27 July 2024: Six German News Stories

 1.  Over the past 2 or 3 months....if you pay attention to German news....a lot of demonstrations have started up in vacation 'points' of Spain.....wanting mass tourism limited in some way (particularly in Mallorca). 

The aim?  Its going at hotels and cruise ships.

Odds of what might happen?  It's possible that the cruise lines could be given a limit, and maybe one-third of them could be diverted elsewhere (probably the coastline of Spain).

But with hotels denying guests?  That's their bread-and-butter.

The protest folks may end up carving off 10-percent of the guests....but they'd also see cuts in commerce.  

Germans affected?  Eventually, I see Spain, Greece an Romania taking a fair chunk of tourism.

2.  N-TV ran a piece where the police are suggesting recruitment of Germans by Russia.....may have started up....to sabotage German commerce....without the Germans really grasping they'd be doing this for Putin's gov't.

Any truth to the matter?  So far...no.  It's mostly speculation.  

3.  ZF parts supplier in Germany (for cars)....cutting 14,000 positions next four years.  Yeah, it's a big deal.

4.   I sat and watched a N-TV news piece....trying to convince Germans that plain tap water is just as good as bottled water. If you tried this 'chatter' on  100 Germans....I doubt if it'd work on 98-percent.  My wife's premium bottled-water bill per each month?  Near forty Euro.  

5.  WELT this AM wrote up a pretty strong piece....German skepticism over E-cars.  Presently, the gov't is simply looking the other way.  At some point....probably leading up to the fed-election in the fall of 2025....this might be a top-five discussion topic.

6.  Germany talking about a application for the 2040 Olympics.  How they'd pay for it?  Some people have gone critical and said 'NO'.

Explaining The "Last Generation' Activists In Germany

In the last day or two....the group went back to the front-page of German newspapers....triggering a massive number of flight cancellations out of Koln and Frankfurt.  So....an introduction.

Last Generation (LG is what you often hear them referred to) is an association (actually trademarked) of climate activists in Germany and Austria....that started out originally in 2021 as a hunger-strike group.  They found after a few weeks....no one really cared.

So they shifted....gluing themselves to city streets, autobahns, and airport ramps.

Chief aim?  Forcing German authorities to accept extreme measures with the Paris Agreement and the 1.5 degree target. 

Where the authorities are leading the group?  Mostly into a 'trap'....using the court system, and accusing them of criminal offenses. 

Having watched the public forum shows where they got a chance to talk.....they have certainly memorized a page or two of dire circumstances.  I'll say for myself....about ten minutes into hearing their 'chatter'....I have this image in my mind of a religious-cult organization.  

What I suspect will happen as we get closer to the 2025 federal election?  Several of the political parties will be forced to talk about the group, and it won't be a friendly conversation.  Judges and prosecutors will end up being forced to convict and send the 'kids' (mostly all in the 18-to-25 year old range) off to a year or two of prison.  The top-level bosses?  They might even see themselves in a three-to-five year situation.

Angering the group and transforming them into a 'Red-Army-Faction' like unit?  Well....yeah.....it seems to be the path developing.  

Outside influence?  I don't think there's a huge amount of money/funding involved here.  The flight problems created in Frankfurt yesterday?  It took around six  to seven individuals.  I'm sure they were promised free legal help.  

Respect with the general public?  NO.  Most working-class Germans affected by the autobahn and airport blockages....have a very negative opinion of the group.  In terms of selling a 'message' or 'brand'?  They are doing a lousy job.

Young people without a job?  Well.....no one ever tells the insider situation with the group members.  One gets the impression that they are mostly educated folks....well-to-do parents...have nothing to relate to welfare-status in the country....thieving on cult-like chatter.  Public TV selling the 'message'?  There's been two forums which tried to be pro-LG, and people stood up to ask why you did that.  

So that's the story of 'LG'.....they aren't going away quietly, and if you asked me in the next decade where the next terrorism 'cell' will develop.....these are the guys. 

My Route-To-A-Italian-Hotel Story

 The Air Force sent me and a contractor for 10 days to Italy (northern region) back in 1998.  So we arrived and went to the base-hotel....which responded and said 'no rooms'.  So they arranged a stay at regional hotel.

The Italian desk lady for the Air Force then brought out this 15-line verbal/written map....not a real actual drawing map....like you'd expect.  'Mike' (the contractor) spoke a good bit of Italian and he seemed set to the task.....I personally felt uneasy about the complicated nature of what they were doing.

So we started the drive to what the lady said was a 'nice' hotel...about 25 minutes away.

Around the 3rd task in this 'adventure'....we approached a five-turn traffic-circle.....with the instructions fairly complicated.  Both Mike and I noticed at least six signs at each exit of the circle, and we  actually made two revolutions around the circle before we felt sure about the right exit.

We drove through at least three valleys, with at least six different turns, and complicated by a mass of Italian signs trying to guide you (my impression, they wanted you to get lost).

This was all before GPS came along....I should note.

So we finally reach this really remote village in the middle of nowhere.  It had a gas station.....tobacco shop....some small grocery, and  a post office.  Then at the end of the village....this sign to 'such-and-such' hotel.  Well....we get there and then realize....this is some type of wellness resort...five-star type.  

I'm shaking my head....'Mike, this can't be right'.   He looks over  the base-hotel letter, and there's apparently a 'special' rate for base-guests.

We checked into what was one of the finest hotels that I've stayed at in my life.  Whatever imagination you had for a five-star place....with this hotel, it'd been met and exceeded.  Pool, spa and hot-rock treatment....was all included in the 'deal'.

The one problem?  Meals were some outrageous amount....'Mike' figured it up...just for a cheap pizza....you'd paid like $50 (with the beer included).  

So we walked back into the village and found this 'hole-in-the-wall' grandma-run pasta shop.  We feasted that evening pizza/pasta with desert....with three beers each, and probably spent around $20 roughly each.    

It was the best 10 days of 'work' I've done.....in my career.  

26 July 2024: Nine German News Stories

 1.  As of 6:30 AM Thursday....air traffic into Frankfurt's airport shut-down.....apparently, some 'Last Generation' activists sneaked out and glued themselves on ramps.

What makes this interesting....about five months ago....the group promised that they were looking for new tactics and would cease the airport drama business.

In a normal day, Frankfurt handles around 1,400 flights.  Cancellations yesterday?  Near 250.  

It is deep into the vacation period....so the discount airlines (the ones that want you physically on the plane at 5:30 AM for take-off, or landing at 10:45 PM)....were stuck in a landing pattern that would not work.  Fair amount of hostility brewing.  Leaving the next day?  No one is saying that for sure.

Expectations on the activists?  This time....I think the authorities will put the hammer down and start mandating multi-year jail sentences.  

2.  Interesting twist of politics in the state of Thuringia.  Election coming up (state type) and the AfD candidate says if they win....they will cease MDR (the state public TV network) and force an end to the TV/Media tax.

On polls?  Yeah, AfD seems likely to get 29-percent of the vote (first place).  Since they can't partner with anyone....it seems unlikely this threat will occur.

But here's the one hook....if you go and chat with Germans in the age group of 18 to 40....I would imagine almost 50-percent of people want the TV/Media tax  dumped. 

3.  A Frankfurt Islamic Center has now been shutdown....same story as the Hamburg episode.

4. 28 Sep 2025 is now set as the federal election day (Sunday).

5.  WDR, one of the sub-public TV networks.....is putting up a new film building for the organization.  An executive chair was bought....with the public TV folks paying 4,500 Euro for 'bosses' chair.

6.  Ford-Germany 'boss' came up in a interview yesterday....saying the E-car business is NOT working....sales are flat.

The VW, Opel and BMW chiefs have already made similar statements.  

Crisis level?  When you start to pull into a German dealer lot, and he has forty E-cars just sitting there, and there's another 8,000 back at the factory....yeah, that will be the crisis point where the federal government admits they screwed up with the mandate.  

7.  Crazy episode in Hamburg late yesterday.....some apparently mentally unstable German guy had barricaded himself in an apartment holding hostages (one was his mother).  Apparently had a AK-47.  Police eventually stormed the apartment....no one harmed.

8.  The Bahn (the railway system) says they had a billion-Euro loss for the previous year.  To fix this?  They intend to cut personnel.....while in a crisis on lateness.  

Yeah, there's going to have to be a substantial rise in tickets  (my guess, near 20-percent).  

9.  This African Swine Fever is reaching a point in Hessen (my regional state) where the authorities are actively asking hunters to go out and shoot as many wild boar as possible.  

The Necklace Scandal

 So this is a little funny German story.

Off ZDF (Channel 2 of public TV)....there is a Sunday morning music-show...."ZDF-Fernsehgarten".  It's been on since 1986, and typically runs for 100 to 120 minutes....for the spring/summer months.  It's an outdoor 'live' party....loaded with German pop-music....mostly viewed by older Germans.

To be honest, I've never watched....just not my taste in music. 

It's a folksy show....ok.  There, I said it.

So the moderator is Andrea Kiewel.  She's been around for about about 23 years.  

In the past week....Andrea showed up to moderate and wore a odd piece of jewelry. 

It shows the outline of Israel....ALL of Israel (since 1967).....so it's got the West Bank  and Gaza Strip included.

Naturally, this was noticed by a lot of people, and they got all hyped-up.  Kiewel being pro-Israel?  Well....she lives there most of the year.

Two groups came after ZDF....the first saying this ain't right Kiewel being pro-Israel.  Second group....after ZDF told Kiewel to knock it off and NEVER wear it again....asking the network why they took this position.

Here's the odd thing....a fair number of journalists for ZDF....might accidentally admit once in a while....they are pro-Gaza Strip and anti-Israel.  This group hiring Kiewel?  Well....they have nothing to do with news....just entertainment.  So the two groups are starting to attract attention as the public view ZDF and how they run things.

A divided network?  I suspect the bosses at the top...are in a desperate situation....they don't want any pro-or-con stuff being openly discussed.  

The news folks?  Well....they run public forums and can arrange various discussions to be pro-Gaza...if they chose to make this a heated topic.  

I'll just say....it is a bit funny how Kiewel got them into this situation, and how the news folks are now 'cornered' in a way....being more careful about their positions.  

25 July 2024: Seven German News Stories

 1.  Yesterday, Focus wrote up a piece on violence against Bahn (railway personnel) escalating in the past couple  of months.

Bahn folks are saying threats and risks are on the up-swing.  Doesn't matter if you talk about on-trains themselves or in stations.

What I'll say....stress and frustration seems to be more than what existed....say five to ten years ago.  I'm not putting the blame on any particular issue.....just that it doesn't take much for a German to get verbal and angry.

2.  This dismantling of Syrian 'protection'....gaining a lot of chatter around Germany.  Greens are pressed on this issue....agreeing to some  degree if you have a criminal record as a Syrian in Germany.....you might want to prepare for some kind of deportation.  Whether Syria will take the bad-boys back?  I have my doubts.

3.   UK new gov't says by 2030....no new gas/diesel cars to be sold in the UK. Manufacturing questions the order.

4.  One of the top economists in Russia....accidentally fell out of a high-story window....dead.

5.  Hanover regional court passed judgement on a illegal street race (in a 70 kph zone).  Two kids (2, 6 years old) were killed.  The key driver responsible, female, was sentenced to life in prison.  Cops figure the two participants in the  race reached a peak of 180 kph at some point.

6.  German car insurers are saying the cost of fixing cars....has risen. They say the price is roughly 70-percent more.....so they want a hefty increase on car insurance.

7.  Weather guys are predicting a 'return' to normal temperatures for Germany in August....meaning?  We probably will get a minimum of 32 C for at least half the month.  

24 July 2024: Six German News Stories

 1.  What exactly is this EU Asset Register Study being discussed?

Well...there's presently a feasibility study being done, and will be published next month.  

Making it legal?  Some say the EU might have it in place by early 2025.

What would be listed?  You would be forced to admit ALL property you own (real estate), bank accounts, investment securities, gold, E-currency, items of value (antique items), art, etc.

Germans accepting this?  NO....I suspect this will be found to be a problem in various countries.  They will start up about data protection, and then ask just what value this has in the end.   

I could even see the debate.....cattle, horses, book collections, campers, lawn mowers, tractors, chickens, rabbits, Olympic medals, and high-value wine being listed.  Even putting values on things?  Just go imagine some 60-year-old guy saying he has a stamp-collection worth 10-million Euro....when it's actually 8-Euro.

My German wife's view?  According to her.....this would be a five-star target for criminals to break into, and loot/steal.  

2.  As the sun rose this Wednesday, the Federal Ministry of the Interior started up a a ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH). Full-up raid on the Blue Mosque.

Just from the video....I'd say around a hundred police were involved.  Who runs the place?  IZH.  By the wording of the German officer....the group is now declared as a extremist organization and in some way....controlled by Iran . 

This ban paperwork?  The ban is a minimum of 200 pages long...and lists a number of issues.

Just guessing.....some other group of Islamists will try to acquire the building, and restart the function.  

3.  German regional court....Higher Administrative Court (in Münster) has taken on an interesting topic....whether it's safe in Syria to send deportee Syrians back 'home'. 

The court said they review things and say the 'war' is now done. They say there's no real threat now.  

Political mess?  Well....the CDU and FDP....have stood up and said if your name is on the 'bad-boy' list (requiring deportation)....they intend to help you get 'home'.  The SPD and Greens.....opposed.

The general problem here?  No one says how many Syrians are on such a deportee list.  If you go state-by-state....you can get the information, but national folks don't appear to willing to state the numbers.

My humble view....it's takes a bit of effort to get on a deportee list.  You assaulted someone....you sold drugs.....you robbed folks.  This list existing....mostly men?  Oh I would imagine there's probably in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 Syrians....with 99-percent being men.  And if you asked all of them....they'd rather not go back to Syria....even if the war was over.

4.  Some chatter this AM....the Russian gov't is angry that soldiers deployed to the front-lines have cellphones and actively use them.  So they are talking about prison for such use.  Part  of this anger....relates to the Ukrainians having intercepted all these calls and made a significant number public.   

5. Audi is discussing the idea of reproducing the 1930s Type 52 car. 

First, they haven't hinted at pricing and I would imagine it will be a minimum of 100k Euro.

Speed?  Horsepower?  520.  Turbo-charged.  

What I think will come out of this effort?  There are a lot of cars built from the 1920s/1930s....with a 'look'.  I think the public would go crazy if you could reproduce them....in the range of 40,000 to 70,000 Euro.

6.  Debate has started up in the state of Bavaria over mandated closing times for shops (8 PM).  Of the sixteen states.....this is the one which still maintains the 1950s regulations.   

23 July 2024: Three German News Stories

 1.  Interesting twist on this deployment of US cruise missiles into Germany.....decision was solely made by Scholz (Chancellor) and Baerbock (Foreign Minister).....rest of cabinet left out, and wasn't talked about within the Bundestag.

Apparently, fair number of Bundestag members are asking questions now.

2.  Weird episode in Berlin's Ostbahnhof (rail station) yesterday at 5:30 PM.....cops called.  Guy acting nuts.  Cops show up....argument increases.  Guy shows a knife....German cop ends up shooting the guy in the leg.  Still alive....questions being asked now.

3.  Regional story....Frankfurt area....Police seized around seven tons of heating pellets soaked in cocaine...originating out of Colombia. So far....2 guys from state of Hessen arrested.