Sunday, March 19, 2023

Seven German News Stories

 1.  Kinda funny....via Focus, there's a page-one mention over Germans now hyped-up for 2023/2024 to suddenly get a new natural gas or oil heating furnace for their house....since the gov't is pursuing a ban on new furnaces of this type after 2024.  The quote is "If you ban something, Germans will definitely buy it."

No one can cite numbers but if you went to use normal yearly replacement figures for furnaces.....I would imagine it's going to be double for both 2023 and 2024.  

2.  In Switzerland, there's supposed to be a special meeting between the Swiss Federal Council, USB Bank and Credit Suiss Bank today (Sunday)....to iron out details for Credit Suiss to be bought.

Chief issue?  USB is laying down a requirement that Swiss government cover 6-billion dollars of a 'guarantee'.

If they merge up?  Well....there's this odd problem that pops up.....10,000 Suiss bank employees probably will be let go, and this would create a problem for the Swiss economy.

Is this a done deal?  No.  No one in the Federal Council has said much about the six-billion-dollar 'promise'.  

Explaining the Swiss Federal Council?  It's the executive 'arm' of the Swiss gov't.  It's a group of eight, and they have a fair amount of power to stand over a subject (if they all agree).  I would question how they feel about promising up six-billion-dollars.

3.  WELT has a interesting piece talking over home-construction permits.  There's been a collapse or rapid decrease in the last couple of months on permits.  Shift in mortgage rates partly to blame....plus inflation....plus the economy.  

4.  WELT pointed out some new fashion trend in Germany....where women are wearing panties as 'outerwear' (no pants).  It's probably a Berlin thing.

5.  SWR talked up a discussion item.....deposit fees for wine bottles.  There's just so many types of bottles used for wine....it'd be awful hard to see how this idea advances.

6.  There was a wedding situation down in Dunningen (B-W) where the local gun club want to have a 'shoot-off' (I would assume like a 21-gun salute).  Something went wrong with one of the guns, and the guy (late 50s) had 'burns' on his face (serious condition).  Fair unusual.

7.  Has the coalition gov't been formed in Berlin (the city) from the election?  No.

Remember, the CDU won the election and were in two potential coalition scenarios (CDU-SPD or CDU-Greens).  

Apparently, one of the major SPD 'clubs' in the city has said no....they don't want themselves as part of this CDU coalition. 

I won't say it's a drama, but if these talks falter.....it can only lead to a CDU-Green coalition (it's not the end of the world).   It does bear mentioning....it's possible no coalition can be formed, and another election is set into motion.  

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