Prep-Mentality

For about two days....I've been pondering this report I saw....mostly commentary by the former Finnish President...Sauli Niinisto.

Niinisto says you folks  (meaning the citizens of the EU)....should stockpile three days’ worth of goods for potential disasters.  He included in this list of things to worry about.....nuclear conflict. 

The whole list of worries?  In includes cyberattacks, use of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons.

To be honest....three days is probably NOT enough, an it probably should be ten days minimum. (My humble view)

Will most Germans go this route and have a 'stash'?  I'm mostly divided over this idea.  You are basically suggesting that Germans need to worry, and the response will end being....how did such an event come to pass?

EU Story

 There's a story that started up yesterday and seems to have some points to it.  The EU apparently would like to have it's own intelligence agency (something like the CIA or MI6 or DGSE).

Odds that the 27 members of the EU will accept/approve this? I give it less than a 50-50 chance.  The fact that almost all of the EU members have their own secret intelligence 'group' already?  Well....yeah, there is that problem.  Most would ask....in the end....wouldn't this intelligence group monitor it's own EU members?

Who would it be aimed primarily against?  Mostly Russia, China, the US, the UK, and Iran (my humble belief).

The odds that both Russia and China saw this coming and have already got some candidates lined up to be 'insiders' to the EU agency?  I'd give it a 90-percent chance.

The folks most peeved in a decade?  The Brits.  They will go ballistic learning that a dozen EU James Bond-like spies are in London.  

1 November 2024: Nine German News Stories

 1.  Yesterday (31st), Germany ordered the three Iranian consulates (not the embassy itself) to be closed down.  Reason?  Iran, last week, put to death a German-Iranian and it was supposed to be a 'message' to Iranians in Germany....that they could 'touch' you.

2.  After that freak storm in Spain Wednesday (whole SW corner)....as of 10 AM...there are still  thousands of Spanish folks waiting to be rescued.  In some areas, the amount of rain in a 8-hour period....was what you'd expect over an entire year.

I viewed an hour of video over the day....must be at least 50,000 cars that will be identified as a total 'loss'.  

3.  Supposed to be a state election in Baden-Württemberg in the 2026.  Current Premier-President (Governor) is a Green Party guy and approaching retirement.  Word started up this week that the new 'face' for the Green Party in this election will be Cem Özdemir (current Agricultural Minister at the fed-level).

4.  WELT wrote up an interesting piece yesterday.....it's become noticeable that among Gen-Z folks....if you get down to  Vegans and Vegetarians.....they don't get along in a 'group'.

In various sub-categories....Gen-Z folks just get reach a consensus or group decision.

5.  Curious development with this North Korea soldier story with the Ukraine-war.

German press says the top North Korean General.....has accompanied his troops to the front.  

6.  German federal police numbers released yesterday....for 2023.  What they say....3.175 million crimes were noted for '​​general crime' in Germany.

In their numbers....for around 344k crimes....at least one suspected immigrant was involved.

Meaning?  They were part of 10-percent of all crimes committed over the country.

Compared to 2022?  A 27-percent increase.

Yeah, this is going to be a significant topic for the 2025 fed-election, and if you live in a metro-city (like Frankfurt or Berlin)....it's going to be talked about a great deal.

You have to remember.....one of the legacy points of the Merkel-era....they added ten-thousand more police.  Now?  They may have to add a additional ten-thousand....with limited funds available. 

7.  Last night, via RTL (commercial TV).....they ran the news piece 'Peter Kloeppel: Wie lösen wir die Flüchtlingskrise?'

Roughly two hours talking over the refugee/migration crisis in Germany.  I'd give it the stamp  of 'the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly'.

Key point of the news piece?  There's a Indian guy who has been in Germany for 16 years....approaching age forty.  Other than one brief period of employment....has never worked.  Collecting social-money each month.

The bad news related to next year's national election?  This is going to be one of the top three topics for politicians to chat upon.

8.  Major fire at a hospital in Frankenberg (about 2 hours north of Frankfurt).....in the rural regions of Germany.  Affects 150 people who were in it....they were evacuated.  Authorities say various parts of the hospital are no longer useable.

9.  Pretty confusing mess in the Thuringia state coalition talks.  BSW national 'boss'....Sahra Wagenknecht....seems to be in some power-situation with the state 'boss' (Katja Wolf)

Wolf seems prepared to continue talks and compromise on positions.  Wagenkecht wants to keep these state talks on her position only.

I'll just say it....the BSW Party is a temporary situation and likely not to make it more than six to eight years.