trends. ALDI has stepped into the middle of a craftsman issue. Can a machine get the same status as a craftsman?
If ALDI loses? Well.....there will have to be a sign change and some advertising switch, but I suspect that the machine-process will stay around. Face it.....if you can get the same bread at a better price than the local bakery can provide.....there will be some folks who pick ALDI over the competition.
I've actually stood there and done the ALDI bread routine. The only problem I had....was this five-minute wait to get the bread that came out.
So, this starts with the ALDI grocery chain. For Americans who aren't familiar with ALDI.....I'd describe it as a grocery operation that runs on discount to a big degree and you will find a streamlined and fairly unremarkable store operation. It's not fancy....nor modern-looking....nor designed to be appealing. It's simple, and they try to cut operational costs via every possible method that you could dream up.
ALDI had this idea a couple of years ago.....to have fresh bread. This typically means that you employ bakers, and you run some oven in the operation. My local grocery (500 ft away) has such a bakery, with two ovens and eight-part-time folks who toss the delivered dough products there, and they bake it.
Well....ALDI found that they could buy a process-system where you push a button....dough would be put onto a conveyor belt, and run through a heated system.....to be delivered a couple of minutes later as a hot bread item. Pricing was very low, which appeals to most folks.
Somewhere in this use of the process-system.....the bakers union folks got involved and asked some stupid questions. They say that this process is not baking BUT browning (the German term utilized). If true, then ALDI can't use the term 'baking' in their advertising.
So a court has this problem to discuss. Why this all matters? For centuries.....craftsmanship has been a big deal in Germany. Whether you were discussing bakers, roofers, carpenters, or butchers.....people protected their trade and expertise. When a couple of German plumbers meet....it's almost like a secret society meeting, and they sit around with beers to discuss their trade, new developments, and the future trends. ALDI has stepped into the middle of a craftsman issue. Can a machine get the same status as a craftsman?
If ALDI loses? Well.....there will have to be a sign change and some advertising switch, but I suspect that the machine-process will stay around. Face it.....if you can get the same bread at a better price than the local bakery can provide.....there will be some folks who pick ALDI over the competition.
I've actually stood there and done the ALDI bread routine. The only problem I had....was this five-minute wait to get the bread that came out.
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