Meloni (PM of Italy) has now declared Italy “will not stand by & watch.”
So the talk is....man a border and if anyone appears Spainish in nature....prove your ID.
The only country to likely do this? No. I would imagine that the France election might be mostly about guarding the border against Spain. Even the AfD of Germany....might go and insist on massive border control.
Just odd...the speed in which this BS happens.
1. Kinda funny....the LGTBQ 'group' in Berlin....now say that locally....the bigger threat to them is 'queer-phobia'....than the Islamic crowd.
2. FIFA collapse? I'd say....with the European foundation saying 'no-way'....if they boycott World Cup 2030....FIFA will not survive.
Part of this problem is TV contracts. If France, UK, Spain, Italy and Germany don't play....national TV networks won't pay huge sums to broadcast what is left.
German public TV? They paid in the range of 150-million Euro for the 2026 games. With the 2030 scenario? I doubt that 10-percent of Germans would watch, and the sum offered....won't pass 25-million.
Other rumor....UEFA (the European league)....says they might run championships every two years.
3. Ceuta BS? Well....this tiny enclave area...next to Morocco....is Spanish territory (80k population). With the flood of 40k refugees yesterday.....now 120k over night, and likely to be another 40k over next day or two.
Limited actions possible. I think the territory will be taken over within 30 days....by Morocco.
4. 2.32 Euro per E-10 fuel/liter yesterday. Way out of whack.
5. All that chatter about impending thunderstorms yesterday? Nothing came. Two brief rain episodes since April locally. Grass is absolutely dead.
Five states hold elections in 2027:
18.04. Schleswig-Holstein
18.04. Saarland
25.04. Nordrhein-Westfalen
30.05. Bremen
Sep/Oct Niedersachsen
As you get to the end of May (4th election)....if the CDU is marginally showing positive numbers or winning....I see Merz under heavy pressure to resign. If the CDU can win 3 of these....he probably stays on.
Well...the German 'Freddy' (World Cup fame)....says he'll return in the fall....for college football highlights....for probably a month.
Just guessing Univ of Alabama, and Auburn will be two of the visits.
Well....the state of Bavaria is talking about a major aqueduct project.....to be able to move massive amounts of water around the state.
There are areas with significant rainfall/snowfall.....where you could collect/store water, and later in a drought period...move it to areas of Bavaria with farm and irrigational opportunities.
Cost? They avoided that discussion....has to be into the billions of Euros.
Looking at this....fair amount of this water would normally flow to the Rhine and out to sea. Just guessing.....several states would be unhappy.
This word rarely comes up....I saw it yesterday and had to reference it for myself.
So...it means you did something that appears amateurish, unskilled, or poorly executed.
You'd say it about a gal or guy....who seems to have NO real expertise or seriousness of craft.
My usage? I'd say it to mean 'half-ass-work'.
Warning....don't utter it to your spouse or work-associate....they will take it as a insult (real quick).
1. The next heat wave arrives today....runs for at least seven days.
So....the Bahn (railway) has offered a odd modification....they are going to cancel 'some' scheduled trains, and put extra cars on the remainder....suggesting they will be more likely to be on time. Odd idea....may work.
2. Low water levels on the Rhine. Happens usually every year....in mid-August (so it's early this year). It means boat traffic will shut down a week or two early.
3. Dutch government running TV ads asking citizens to limit their electricity usage between 4 and 9 PM because of grid limits.
Lot of this has to do with AC use and the heat wave.
4. New study by the Institute of the German Economy (IW) shows odd change.
Trained/certified migrants that Germany was hoping for....have stayed away. Also....it shows some Germans who still have some skills....are packing their bags to exit the country.
5. SPD Party yesterday....says it wants to include the protection of "sexual identity" in the Basic Law (Constitution).
How far this will go? Unknown. National topic? There's probably a hundred higher priorities. Would terrorists respect sexual identity? I doubt it.
6. New INSA survey....more than eight million Germans plan to emigrate within the next five years....OUT of Germany. One of the reasons....violent crime noted.
My German wife makes the exit comment once a month.....I always ask where-to, and she can't answer the question. I think a lot of these suggested eight million are just like her.
If just two-million left? Yeah, it'd be a big deal.
I will say....increasing number of retiring Germans suggest leaving Germany....getting more bang for the buck in Thailand or Vietnam.
On the wife's suggested exit....weather matters (so Finland/Sweden) are out....as is Spain/Portugal.
7. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt gave a talk yesterday.....says (I looked up the quote, so it's not BS)....that Germany cannot be responsible for all the mentally ill and traumatized people in the world.
Generally....the number thrown around (facts are tough to find)....suggests that around 500k to 1-million immigrants in Germany are mentally ill and in need of treatment.
He may have a point, but resolving this now? It's near impossible.
8. Odd....WDR (public TV) news graphic quotes emergency doctor Dr. Lars Herda in Münster....says in warning....that even 30 minutes in 36-37°C sun can lead to health problems.
I paused over this....growing up in Alabama and there being two months out of the year with 36 C (97 F) being the daily norm. You simply got used to it. Same story when I spent 3 years in Panama. Same story in the four years I spent in Tucson (47 C/ 117 F).
You dress appropriately....have a hat....sip liquids....use shade possible, and get hard labor done by noon.
9. This Abdul-character terrorist in Berlin....odd side stories.
First, when he got dragged back to Germany....jail came up, and he arrives.....claiming a Imam-status (religious instructor).....leading prisoners in prayer. This forced the prison to deal with the mess....separating him from others.
Second, this trip to Lebanon....where he intended to hook up with ISIS in Syria....was fairly unplanned. Lebanon authorities quickly sized up the situation....arrested him, and went to a treat-situation...forcing Germany to accept the guy back.
Third, it just appears....that last year before leaving for Lebanon....he was fully into Islam development, and got deep into teachings. I don't think he saw Germans as a society.....he probably saw them as infidels.
Fourth, this 'deal' where he was allowed to exit the German prison....to get deradicalization 'classes'....the authorities are admitting that the1st and 2nd class....didn't appear show any success. There is some suggestion....their willingness to carry him as a patient...was dwindling. Just my humble thoughts....this whole deradicalization concept....probably is worthless. Anyone who has 'graduated' from such....I'd question the 'trust-level'.
Fifth and final.....RBB (public TV Berlin) says that from the 1st grade....warnings were given to his parents that he was overly aggressive, and suspended a few times. No change in behavior ever occurred.
Well....it's been around 24 hours since the story broke. Basic summary? FIFA, the soccer international group....wants to sell 20-percent of their equity for $20-billion....to a unknown group (I suspect it's mostly the Saudis and their neighbors). They would be some type of 'partner'.....getting 20-perecent of future profits. The 2026 profits? It's suggested near $9-billion total.
German reaction? Mostly 99-percent NEGATIVE. Across Europe? I'd say it's about the same. There's to be a European meeting this week....to have a answer to FIFA....threatening not to play in future games of FIFA.
What's likely to happen? I suspect FIFA will offer a 'cut' of the $20-billion....to all the countries in FIFA....say half of the $20-billion...but only if you show up in 2030.
Top-top news in Germany? Oddly....I'd say it's in the top three news pieces.
My question.....FIFA survived for seventy-odd years....without a partnership. Why screw with this now?
