Business Story

 I read a business piece off Focus this AM.  Curious story of a CEO in Germany....who was hiring for a prime-management position.

I should state....the CEO is a guy, and the candidate being interviewed was a woman.

So in this case....the interview went well, and the offer was to be made....then this female candidate asked for one 'thing'....she wanted the CEO to 'talk' with her husband.

The purpose?  Well....to give insight if the job and company was a 'fit' for the wife (the husband was going to hear this out and offer his opinion to the wife).

The CEO....hearing the request....said 'no' and retracted the offer. He didn't want someone second-guessing management.

I pondered over this.  I've handled a couple of interviews for candidates in my life and there's a splitting point for me. For a clerk or technician....confidence isn't a big-deal.  For management....there can be no doubt in your mind....the person has to be able to make decisions on their own....without someone else involved.

One would  think after four to six years of college, and five-to-ten years of effort....you'd have the talent to make decisions.  

2 April 2025: Four German News Stories

 1.  Interesting piece from N-TV last night.....EU is discussing a reversal of the combustion engine ban (set for 2035).

Several countries are saying this E-car forced trend.....is a bad idea.  The report presented?  Well....German car makers are firmly attached to the E-car path....so if there is a reversal....they will be hurt to an extreme point.

2. CDU-CSU and SPD talking over coalition topics...brings up possible mandatory natural  disaster insurance idea.  No idea of cost for such insurance....but I would imagine if your village runs along a stream or creek....you will be assuming a hefty amount of cost.

3. CDU Bundestag members call for Kufiya (Arab scarf) ban in the Bundestag. 

4.  Violent crime statistics for Germany increased for 2024.  Expect this to be openly discussed a good bit over the next week.

Polling Chatter

RTL/NTV ran a poll last week....the CDU/CSU numbers?  25-percent.

AfD?  24-percent.

Yeah....only 1-point separating the two.  Logic?  I'd say the stumbling around by the CDU-CSU in building the coalition....has hurt them to some degree.

Other parties? SPD at 15-percent....Greens at 12-percent, and Linke Party at 10-percent.

BSW and FDP....at 4-percent each.

The odds of AfD passing by mid-summer?  Well....Merz (the  incoming Chancellor) needs the economy in positive numbers, and no terror-action....to stay ahead.  

If AfD were to reach 30-percent, and CDU-CSU to fall to around 20-percent?  The news media will freak out, and worry will trend upwards for 2026's state elections.  

1 Apr 2025: Five German News Stories

 1.  ARD story.....German gov't now says....1-billion Euro was spent by lobbyists in 2024....on the Bundestag...all-time  record.

2.  ARD piece....story over US bases in Germany, and the impact of troops possibly leaving.  I think the bulk of journalists in Germany believe some (if not  all) of US troops will leave...the remaining question...when?

I'm more of the mind that it'll happen by the end of 2026....with fewer than 6,000 US troops remaining.

3.   Next week....crime statistics for the federal-police will be released.  Lot of chatter over  this.....more violence numbers by teenagers expected in the numbers.

4.  Just an odd discussion item in the coalition talks.....CDU-CSU and SPD...want some firm understanding about dual-nationality Germans.  Could be positive....could be negative.

5.   Digital drivers license to start in Germany tomorrow.  You would carry it on your cellphone.  To be honest....if you asked Germans about how high a priority this is....most would say no-where near their top 1,000 things they desire.

Russian Draft Set?

 Well...the spring conscription starts in two months....Putin says (as of this morning)....new Russian conscription target is 160,000.

Not that I doubt he signed it.....but the odds of getting 160,000?   I  put it at 50-50.   At best....his 'boys'  will find probably around 50k to 70k...ask where a bunch of folks have disappeared off to, and just accept that fact.

The military reporting FULL conscription? Absolutely, but it's pure BS.

Why Is The Bahn (Nat'l Railway) Of Germany So Fuc*ed-Up?

 Being here in Germany in 1978/1979....I had a chance to see the old Bahn system....without all the technology.   So I will offer some observations:

1.  Old Bahn had a paper schedule, and once the 'route' started  (say at 9:30  AM)....it ran, until done.  Today....any one of forty things could trigger the modern Bahn to cancel the 'run'.

2.  Old Bahn lacked air conditioning, modern WC's (toilets were pretty simple), and windows were the only way to cool things.  Ticket prices were set to one single standard. 

Modern Bahn has  a ultra modern WC....decent air conditioning, and windows which cannot open.  Ticket prices?  There are a dozen ways you can calculate a price between X and Y locations.

3.  Did anyone in 1978 collect statistics?  I doubt it.  Today.....every single train, with every single 'failure'....is collected.

4.  The daily-use crowd of Bahn?  7.3-million of the 84-million....use it daily.  There's no statistical numbers for the 1970s Bahn....but I would imagine in the past twenty years....passenger traffic has doubled in nature.

5.  Germans adaptable to a plan 'B' situation?  I hate to say it....but I suspect that half the Bahn travelers of today....aren't able to handle a stressful mess....where you dump 300 folks at some station in the middle of nowhere, and told the rest of the trip is cancelled.  The 1978 Germans would have gathered around a schedule, and come to a rational plan in 4 minutes.

6. Finally, Germans of 2025....have this vision that 'IT ALL WORKS'.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing....but adapting to a mess used to be a major part of German culture. 

Note:  When I buy a 'Bahn-ticket'.....I tend to have a plan 'B' in mind.....knowing that the Bahn can (and will) fail.

Le Pen Story

 Did the French court system....convicting Marine Le Pen....barring her from running for French presidency in 2027....make a mistake?

Well...here's the thing about the National Front (Le Pen's party)....their current top choice is  probably NOT Le Pen...more likely Jordan Bardella....young and more acceptable (I think).

So for 3 years....Le  Pen will be seen as a 'martyr'....convicted by the system.

Maybe in their mind....the EU folks and the Macron folks....think handing the  conviction fixes things....but it just hypes Bardella more.

Military Chatter

For those who aren't really paying attention to the problem....Germany is having trouble recruiting people for the Army.  Remember....they gave up conscription about 15 years ago.  They have around 180k on active duty  presently (around 30k on reserve status).  They'd like to bump the 180k up to 200k.

Presently, the CDU-CSU  Party is talking over the problem, and they want a conscription 'deal' of some type.  The SPD Party....split mostly on this topic.  Half of them want a volunteer program where you could avoid military duty....if you weren't happy with it.  

I noticed today....the Youth Socialists (Juso)....the junior side of the SPD...has a group-leader...who is slamming this idea.  

The chairman of the German Youth Social Union (Juso), Philipp Türmer, says no to both the military service and civilian service. 

Quote?  "Conscription or compulsory military service are false solutions. The Bundeswehr doesn't need 18-year-olds who can barely hold an assault rifle. In the 21st century, it needs highly specialized personnel." 

I paused over the quote....to be honest....if you aren't of some maturity at 18...why should you have a vote?  If I were going with his logic....I'd set maturity to 21, and deny 'kids' the right  to vote until 21 as well.

Where this discussion is  going?

I think there's going to  be a list of civilian 'occupations'.....five to ten in nature.....and around age 17-to-19....you have to give six-to-eight months of training, and one year of 'duty' (either full-time or part-time)...with varying pay situations.  On the military-duty side.....you sign up for a longer period, but get a better pay-deal.  

I also think  there ought  to be a larger reserve force (like the way Finland does it).....where you pull a full 2-year period, then agree to meet for 2 weeks each summer for summer drill activity, and offer up 750 Euro at age sixty (per month) as a early retirement plus-up.