This week...Hungarian officials stopped two vehicles (together)...heading toward the Ukrainian border (eastward).
What they found in the vehicles? 40 Million US-Dollars (cash), 35 Million Euro (cash) and 9 Kilogram in Gold.
Crew? Ukraine guys.
Official story? Profits from some Ukraine guy's business.
Bogus story? Well....you don't know.
All of this is an issue for the EU....where the money came from and how you can move this much in cash around.
One of the top ten grocery chains in Germany....is NETTO. On my wife's list? Well....no. She might stop there twice a year.
Yesterday, in their weekly advertising....they noted that they have a Cannabis-starter 'kit'....14.99 Euro.
I read the piece twice over. Seedling....basic instructions....projected growth, and you end up with a Cannabis plant.
255 shops will market it Germany-wide.
On the same brochure page....strawberry plants as well.
I'm guessing there is a age limit (probably minimum of age 16). This starting some trend? Maybe.
1. It came up on N-TV news this AM.....one out of every three Bahn 'conductors'....peeved enough to consider quitting....over the violence of ticket-auditing. Threat of violence....growing.
If you go back twenty years ago.....you simply didn't didn't have this level of 'threat'. I don't remember in the 2000 to 2010 era....seeing anyone audited much....riding without a ticket.
2. Back around two years ago....around 20 'bombs' were noted in delivery boxes around the EU. Investigation completed.....Russian military is blamed.
3. Kaiserslautern.....after a knifing death last weekend....has put into effect a 'weapons-free-zone'.....meaning in the designed area....cops are free to stop you....force an ID-check, and frisk you.
For reference.....Wiesbaden started the first WFZ....around 6 years ago.
I've watched the clip of CDU candidate Hagel.....Wed at the school....drawn into a 'greenhouse-gas' lecture and royally screwing up the situation....with the 'kids'.
So my five thoughts:
1. Up to this point, with the state election on Sunday....the CDU was slated to win with 27-percent....Greens ending up at 24-percent. Now? I suggest a 3.5-point shift....Greens likely winning by 1 to 1.5 percent.
2. Why didn't the CDU have a 'watcher' over the guy and sense he was being set up?
It appears the teacher (probably very politicized) had things laid out to trip up Hagel, and the ARD news team....to capture the moment.
It was scripted....pure and simple.
3. The moment about 90 seconds into the mess....where Hagel loses 'it'? Yeah....he's not prepared, and realizes he was tricked.....lot of apparent anger.
4. The 'greenhouse-effect'? If you asked a thousand Germans....fewer than 10 would give somewhat of an answer....with half of them getting the solid answer.
5. So, here's the odd ending. Greens win on Sunday....my prediction.
They turn to get the CDU to partner-up and half of the voters for the state CDU say 'NO'. No partnership for the coalition.
The Greens turn to form with the Linke, SPD, and FDP....finding it barely works but the FDP want a list of conditions.
In the end....NO coalition....with another state vote in 60 days (my humble view).
I sat last night and watched the weather folks of public TV....hype-up their latest accomplishment. They seem ready to hook-up AI....giving it some kind of 'best-case' versus 'worst-case' scenario ability on weather predictions.
In my mind....without much doubt....the crazy weather predictions might improve....minute-by-minute. So you could watch 'AI-Maggie' at 6:10 AM....getting x-news on weather (nothing to worry over), and an hour later....'AI-Paul' at 7:00 AM might give you some pretty crappy news....of impending hail at 10 AM.
Monster-rain storms in July? AI could probably track systems as they enter Germany and send you a personal warning 90 minutes ahead of time....that you need to close all windows and prepare for serious weather.
This AI-assist? I'm not calling it a positive thing....it means AI is tracking various things, and will state facts way before a human would have uttered some warning. It's also telling you of heat-wave crap, with advice to seek cooling situations (probably telling you where some AC can be found).
A new reality.
Yesterday......Federal Constitutional Court opened up in Germany.
Key court story? The "Deutsche Umwelthilfe"....co-financed from tax folks of the federal government and various states, is in some suing against German industry.
By EU rules in place.....to reach a healthy 'clean' environment.....the prosperity and the economy of Germany (the government and companies).....in some way (if they win) would have to shrink faster for the climate.
On one side....it's moderately mentioned in the news. On the other side....if the court says they have 'power' over the economy and industry....then there's authority for them to downsize the German landscape.
Personally, when the EU got into this law-business over the environment and industry....I don't think they had any idea where things would lead onto.
As for the folks 'pushing'? Well....if they wake up and 30-percent of employed folks are in danger of seeing their jobs go away....society won't be that friendly or accepting of the 'reality'.
I sat and watched a PR-type campaign video.....done by the CDU's lead candidate in the state of election in Baden-Württemberg.
This was set up in some school.....which I immediately noted....the kids have no vote, unless they are 16.
I'm assuming they asked for a older group...but the kids in this room were age 13/14 (my guess).
So....Manuel Hagel went into education-mode....to explain the greenhouse effect.
My German is less-than-average....but the next 60-odd seconds...Hagel gave some words to say the sun is getting hotter....because the Earth's atmosphere is becoming thinner.
Just by the look on their faces....the kids were either in a state of disbelief....or in some mid-morning 'trance' (too much Monster-energy 'fluid').
On the positive side? Well....the kids are still pumped up on climate-change-Angst (fear).
Probably needs to be a German law....to prevent politicians from entering any school unless the kids are 16-or-older (enough to vote).
Footnote: I think the CDU guy just lost 5 points off the election....but I don't see the Greens on the gain-side. Very odd development.
State election.
CDU will win....around 27-percent. Greens easily in 2nd place....24-percent.
AfD near 20-percent.
SPD, 9-percent. Linke and FDP near 6 each.
