Highest Ranking Nazi From The War....Never Found?

 Heinrich Müller, the chief of the Gestapo (SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei).

Never found....never confirmed dead.

Last seen?  Well....based on historians and facts accepted....in the Führerbunker in Berlin on May 1, 1945, the day before Adolf Hitler's suicide.

From that point, Müller vanished.

Did he make it out of the city? Zero evidence.

Did he escape off to Argentina?   Again, zero evidence.

Did the Russians get him?  Zero evidence.

If I were to make a personal guess?  I think he walked out of the bunker sometime that evening (1 May),  and somewhere in mix of things....got shot either by German troops or advancing Soviet troops....while wearing civilian clothing, and later just buried in some mass situation.  

Could he have had fake ID?  He's one of those folks who probably had easy access, and plenty of time in the three months prior to Hitler's suicide to plan an exit. 

Captagon: The Drug?

Before the Syrian civil war....it was nearly non-existent as a street-drug in Germany.  Since then....it's moved up.  The German police suggest that it's still not a top-five drug.

Effects on a user?  Increased alertness, increased 'fake' energy, higher concentration, and giving you the feeling of vast physical stamina.  There's also euphoria, reduced appetite, reduced need for sleep or food/water.  A guy on regular use....eats less and looses weight.  They will say that five hours of sleep are 'enough'.  Oddly, there's usually reduced fear, reduced pain sensitivity, or marginal empathy.  

In short....if you were on some agenda or 'holy-war' mentality....this would be the drug to get you through the 'mess'.

So if you were in some German market-place, and some nutcase seems to be waving a frying-pan, or knife around....without fear of the police shooting him....he's probably on Captagon.  Taking the guy down yourself?  He's got some energy stamina that is way more than what a ordinary guy can offer....so you better figure two folks minimum required for this nutcase.

Oktoberfest Planning?

This would typically be the point where you start to plan/consider...a trip to Oktoberfest.

On going to Oktoberfest?  I've been there twice in my life (1979 and 2018).  My advice.

- After about 10 hours of walking around....consuming a fair amount of beer (in 1-liter glasses)....probably three max.....you probably will peak on enthusiasm, leaving the next day.  Yes....you ought to arrive on a Monday afternoon....spend Tuesday on the 'thrill', and use Wednesday as a recovery day....going home on Thursday. 

- It's worth 20 minutes to walk over by the med-tent by the hill, and observe in mid-afternoon at least 200 folks too boozed-up and sleeping-off (probably 2-to-4 hours) their problem.  In 1979, it was a ratio of 20 guys to one German woman.  In 2018, it was probably seven guys to each drunk German woman.  I'll just say....the big difference between 1979 and 2018....half the med-tent 'players' are probably non-German today.  This is not my opinion.....simply what Germans themselves believe.   

- In 1979, you never noticed tent-security or police.....in 2018, you constantly noticed tent-security and police.  It's pretty easy for bouncers to toss you from a tent....if you do stupid stuff (like climbing on top of a table).

- You can generally figure a minimum of 200 Euro ($240) per day....to pay for WC-use, food, beer, and your E-ticket to get there (by subway).  Yes, you can still find great hotel deals (90 Euro a night) by expanding your search to towns 10 to 20 km beyond Munich (easily reaching Munich within 30 min by rail).

- If you were spending 7 days around Munich?  I would only spend one day at the fest, and use the rest for regular sites....tons of stuff to see in the local area.

- On beer consumption, my advice.....if you weigh around 200 lbs....figure a one-liter glass about every 90 minutes.  If you were a gal and in the 130 lb range....a one-liter glass is maximum for the whole afternoon.

- Beer pricing? For 2026....1-liter (depending on brand) goes from 14.90 to 15.90.  It's not cheap.

- Crime?  Inside the grounds....plenty of security and police.  Rest of Munich?  I'd be vigilant and not wander stupidity around after dark

- Walking from the station to the grounds?  Go from the Main Station through the south entrance....then follow Bayerstraße to the right until you reach the intersection Hermann-Lingg-Straße.  TURN once and go direct to the main entrance of the grounds.  Also...there are ground markings to point you to the right direction.  If returning....after dark....skip walking and take the subway.

- Don't drive down and plan to park in the city....expecting parking.  

- Everyone drunk?  NO....by mid-afternoon....I'd say at best 15-percent of folks are on a buzz....and maybe a 3rd of them seriously drunk.  If you are bad-off drunk....whether you agree or not...you probably will get dragged to the med-tent/'hill'...just accept it.

Three Thoughts Over This Jason Arday-Cambridge Scandal

 It's amazing how fast this developed....with him resigning, and the vast majority of Brits laughing over the saga, and spiral.

First....one of the biggest lies..Arday says he ran 600 miles in 6 days....with this claim revised to say later....it was 12 days with rest.  Oddly, while talking about this....no newspaper/journalist went to facts to identify what races or when.  

Second, you can find various lectures on-line via YouTube, and watch segments.  Having now watched two of these....it's just a lot of BS thrown around and nothing of value in the lecture.

Third, the university has a problem to clean up.  Any student who was critized by Arday, and given a lesser grade....has earned a right to a review.  Basically tossing the grade out, and giving the kid a plussed-up grade (faked-up)?  Yeah....that's about the only path to resolve things.

9 August 2026: Germany: 4 Stories

 1.  Bahn (railway) 'bosses' shocked....Minister of Transportation for Germany....wants to link salaries/bonuses to being on schedule (on-time).

If you use the current 'number'.....it's around 60-percent of trains on-schedule.  

Forcing them to run....even under marginal safety conditions?  I'd suggest this as the outcome, and it'd quickly fall apart.

2.  Relaxation of the Sunday truck ban....getting a lot of attention.  The rule for a number of years....from Saturday evening to Sunday evening....trucks were sent to parking lots and not allowed on German autobahns.  So the drought has affected water-traffic to such a degree...that trucks will have to run on Sundays.

My advice....once this starts up....on a Sunday....you really don't want to travel on autobahns much (stau-woes).

3.  New ARD (pubic TV) polling.

AfD at 28 percent.....CDU at 21 percent.

Green Party at 15 percent, with the SPD around 12 percent.  FDP at 4 percent.  Linke Party at 11 percent.  Remainder spread out among lesser parties.

Gain?  One point for AfD.  

Two observations.....first, ARD is usually highly accurate (not faked-up).  Second, the CDU-CSU lost a point.  If you ever see the CDU-CSU drop down to around 19-percent....there will be intense pressure for Merz to step down/leave.

4.  The German Constitutional Court is giving a strong hint....upon conclusion of any election...if there is a suggestion of bogus-results/crappy control....the Bundestag needs a 'tool' to quickly assemble the data....recognize the problem, and come to a conclusion. 

How Does A German End Up In A 'Mental-Hold' Situation (Asylum)

 Well...in Germany, involuntary psychiatric commitment, usually called as a "mental hold" or compulsory hospitalization, starts up when an individual's mental health is deemed to impair their sanity to the point of posing a danger to themselves or others, or in certain criminal contexts. 

Note....there IS NOT a single national mental health law but instead involves a combination of federal codes and state-specific regulations (remember 16 states).

So in effect....you could be signed off to a clinic in one state for obvious issues....but if  you were in Hamburg, or Bavaria....you might not be dragged off.

I'll add here.....there's always a judge involved, and some court appointed person to report on things.....and to protect your civil rights.

The three key points?  You have to show some threat/danger to self or others.  You probably will show some or total capacity to control yourself, or consent to things.  Finally, there might be some criminal element....influenced by a mental disorder, where preventive detention may make sense.

Exiting?  There will always be a scripted 'end' where you can test your way out, or have a judge review your success of resolving your issue.  

I looked up the  numbers....out of 84-M folks....around 1-milllion are in some  'program' (some voluntary....some ordered). Based on 2023 numbers.....around 25-percent of the million are NON-volunteers....meaning the judge restricted them to a program (for a short or long period of time). 

Based on the way they count issues.....most are there for a week or two....to stabilize themselves....because nationally, there are only 65,000 beds dedicated to such units. 

The way to look at this....you get doped-up and act crazy....police come and you end up in a holding-cell....where the judge has you sent to a 10-day mental clinic....where some doctor will note you were just temporarily crazy...signs the papers, and out you go by the 10th day. In and out....would be the best way to describe this.

The plus-side of this program?  Well....you don't end up in a prison (like in the US) for 4 years...for stupid crap.   The German  method just notes you needed treatment and the threat of being hospitalized....to correct your behavior.   

Q-and-A

 1.  Likely outcome of the Saxony-Anhalt state election in four weeks?

No doubt....AfD will get around 42-percent of the vote....but be unable to form a coalition. 

So....the odd aspect falls into play in late September....the CDU is tasked to form a coalition....with the SPD, Linke, Greens (all lefty parties).  Majority of 'power' fades for CDU, and it becomes a heavily discussed spiral problem.....which Merz can't do much about.

I'll also say....perhaps 3 out of 10 CDU-likely voters....might see this reality prior to the election, and vote more so....for the AfD....giving them the win and no need for a coalition.

2.  Odds of a female now 'winning' the President of Germany vote?

I'd give it 60-percent chance presently....just to say 'some' female will get SPD, Green and Linke Party 'nod'.  The CDU (with AfD votes) could go a different path.

3.  All this hyped-up threat by drones?

The general feeling is that sooner or later....some drone will 'attack' a power-plant, or passenger jet taking off.  

Saying it's a Russian problem?  I don't see any evidence that it's clearly them....could just as well be some Ukrainian private group with an agenda to draw Germany deeper into a mess.  

4.  This Abdul-character from Berlin.....why was this Islamist at large, even though he was considered extremely dangerous? 

NO one can answer this, and the longer it lingers....the more crappy the mess appears.

5.  New virus worry?

Well....there's a virus previously unknown in Germany....now causing fever, diarrhea, and reduced milk production in cattle in the state of Baden-Württemberg (SW). Mosquito-transmission?  Yeah.

Currently, there is no known risk to humans.....or at least the claim is this.

6.  Thousands of violations of the 12 O'clock gas station rule?

Around 2 months ago....a new rule was made for German gas stations.....you set the standard price for fuel at noon....unable to increase, but you can decrease.  

Well....various stations 'broke' the rule.....raising the price at odd times.  Gov't says they want to clearly go after folks.....but the manpower and amount of detective work...is simply not there.

Kinda funny....you make more rules, but it doesn't work.

8 Aug 2026: Germany: 6 Stories

 1.  Two unidentified drones were seen flying over a Bundeswehr military base in Mechernich, Germany around Thursday even (10 PM).

No ID.....just hyped the Germans up another notch.

2.  US intel 'says' that the explosives found on the drone in Halle....were Russian-type.  Enough to say positively a Russian operation?  No.  Various groups could acquire the explosives.

3.  German-made convertibles going extinct?  Well....back in 2008....around 4.2-percent of all cars produced....from Germany...were convertibles.  Today?  It's around 1.2-percent.  I noted this week....at this point in production....NO German company has any model that they are producing.

4.  Ceuta crisis in Morocco.  Crazy theory being suggested by a ARD (public TV) journalist....that the US (Trump), with the King of Morocco, and Israel's Netanyahu....have cooked up this conspiracy to hurt Spain

On my BS-meter?  I give it a '7'.  What hurts this idea?  Well....there are probably 200 different Trump catastrophic events going on....if you start counting what ARD or ZDF produces.

5.  UEFA (the European authority over soccer)....paid some kind of hush-money to FIFA's boss's (Infantino) mistress.  This apparently goes back....ten to fifteen years ago.  

6.  Rhine River at a record low level....so barge traffic is halted to a great degree.  Trucking is now increasing, and several German states have halted the Sunday ban on truckers.  Temp-deal....seen by most folks.