Last night....via ARD (public TV, Channel 1)....for the 8 PM Tagesschau news piece....one of the key items was 'HEAT' and German kids.
Lots of folks seem worried over the 35 C temps and kids.
So in the midst of this news item....ARD has a 'expert' to speak on kids and climate.
The name of the expert popped up.....oddly (I do this once or twice a week)....I looked up the background of the expert.
Well...she was a former employee/journalist for ARD.
I'm not denying that she doesn't deserve expert-status....it's just that you get presented 'experts' around the clock now....with the German news folks....the BBC/Sky.....CNN....etc. At some point, you start counting and realize in a single year....you might get 100,000 'experts' telling you something....maybe true, half-true, or fabricated.
1. German finance folks are estimating the final bill on the Covid masks that Spahn 'order' (recklessly)....goes to 4-billion Euro range. Somewhere in 2026/2027 budget they have 'force' it.
2. For Thursday aftermath in Moscow....there must have been near 100 drones that 'hit' something. For fuel-production....I'd say if they could mount a full-week of this level....gas-production probably would shut down for several months.
3. 95 F/35 C is predicted in my valley today....with possible hail toward the evening. Probably seven days minimum of that level. AC unit by this weekend....will be dragged out and set up.
4. It's now figured....one in eleven speeches given in the Bundestag....is AI-written.
5. Some German gov't chatter.....maybe they have to introduce 'siestas' into Germany for summer months?
Only way I'd say it'd work....allow people to come in 2 hours early (6AM), if you do physical work, or have a NON-AC office.
6. Virtually parties in Germany are identified now (except for AfD) with Islamic 'agents'....says a researcher who has viewed the issue.
The way it's said....it's like some influencers...with a agenda.
7. Gov't study concludes....to get better safety numbers....lower B-roads throughout Germany to 80 kph (instead of 100 kph).
To be honest....getting it to 50 kph....might even be safer.
8. 28k VW workers taking a 'deal' to leave the company.
I sat today and read through a piece....from the German intelligence folks.
They identified Turkey’s national intelligence service.....as one of the four most active foreign espionage actors operating in Berlin.
The four? Russia, China, Turkey and Iran.
Fairly deep report according to those who read it....140-page report.
Oddly, they avoided mentioning the US as the 5th.
How many spies/espionage-players are there? I'd bet well over 10,000 across all of Germany.
Something to worry about? I suspect the Germans filter 3,000-percent of BS into the system....so little of value comes out.
There is ONLY one culture/society....that I respect with no questions asked.....the Japanese.
In their language....they have this expression: "Meiwaku wo kakenai." It basically means....don't go and burden others.
As a guest of Germany (I consider this my status)....I often think of myself....not putting a burden on Germans, the culture, the society, the locals, the police or the gov't.
In fact, I put so much into this don't-burden-others....that it bothers me when I see others (non-Germans/visa-holders) who go out of their way to burden society.
I even press this thought (avoid burdening) when viewing German politicians/journalists....they ought to 'owe' something themselves to society....avoiding burden.
The key issue? There's probably several million folks now in Germany....with some crazy agenda....to cause burden upon society.
Fixing this? We might need to bring in several hundred-thousand Japanese....to bring change.
About five weeks ago....I had Shingles (bad)....on the forehead....spending 6 days in a local Wiesbaden clinic. The way Tricare (my mil-health-insurance) works.....I pay a portion up front, then present itemized bill....getting paid back (roughly 4 weeks later).
Well....I had to talk to the clinic guy today....who manages the bill business. I won't mention the name of the clinic.
I was expecting a itemized bill this week.....to present to Tricare.
I visit 'Karl', and he says....it won't be for a while. There's this story.
Karl works in a 2-man office....the 2nd guy (junior employee)....left....about a month before I entered the hospital. In the way that Karl told the story....this guy (I'll give him the name 'Woody').....had been slow in getting bills out...maybe going back to the fall of 2025.....real-slow.
Woody had lost interest in the work, and frankly....seemed not to care. Gen-X guy (I didn't say it to Karl, but it probably explains the lack of attention.
So....Karl keeps the patients coming in and making money for the hospital...but without Woody (or his replacement)......the hospital is not receiving the money.
I asked Karl...about the replacement.
Well...he/she has been hired, but won't arrive till mid-July. Then there's training. Then there's stuff to clear up from 2025.....then I'll eventually get my bill for Tricare.
Why this all matters? The bill is roughly 7,500 Euro....of which I had to pay 50-percent (with my Visa-card). Luckily, because of 'Donald'....it's been a great investment year (don't say this to my wife). So I can pay the 50-percent myself, and quietly wait to be repaid.
I asked Karl....so when will my bill come? Well....he finally says....probably late August....meaning I pay the remainder around the end of September, and Tricare will reimburse me by late October.
I told this story to my brother.....who related he often gets lab bills...10 to 12 months after the 'event'. I shake my head.....the system is crapped up.
How many bills is the Clinic sitting on....via the private patients? I would imagine at least 300 of us. Way over a million Euro....maybe two to three million.
This Woody-position a candidate for AI? I think so.
This AM....I watched a fresh new Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow area....hitting a fuel depot/refinery. From looks/damage.....normally, they could probably be up and operational within 2-to-4 weeks....however, where you procure the 'parts' is unknown (if you can't buy it from France or Germany).
So the German news went to a commercial service in Russia....asking about fuel issues.
Presently....in the greater-Moscow area....there are 25 regions which are either fuel-less, or marginally getting fuel. Even if your station gets fuel....there are usually limits of 20-liters presently for sales.
Some folks have started to talk of agricultural requirements (for diesel), and that fall harvest are just three months away. The only way they'd reach production for diesel....is to lessen production of gas.
Naturally....some comments are directed at a fall harvest problem, and grocery problems for Moscow's population.
If you asked me.....is Putin smart enough to grasp all of this? I have my doubts.
National food shortage by December? I'll just say that shopping will be an adventure, and a massive collapse would require EU assitance.....to a degree that we've never seen before.
I know it's a shock, but Merz only worked for Blackrock for four years. It may seem like a decade....but it's not.
It's a resume-filler.
So....does the four-year period mean anything about managing a business or money? He basically sat around with other money-minded folks....talking money....developing a Blackrock strategy. That's it....nothing much else.
The funny thing? His whole sales-pitch is that he was the guy that Germany needed to reverse job-losses....control taxes (deflate would be used here)....and give financial hope to the German masses. To be honest.....no one else had this type of resume-filler within the party....so he had zero competition.
Eighteen months into the job....you get the impression that the Blackrock years didn't really amount to much, and the question is....even if Merz leaves 'early'....is there anyone within the CDU-CSU...with a background or ability to fill the shoes?
My landscape view? The CDU-CSU-SPD coalition basically needs things to last 'as-is'....to January 2029 (the next schedule fed-election). Even if another 100,000 jobs dissolve in 2027....the public has to just accept the trend (suck it up). The next guy (assuming it's not Merz)? Well....Blackrock experience won't amount to much....the public learned that lesson. Maybe they can find a retired soccer-coach, TV-reality star, or awesome environmentalist for the job of Chancellor.
