1. Thuringia state 'comedy'? Well....first, this is the only German state where the state government functions without a majority (Linke-SPD-Green situation). This goes back to a problem after the election where no majority could be created (leaving the CDU, FDP and AfD sitting there with a majority but non-members of the coalition.
So yesterday, a draft bill came up over the state property tax agenda (sent up by the CDU). This concerned the transfer-tax (if you sold the property). The CDU pushed it up....the FDP and AfD parties supported it, and it passed.
This jerked around the Linke Party, who commented that the CDU was now 'partners' with the AfD Party. Between the ZDF and ARD public TV folks....there must have been 30 minutes of coverage over this.
I'll just say this....lessening this transfer-tax....is a postive....no matter who supports it. It almost appears like a planned gimmick (right before the Hessen and Bavarian state elections) to cast crap upon the CDU.
2. Some story in the Focus news.....German-Turkish gal (20) was supposed to be going to Turkey to visit grand-parents. Gets there, and then realizes some type of 'forced' marriage deal was in the mix. Parents took her passport, and forced into some compromised position....marrying a guy and staying there (briefly). She was eventually 'rescued' and returned to Germany. Worth reading.
3. Fridays-for-the-Future kids say they will 'strike' at 245 locations in Germany today.
4. Covid-booster available as of next week. Odd thing....you will have to pay your local clinic folks 25-to-30 Euro for this. How many people will go for it? Unknown.
5. Report on the Bahn (German railway system), and 2022 punctuality. Worst record in Bahn history. Selling the public on long-distance travel just becomes more difficult.
From my own personal experiences from the past year....if you have to transfer three times in a trip.....the odds are more than 50-percent that you will miss at least one leg of trip, and add a minimum of 30 to 40 minutes on your journey. Earlier in the day....less likely? Yeah, that's another odd feature. I'd strongly recommend you start these trips at 6 AM, and if there's severe weather predicted....cancel the trip.
Anyone trying to make the case of forbidding Berlin-to-Hamburg or Munich-to-Frankfurt flights...forcing you to use the Bahn....is selling a crappy deal.
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