1. The newest discussed strategy discussed for the German pension reform? "Performance-based pension".
A pension amount plan that isn't determined by age, but by working life. A person who started contributing to the pension insurance at age 16 can retire after 45 years of employment. Someone who only starts working at age 25 must continue until they are 70. Otherwise, there will be reductions in their pension.
Basic idea....a university grad would be stuck in this retire-at-age-70 route. The rest (probably 70-percent of society) would retire by age 61. Yeah, the unhappy crowd would be the better-go-to-college folks. After viewing the concept....it's also apparent that the college-route folks would likely put more money away in their 40s/50s, and retire retire anyway at age 60 to 65.
2. Lot of hype yesterday from the anti-fireworks folks, as sales started up.
Up to around 2010....fireworks-problems (firing them at firemen, ambulances, and police)....was fairly rare on the 31st (Dec). In the past 15 years....it's a major problem in urbanized areas like Berlin, Frankfurt, etc.
3. Sparkasse (the bank) came out with a unusual 'note'....saying 'yes-bacteria-are-on-bills-from-the-ATM-machine'.
After you remove bills from a ATM....yeah, you probably should wipe your hands with alcohol.
4. A German guy ran through a church in Rottenburg, Baden-Württemberg. Threatening visitors with a knife. He ended up damaging church property.
Afterwards, he then went to the market square, where police who had been called to the scene, found him. The man threw the knife at the officers' feet. Prior record....ended up being taken to a psychiatric hospital.
5. Focus business article from yesterday....suggesting that 3.3-million people are working in Germany....on the 'black'...meaning they are not paying taxes, social pension, etc.
Gov't looking for various ways to discover them.
From the piece....if you really dig into it....a lot of these people are not full-time employed, and it might only be a month or two....with undeclared work.
6. N-TV had a business report this AM.....4-million German 'homes' (houses, apartments) have undeclared help/maids/cleaners.
They figure 90-percent of all help....is undeclared.
I would imagine a lot of people would halt their maid-service....if they had to go cover taxes/social pension....as well.
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