22 August 2026: Germany: 7 Stories

 1.  I went to the Wiesbaden wine-fest (started last weekend) last night.  Three observations: Friday night crowd maxed-out....simply a ton of guests.  The security barriers were in place (2.5 million Euro worth...owned by the city)....with three police teams walking the parameter...making you feel safe.  Between the wife and I...on food and rink for 2.5 hours....spending near 110 Euro (hefty sum).

2.  2026 weather observation: It has been an ODD year.  From 1 Jan....two light sprinklings of snow....never really sticking.  Early end to cold weather.  Drought from mid-April on...only reversing in the past 7 days.  Lot of heat....probably 30 days of 34 C (93 F) or more. From 2nd week of August on....way cooler than normal (closer to a max of 24 C....75 F).  Heavy suspicion of early snowfall.  

3.  Mannheim-Kaiserslautern soccer game....afterwards, got rough.  Fans fighting.  Police say 35 of their cops were wounded/injured.

4.  Something on social media I noticed.  Some German clearing the house...came across a LIDL (German grocery operation) brochure from 11 years ago.

So....they noted the 11 items on the cover, with pricing of 11 years ago, and went to price them in 2026.  Almost all...had doubled or more....since 2015.  Key note....well...if you ask people about their salary levels...NO ONE has doubled their salary since 2015.  At best....people probably making around 10 to 20 percent more.  I might even say pension-wise (if you were retired)....you tend to get a 2-to-3 percent 'bump' each year.

5.  It got brought up...from Berlin....two young guys (age 18 both)....had serious charges pressed against them.  Both required a translator in the court.  So you'd assume they were migrants/guests?  No.....they were both German-born, and simply could not speak at a level to understand legal proceedings.  Both had survived the German school system, and never really 'participated'.  

6.  Schools across Germany started up.  Lot of chatter over cost of 'arming' each kid.  I noticed off social media some parent blasting the cost of a school bag....with ultra-cheap-looking bags still in the 40-odd Euro range, but for the super deluxe 'in-fashion' bag....it's closer to 300 Euro now.  If you add up the cost (without the bag business)....you would be spending near 200 Euro minimum (then you have to figure the PT-gear and new tennis shoes)

7. Rwanda is having talks with Germany....to be a 'guest-center' for deportees from Germany.  The way it looks.....x-number per year would be accepted....with Germany paying per-guest some sum of money.  

Lawsuit challenge?  100-percent chance.  

Who would likely go?  If you have a criminal record and shown no interest in integration....I suspect you'd get put on the Rwanda plane.

No idea how many a year would go....humble guess....minimum of 3,000.  From the two articles I read....some German official belief that they could make this 'deal' by the end of 2026. 

The Next Thing To Worry About

This AM.....story being run by NDR, WDR, and the Süddeutsche Zeitung....says that a 'cache' of pistols...has been found, and it leads to KGB/FSB 'agents'.

So if you piece this together....oddly, this was found in the summer of 2025, and its just now being openly discussed by the police

Found where?  Woods....near Brandenburg.

Big group?  No.....just two pistols/ammo.

Absolute proof?  Well....no.....it's assumed that it's the Russians.

Anyone arrested?  One guy....detained in Romania....so far.

The threat-story given?  Just that some type of assassination was possible.

Me skeptical?  You could go over to Leipzig and ask the four criminal clans about weapons, with them grinning and admitting they've got probably a hundred weapons hid around the region.

But here's the thing.....the Putin-threat keeps getting brought up.  1920s murders and assassinations?  There were dozens of folks killed in the interest of bringing 'change'.   

Germany Deport List

 I read through a ZEIT article today....saying for 2026....a total of 17,892 foreigners (on the deport list) had departed. 

What's left currently?  The federal government says (as of 1 July 2026)....there were 258,845 people in Germany who were ausreisepflichtig (obligated to leave the country).

The 10,000 Euro Expense Account Story

 Each guy/gal/other in the German Bundestag....gets 10,000 Euro a year for office expenses (meaning PC, laptop, printer, TAB, paper, cellphone, pens, notebooks, etc).

Someone sat down with the outflow of funds in the past year....oddly finding on average....at least 10 smart-phones a year....are bought individually. 

Explanation?  None given.

I pondered over this.  I worked with an American who lost or 'wrecked' three cellphones a year....for four years straight.  He was a pretty active guy....paddling a canoe....jogging in a lighted park after dark....biking weekly.  It would just happen....he'd show up at work...admit the loss, and go over at lunch to buy a new cellphone.

In the Bundestag case?  I would imagine that year after year....four-year period....you've had 50,000 Euro flow through the account....buying a pallet of paper....boxes of 60 ink-pens (the 12-Euro per pen-type made in Japan), and spending 1,000 Euro on a ultra-nice Samsung cellphone isn't a big deal.  

What type or model of smart-phone are they buying?  Unknown.

If you asked about this?  I would imagine they'd rather not discuss the matter.  But they say that they lug five phones around....one for important party-chat, one for their wife to call, one for journalistic chatter, one for their Russian/Chinese friend to contact, and one for their paramour-situation (love-interest, both guys/gals).

Them reselling over Ebay?  No...never....I just can't imagine some guy for the Green Party being this corrupted.

All of this adding up to 5-million Euro a year?  Well....it's best not to talk over that number.

My Perception

 1.  AC chatter.  We used to have a yearly program in the Air Force....called the 'one-hundred days of summer'....which the base safety officer was supposed to be hyped up and preventing chaos, injury, or death.

The safety officer was always a pilot....for which this was his additional duty, and 75-percent of his yearly evaluation.  I worked in a office with the guy who got stuck into the duty for a year.

Dehydration tips were almost a weekly thing.  At various staff meetings at the wing-level, the squadron-level, and division-level...it got hyped-up and made a big issue.

I look at the heat-wave business of Germany for 2026 and will admit....it was extremely hot for about 30 days this summer (probably 12 more than normal).  Having ten of these in a consecutive fashion?  Yeah...that probably was a big problem.

Would I go and buy a AC unit to chill the whole house (for 4,500 Euro)?  No.  I might have taken 2,000 Euro for a Finland arctic circle trip for 3 weeks.

2.  Natural gas shortage?

Ever since the war (Ukraine-Russia) started up.....German purchase of Russian natural gas has been zero.  For the most part....they buy via a ship deal....having loads delivered and stored in tanks.  

Present level?  They were supposed to have 80-percent of what we needed for a average winter.....by 1 November.  By present count....they won't pass the 70-percent point, and there's some belief that we might not pass the 65-percent point.  

If this were a 5-star extreme winter?  Well....come early January....we'd probably get some warning to lower thermostats to around 17 C (62 F).

This discussion making people skeptical?  I would suggest that most Germans believe there's always going enough natural gas, and when this fails.....'trust' will spiral out of control.

3.  German border controls....extended?

The order went out yesterday....these border-guards (really police on deployed duty) and checking folks as they enter Germany....will continue onto March 2027.  

The odds that it is extended to the end of 2027?  I'd say better than 90-percent chance.

21 August 2026: Germany: 5 Stories

 1.  It's just odd....both ARD and ZDF (public TV of Germany) did a fairly robust report last night....same sources....same quotes...over the limited supply of natural gas in Germany presently, and the anticipation of a national shortage for this winter.

2.  Focus piece....analysis article by Joachim Krause suggesting that Putin must win the war....zero other options.

Hard to imagine a 'win' existing in any fantasy or landscape.   Maybe back in 2023....this was possible. Economically....Russia  is being dragged down to North Korea-level.

3.  Odd developing story....Germany has been offering military training to Ukraine 'recruits'.  Well...Germans now admit recently....at least 80 Ukrainian guys have 'escaped' (run-off) and don't intend to return to the war.   Some suggestions that this event was not the first, and there might be several hundred who've run-off.

4.  Mainz....the city of Mainz ran a project to turn some streets into bike-only situations.  Well...there's a street next to the state parliament (down by the river) where it just happened one day.  You can't drive or drop-off folks (who are the state parliament).  Parliament folks asking what-the-hell-happened here?

5.  EU talking over the idea of banning Russian tourists.

This Meghan and Harry 'Return Home' Story

 Frankly, on my index of caring-about stories...probably 25,000 things....this probably ranks near 24,355.  But I'll offer my four observations:

First, on income....they've burned through everything and if you asked about what's left....they are probably down to the last couple million....with no Netflix deals or bath-oils-to-sell.  This AM....one journalist said Harry's speaking fees have gone from the half-million-level....down to about $50,000 per speech.  

Second, the debt owed to the newspaper lawsuit?  Into several million, and while they say the California residence won't be sold....it'll end up being rented for a year....then in my belief....it'll be sold for some sum of money...to pay the debt.

Third, I don't think Brits care that much over either.  For news hype....the Labour gov't might be happy that negativity in reporting is mostly drawn to the couple for the next six months.

Fourth and final....there are a fair number of guys in their 50s...who have an appreciation of 54-year old yacht-girls.   Maybe there's some commerce to be made over the next year or two....selling 'lust' around to older Brit guys.

Fair-tale value?  Well....yeah, there is that.

Deport Story

 I read through a piece on the Brit Telegraph.....saying that the German government (really the sixteen individual states)....postponed 8,826 forced returns/deportations in the first half of 2026....mostly all due to the folks going into hiding or simply refusing to declare their current address.

So you can get three consequences out of this.

First, AfD will broadcast this widely and 'shame' the CDU-CSU-SPD coalition.  

Second, it begs the question....once you get on a deport-list....just how quick should you react and put folks under control?  Minutes, days, weeks, months?  

Third, the 8,000 folks having no real fear of consequences?  Well....yeah, that's a blunt topic to discuss.

This number....only for the first half of 2026?  Yeah, and that's leading one to ponder...by the end of 2026...will it go beyond 15,000 who disappeared?  Then you wonder....where exactly do they go?  Will they exit Germany, or just hide with some associate?

Why people keep leaning over to vote AfD?  It's BS like this that pops up and voters ask stupid questions.  

20 August 2026: Germany: 8 Stories

 1.  The RKI folks (national health)....did a study and concluded that 40-percent of Germans don't get enough sleep....more so for men, than women.  Varying reasons given, but there's a list of consequences (bad ones)...if you aren't getting enough sleep.

2.  Focus article on Russia....Russians quietly withdrawing their cash from banks....trust on the decline.  Banks/state itself.....now at risk.

3.  Jan Solwyn....former German federal police officer and currently a security analyst....suggests that in major metro cities of Germany....civil-war potential is brewing....because of crime syndicates/families/clans.  He gave a talk, and indicates that it's beyond the control of what exists for the police.

4.  WELT article: local authorities in Koln examining record and actions of the migration office.  Some suggestion that they were anti-deportation.

5.  Just odd numbers that make no sense.  Currently, in Germany....over 9.2 million people are unemployed.....while the national authorities are hyped up saying that is a shortage of skilled workers.

It begs the question....why expect migration to fix/resolve the shortage?

6.  Someone on social media pointed out: More people died in France this year (2026) from not having air conditioning (7,300) than American deaths from mass shootings in all of recorded U.S. history (1,741).

I paused over this numbers-BS....yeah, the point of climate-change and European heat deaths...you eventually drift over to comparisons that make points invalid.

7.  SPD chatter on income tax reform has started up.  CDU-CSU not exactly in agreement on where this is going.  If you were hyped-up....the SPD end-result is probably 300 Euro in your pocket for the whole year.  Not exactly worth opening a bottle of champaign over. 

8.  German natural gas reserves in trouble?  Well....German levels (as of last week) were at the 50-percent point (mandated levels).  At this time a year ago....it would have been at 67-percent.  Reaching the 80-percent point by 1 November (on the books, it is mandatory that they be at that level)....if you use the calculations....they probably will be 66-to-68 percent.

Problems in buying NG?  Tankers are looking for bids and each load has a hefty price tag.

This relating to a winter shortage of natural gas?  It would depend on winter temperatures and how Feb/Mar goes.  

19 August 2026: Germany: 5 Stories

 1.   Italo (private Italian rail service)....says it plans to a launch long-distance service in Germany in early 2028.

Routes?  Munich-Cologne-Dortmund and Munich-Berlin-Hamburg, 

So like you'd expect....Deutsche Bahn (German railway) is going to court to halt the deal.....saying there's over-capacity allocation problems.

Would Germans dump Bahn....going to Italo....on these routes?  Well....if service was on time, and lesser chaos....yeah.   Cost factor?  Unknown.

2.  If you go dig into fire statistics data...for Bavaria....forest fire damage in the state of Bavaria has fallen by 65 percent in recent years.

Some of this is probably luck....some management practices....some relates to getting crews quickly out to a fire zone.  But what is curious....the state government says it intends to provide at least one billion euros annually for climate protection and climate adaptation....not fire protection.

3.  State of Bavaria says it will investigate/prosecute gas stations that increase gas prices after 12-noon.  National law says from 12-noon on....you can only lessen the price....resetting each day at noon,

4.  Odd evolution going on in Germany....with day-time bars trending (instead of night-time bars).

Prosecco or a Spritz.....now popular and preferred by younger drinkers in Germany.

5.  2.6 earthquake in my region (about 15 miles away)...at 8 PM last night.

Italy And Germany: Issues

 Italy  is currently saying....it will refuse to take back migrants from Germany who originally arrived in Italy (the EU mandates this). 

Why?  Well...Giorgia Meloni says that German aid organizations have brought more than 22,000 migrants to land in Italy.  Meloni wants some type of “compensation.”  You know....a bribe.

Any truth to the aid organizations being German-led?  Various rumors have suggested NGO groups....getting German gov't funds.

What'll happen? Nothing....Italy will keep the 'herd' in Germany, and Germany will just keep the 'herd' happy....while waiting for AfD to politically change things.

Something I Noted Today

 US workers...who are classified as functionally illiterate (low-IQ)....earn roughly the same per hour...your regular average craftsman in the UK (FT article).

Screwed-up?   Well....no  one says how long  ago this trend started (I'm guessing already in 2006....it was heading this way).

How long can this spiral last? Thats the question I'd ask.   If I were the Brit in this mess.....I would not remain.

Just Odd: Hayden Panettiere

 Last night (Monday)...both ARD/ZDF public  TV networks gave a update/send-off to the death of Hayden Panettiere.

I sat there....a bit amazed.  

If you had gathered up a thousand Germans....there might have been five that knew some detail of her acting career, or her brief relationship to Wladimir Klitschko (Ukrainian).

Her two TV shows (Nashville, Heroes)?  Neither were that popular in Germany.

Social media hype?  That really didn't figure into this either.

It seemed like.....they were told to fill air-time, and this was 'it'.

Two Observations

 1.  Last night (Monday)....ARD/ZDF (the two public TV networks) did 2-to-3 minute updates/introductions of the Brit Cambridge professor....Jayson Arday....and his funeral.

Up to this point....they had simply not mentioned the guy or his falling-out over the thesis, or public negativity over the guy.  If you asked Germans....I would imagine fewer than 2-percent of society had some idea of who the guy was.

The fact that Brits had been hearing the story for almost four weeks?  Yeah....that was the odd part of the introduction.

So ARD and ZDF tried to be mixed/fair....over the guy, and his issues. The bulk of his fake stories?  Never mentioned.

Germans trying to connect for/against the guy?  Marginally there, and maybe ARD/ZDF are simply trying to tell a one-time story, and never engage upon this ever again.

2.  E-scooter accidents getting hyped news-wise?

Yeah.....2025's accident rate was announced....16,496 accidents were noted (meaning folks had to go off to a hospital).  

There's now talk of safety mandates possibly coming.....forcing folks to wear helmets, and maybe setting a age limit.

I sat and looked 2021 rates....near 5,535 folks going to a hospital.

If you walk around Wiesbaden now....you tend to notice a fair number of juveniles/young-adults....on E-scooters.  Maybe one person out of forty....wearing a helmet.

18 August 2026: Germany: 7 Stories

 1.  Leipzig police released a study/report.....admitting that four crime families/syndicates now exist in the city.  Oddly....the four families are Syrian (meaning they didn't exist prior to 2012, and have taken over crime operation in the past decade).

Total membership within the four?  They estimate 1,000 members.

That this was probably 'known' five years ago?  Well....yeah, that might be difficult politically....to admit this to the public.

What now?  No one really says.  I would imagine that the federal police have to step in...bring in some team for six to twelve months, and do some major take-down operations.  Now....you might ask....from the other 30-odd metro cities in Germany....do they reflect the same issue, and find that no one really wants to discuss matters.

2.  Massive drone attack on Moscow?  Well....the talk this AM...from Monday evening reports....620-odd drones were used on a Moscow attack.  

3.  There's a German promi (C-list) that is fairly well known for surgical upgrading on her body.

Well...this gal....(Gina-Lisa Lohfink) is reported to have gone off to the Dominican Republic to fix what was a butt-enhancement 'problem'....apparently had the surgical procedure for 'repair', and then later while relaxing (I assume at some hotel)...the wounds 're-opened'....causing another emergency.

For some odd reason....probably around 5-to-10 percent of Germans get into the sensationalism of this kind of stuff.

4.  Reading through German social media.....a recent hype/upswing has started....going negative about masculinity-influencers.

I paused over this.  Apparently, there is some perception (perhaps fear) that social media influencers are now active....trying to convince young German men....to be less 'soft' and more 'manly'.  This apparently worries some segment of German society.

To believe in this concept....you'd have to ask....over the past decade, was there an effort to 'soften-up' German guys?  If so....would the masculinity-influencers simply returning them to a normal state of mind?

5.  The big fear building up over the Saxony-Anhalt state election (3 weeks away)?

Well....AfD says....if they win and can run things without a coalition....they will cut/dissolve public TV (meaning regional MDR will go away).

Oddly, there is a massive amount of coverage over the election by MDR (more than usual), and you get the impression that management is pulling every gimmick possible to ensure less votes for AfD.  

6.  WELT article this AM....numbers worrying German authorities.  Exceptionally high numbers of 20-to-24 year old Germans....having zero job-training, no certifications, and currently unemployed (meaning they collect social welfare money).

7.  There is a growing belief that if Saxony-Anhalt's state election goes to AfD...with a 45-percent win (most polls show them presently at 43-percent)....they will not have to form a coalition, and will lead the gov't alone.

This group....with this belief.....say that once this occurs....Chancellor Merz (CDU) is probably finished and would resign within 90 days.  

I'm not really in this stage of belief....almost all polls show a margin that a 'absolute-win' is not possible, and that the 2nd-place CDU would form a gov't with the SPD, Linke and Greens.  BUT...I would agree...a AfD win and enough to avoid coalition talks....puts Merz in a fairly weakened position.  

Who would replace him from the party?  No one really says.   

Heat Regulating Constitutional Change?

This AM....I sat and read a brief story via ARD (Channel 1, public TV).  The SPD Party (left-of-center) is writing up a draft plan....which relates to a constitutional amendment they are proposing....over heat-waves.

You will apparently have 'rights'....it's just unclear how the wording will be and how drastic this might go.

The term 'combat heat'....is mentioned in the news item....but lays out no real 'fix'.

The chaos in this?  Well.....you just don't know.

I'm guessing work is halted at some temp (probably 34C - 93F).  That might include school, funerals, hospital operations, regular work, farming, etc.

Compensation?  Who will pay?

A top three thing for election-BS?  I could imagine at least twenty-odd things more important. AfD countering this?  Unknown.  

Twelve Odd Political Trends You See Developing In Germany

 1.  There is some trend where hyped-up issues that ONLY affect metro-cities (and their voters)....have zero affect or hyped-up nature for mid-sized towns or villages.  This sets some parties apart.....where they can't sell their brand, or hype.  Some villages would be super-happy....if they just had a single bus route/schedule....stopping/leaving....a dozen times a day.....going 'somewhere'.  The same village will tell you they haven't had an assault/robbery...since 1967....mentioning the guilty party by his first-name.

2.  Crime/drugs....are probably listed as a top five problem....with most cities trying to show you statistics that it hasn't gone up much in ten years.  However, if you back to West Germany/East Germany days (before 1990)....there's a serious difference.  I'm not saying things were 'better' or 'different'....just that older people note this odd trend.

3.  There is some type of fascination starting up....that the German federal government....can resolve/fix....all problems.  The same type of fascination exists for the EU as well. Germans can't really say how lawyers in gov't seem to have any talents other than arguing or debating.

4.  Job losses are starting to be noticed, and parties are trying to invent resolutions.  Whatever the German market is selling (selling for several decades)....it's now in poor shape to produce and sell at a profit today.  Matters seem locked onto this trend.

5.  China, competition, AI, Trump, AfD, money-laundering, Putin's Russia, and capitalism....are all pretty much 'enemies-of-the-state' now.  The 8 PM ARD nightly news will usually have at least one 'enemies-of-the-state' element.  

6.  Pretty much the majority of Germans now agree....things are too much regulated.  Yet....stopping the regulations or dissolving them....is nearly impossible.

7.  Germans seem fixated that any time you have a knifing incident or car-assault-attack....the guilty party will confess to hearing voices, be radicalized, be male, or be victims of long-term paranoid schizophrenia.  For the slightly-to-the-left or slighty-to-the-right....it's impossible to not see this identification or to avoid asking stupid questions.

8.  German public TV is not widely accepted as the 'simple-truth' anymore.  Probably half of society asks questions and sees some element of propaganda existing.

9.  The free-stuff social 'sales'.....probably peaked out ten to fifteen years ago in Germany.  Socialism has a cost element....you can only go so far with 'freeness'.

10.  If Putin were able to stage an invasion on Germany....based on polling....somewhere around 30 to 50 percent of 18-to-25 year old German males would agree to military service.  The rest would refuse to enlist/fight.  (Putin is probably is sitting there and kicking himself....could have just as easily invaded Germany instead of Ukraine, and wrapped up the job in 100 days)

11.  It seems likely within a decade....about one-third of all Germans (living) won't be able to read, write, speak....at a rate beyond the 5th grade.  I'm not saying it's a bad thing...just that it's hard to imagine the better Germans accepting the lesser Germans at the same 'level'.  

12. It seems obvious....within a decade....the German gov't will have to invent some dimwit-job profession because of AI consuming half the job market, and the bulk of youth potential are geared to 5th-grade level (at age 18-to-25).  Where these jobs will come from?  Unknown.

The Wiesbaden-Mainz/Mainz-Wiesbaden 'Metropolis'

 If you combine the population of the two cities (next to each other), plus the forty outlying adjacent tows within the umbrella....the population gets up to around 1.5-million.  Oddly enough....there are just three bridges to cover the area (for car traffic) and two rail bridges.

My wife's grumbling?  It used to be a single complaint per month....say up to around six years ago....as she went from our village (Wiesbaden-side) to the Mainz side where the job is located.  There's probably five grumblings per day now.  On stress and 'rage'....it adds up.

Renovation now a massive problem?  Between the three bridges, the autobahns and city-traffic issues....there's probably twenty-odd renovation issues brewing.

Locally, there's hardly a week that passes within the metro area of Wiesbaden....where another pipe has 'blown' and a twenty-guy crew is called upon for emergency work.....consuming four to six weeks of traffic issues.

Both city governments hyped-up on traffic movement?  If you did engage with people....movement is now a top five issue, and no one can really spell out how to fix this....other than suggesting you bike to work, or use the tram/bus/railway.

A breaking point?  Oddly, both cities are building onto living structures.....so you can plot trends.  Mainz today?  Near 226,000....probably reaching 240,000 by 2035.  Wiesbaden?  300,135 back in March....likely to hit 315,000 by 2035.

If you were stationed around WI or MZ in the 1980s.....you probably would be shocked at the amount of traffic flow, and hassle in 2026.

This Volksbad 'Scandal' In Berlin?

 Well....it's a funny story.

Heat has been a major topic in Berlin (the city) for 2026....number of days of 30 C or more.  At some point....some commercial business-front had this idea of a temp-pool design.  You'd build up a above-pool situation....normal pool size....maybe 1.5 meters deep (5 ft).  You'd rent-out the deal....have a team (probably 6 guys) to assemble it....fill it up with water....run it as a cooling-off 'thrill' for some neighborhood. 

Cost factor?  Never openly discussed.  I would guess that it's around 60,000 Euro for a 6-week rental/assembly.  Who pays the water bill?  Unknown (I might guess that comes back to the city council).

To be re-used over and over?  Yeah...that's the business-side plus-up.  

So....this idea went forward and the cost was covered by a NGO (non-gov't organization).  It's some group who was given the funds, and agreed-upon for site use.  Maybe the NGO 'rented' the site as part of the deal....with the gov't getting funds 'back'.

The first Volksbad?  Assembled and used without a bad word.  Even ARD (public TV) did a segment and suggested it was a brilliant idea for summer use.

Then came a NGO in Berlin, who wanted a Volksbad concept....in a neighborhood....that has a fair black/African population, and the pool was to be set-up/used....ONLY for blacks (no German whites).  The NGO has some connection back to the black population of Berlin.

This got a lot of negative coverage....mostly from social media (not ARD).

How many blacks exist in Berlin?  It's not officially counted....but AI suggests the number of 53,000.

What makes them different from regular-white Germans of Berlin?  Well....nothing much.  If  you asked about swimming capabilities of two groups....I'd probably guess that 95-percent of Germans can swim....with the black population closer to one-quarter of the 53k being able to swim.  This idea of the separate pool....maybe giving the one social group a lesser embarrassment?  I'm of the mind that this is how the idea got created and funded. 

How the 95-percent of German society can swim?  Around age 10 to 12...schools mandate swimming classes (it's awful hard to get out of this requirement).  Newer residents/guests of Germany....never getting the mandated class in swimming?  Yeah.....if you arrived at age 18 to 25...you probably never learned to swim in your youth.

A real scandal?  No.

The minute that the council folks said it was a blacks-only event/use....it was to be a political mess to clean up.  

Political Side of the Forest Fire Story

 For the past 10 days....there's been a couple of fires to erupt (much less than what Spain and France has seen for the past 60 days).  

There is public 'anger' building up over the limited action in curtailing or limiting the damage of the fires.  It's not a national topic....strictly regional.  

Oddly, the Green Party has picked up the agenda, and slammed the Merz coalition (CDU-CSU-SPD) for not having concrete answers to fire 'protection'/prevention.

What is being pushed?  Well....using drones to detect or plan the route of fires is one thing mentioned.  Other idea pursued....forcing the federal gov't to hand state and city gov't authorities more money.  

On the money idea....there's no guarantee that the states would pursue a decent plan, or use the money for less-bang-for-the-buck.

All of this going back to the drought issue?  More or less. 2026 has been an exceptionally dry year...more so in my valley.....than any point in the past 20 years.  

Three Humble Thoughts

 1.  This suicide of the Brit Jason Arday...former Cambridge professor?

If you ask me....there was no fall-back plan (ability to make a wage)....once his entire imaginary 'life' was in full view.

Any blame on anyone?  No....the guy designed his mess.

2.  Dennis Schröder....German NBA player....traded for the 12th time....to the Hornets.

I'll just say it...he is a 'flashy' guard.....who seems to burn bridges where he plays, and generally....is not team-orientated.  

3.  Newest Saxony-Anhalt state poll (election in 3 weeks): (Pollysit)

AfD set at 43-percent...with the CDU at 23-percent.

Greens at 5-percent, SPD at 7-percent, and Linke at 11-percent.  Rest are below 5-percent.

What makes this poll unique?  Just over 2,000 participated....most polls are set to 1,000 participants.

What AfD would have to win with....to avoid a coalition?  If the Greens reach 4.9-percent (getting no seats) and AfD got around 44.5-percent....there is no need for a coalition.

I should add a odd interview piece....the INSA 'boss' (polling org)....says nationally....another 7-odd percent of non-AfD voters....lean in some way toward the AfD.  They aren't fully committed....just that they find some agreement on the migration issue.

This 'Death-Debate' That Has Come Up

 In the past week....the Robert Koch Institute talked up and said....around 12,500 heat-related deaths have occurred in 2026.

HOWEVER....I have to point this out....its mostly a estimate and calculations-game.

So a odd debate has started up....some groups want to have a gov't regulation to say....HEAT is to be listed as the cause of death....on the death certificate.

Naturally, some doctors are not that agreeable on this idea.

Imagine you being on some ICE-train....AC failing....rather than get off the train....you stick it out for an hour in 38 C (100 F)....hoping to reach your destination....instead, you launch into some heat-stress, and die.  Does the doctor say heat killed you....or stupidity?

The other problem here....there's the increased deaths in winter (factually proven).....so do you list the cause of death as COLD-weather being the cause of your death?

This 12,500 number accurate?  Well....it's an estimate.

If you were German....having walked 3 km today...across the border into Austria fall over dead in 32 C temperature....the Austrians would just say 'death-by-exhaustion'....but if you dragged the body back across the border....this 'death-by-climate-change' would be noted.  

I'm open to this idea of death-by-climate-change....if you will agree to add death-by-stupidity to the system as well.

Former US Army Site To Be Re-Used?

 The Federal Ministry of Defense has identified several former military sites (were to be converted to city use) for the new military service program. 

Four of those....former German Army sites: Graf Stauffenberg Barracks in Sigmaringen (Baden-Württemberg), Unteroffizier Krüger Barracks in Kusel and the Kurpfalz Barracks in Speyer (both Rhineland-Palatinate), Kanaal van Wessem Barracks in Soest (North Rhine-Westphalia).

Fifth?  Former US Army site: Ray Barracks in Friedberg (Hesse). This will include Ockstadt....the training area for Friedberg.  Location?  About 20 miles north of Frankfurt.

Closure?  I looked it up.....August 2007....so almost 20 years.

Best I can see....various plans of re-use kept coming up and Friedberg never getting funded/approved.

Trigger for the five re-use concepts?  The Bundeswehr says they are going to 'grow'.  If you asked me on the current shape of buildings at Ray?  I'd say all of them require renovation, and you'd be looking at six to ten years before it was fully operational.

14 August 2026: Three Stories

 1.  Just odd....several news organizations from around Berlin....have asked about the dead Abdul-guy (attack on the CSD parade)....wanting to know about his social benefits situation.

Well....so far, the German federal government refuses to provide information on social benefits of CSD terrorist.  Maybe it's a non-story, or maybe it's a long detailed story on fraud.

2.  Drought and dry forests now a problem....forest fires starting up around Germany.  Crop failures are openly discussed now.

3. Heat wave in my valley today....35 C (95 F)....Sunday is the arrival of storm front.

What Happens To Ceuta, Spain....In The End?

 The enclave is being set as a 'play'....mostly by the Moroccan gov't, but I would imagine some elements of the Spanish gov't wants to end the enclave arrangement.

So....by spring of 2027....around 10-to-20 percent of the Spaniard residents will have packed up and demanded some arrangement to resettling back to Spain. The federal folks will have to invent some type of tax-revenue bucket....in the 5,000 to 20,000 Euro range....to 'help' these folks, and the rest.

The 22 August 2027 national election?  This one topic will be divided into two or more elements.  How you resettle folks, and how the national gov't allowed this to happen.  

By the end of 2027....there will be a date of final exit (probably summer of 2028) where the last Spaniard has departed.

Ceuta after that period?  On my slum-to-be-index....1-to-10....it'll be near a '8' by the end of 2028.  

The French reaction by the end of 2028?  Well....I'll just stand and predict fencing-and-border-security are hyped-up to a maximum extent.  Most of Europe will see Spain as unstable because of the migration issues.

Three Topics

 1.  Saxony-Anhalt state election....any way for AfD to win and take control of the gov't? 

Well....two ways.

First, with around 43-percent polling....they might win, and if BSW were to take 5-percent of the vote (right now, polls don't suggest that).....the two might partner.  Odds?  I'd give it a 10-percent chance. 

Second, if AfD were to take 46-percent of the vote, and CDU take a lesser vote count (say 19-percent)....there's some potential for AfD to have enough seat to run the gov't without the coalition.  Odds?  I'd give it a 20-percent chance.

So...overwhelming odds....AfD doesn't get enough, with the 2nd place CDU folks forming a weak and marginalized gov't with the Linke, SPD and Greens.

2.  Presently, there is a rule in Germany.....you as a 14/15-year old German kid....may drink, but only in the presence of the parents.  Gov't is about to toss that rule.

3.  They've decided that queer people in Germany....aren't protected enough....to be a vote to change the Constitution....to resolve the problem.

12 August 2026: Germany: 5 Things

 1.  Berlin City leading membership landscape.  There are voting trends, and membership trends.  If you are a dues-paying-member.....you go to the party meetings, and have a say in candidate selection.  Oddly, within Berlin City....the Linke Party now has the most members.

2.  Poll done.....one in five Germans aren't completely 'honest' with their doctor and withhold health information.

3.  Poll done....roughly 85-percent of German society s disgruntled with the CDU-CSU-SPD coalition.  They aren't saying the alternative....just that nothing much positive is coming out of the Merz coalition.

4.  I watched a moderated German discussion group....topic came up.....10-year-old girl raped by 3 Syrians. 

Male member of the discussion group assessed the situation...."We are not in a position to therapize these people. The training of our therapists is tailored to our Central European socialization."

There are no factual numbers to say 5,000 or 12,000 or 30,000 'guests' of Germany need therapy of some type.  Germans are slowly beginning to grasp the mentally ill 'gimmick' and wonder about how things can be resolved.

5.  Last three days of the heat-wave-summer?  Thursday, Friday and Saturday....for my valley....33 C to 35 C....then massive cooling change for the 3rd week of August....done with the heat.  AC unit by Tuesday of next week....going back to the basement.  Figuring wattage used?  Probably 20 days of 12-hours-per-day of use.  

Saxony-Anhalt State Election Polling?

 INSA did a recent poll....way it looks?

AfD will come to around 42-percent.

SPD will be at 6-percent. BSW at 5-percent.

CDU, 22-percent, and Linke at 13-percent.

Everyone else....below 5-percent.

If it holds this way?

AfD marginally will miss controlling the coalition (by itself), and you end up with the CDU....hooked to BSW, SPD, and Linke. 

Yeah....some CDU-voters are not that happy, and if they lost 2-or-3 points (to AfD)....then they manage to win and avoid a coalition requirement. 

The Berlin 'Non-Germans-Only' Pool?

 Based on the hot summer aspect....the city of Berlin has funneled money to NGOs (non-gov't organizations) to support temp-pools.

My description?  It's a above-ground type pool....high quality....maybe five feet deep.  It's all temp in 'build'....a group of a dozen guys come up....probably takes two days to assemble and fill with water.  My wife...upon watching the news clip....naturally asked...what happens to the expensive water....as the fall weather arrives.  I assume it's just dumped down the sewer.

Up till today....no one said much negative about the idea.

Today?  Well....the NGO got a pool placement deal....ONLY for non-Germans (meaning Africans/Mid-East types).  Yeah....you need the correct skin color....to enter.

This attracting AfD attention?  You could suggest that.

The fact that the city-election is not that far off?  Yeah, that is also a part of this story.

App Chatter

 I spent week in Berlin....a couple of months ago.  One aspect that popped up in my mind at the time...compared to three past trips....is the scale of messiness. Graffiti by itself....is fairly noticeable.  But as you walk over the entire city....you walk from 'pile' to 'pile'.  About the only 'safe' area....is the Bundestag buildings.

I noted this AM....the subway 'boss' has approved a new WhatsApp address....where if you notice a 'mess' somewhere around the tram/subway areas.....take a picture....note the location, and send it to the central office.  They've apparently hired several teams that they can dispatch....to clean crap up.

Yeah, it's a low intelligence/low thrill type position.  But someone has to do it.

How did the city get this way?  Lot of Berlin residents talk about this.....most don't remember this being a problem when two Berlins existed (East and West).  Most say it started after 2015, and intensifies every year now. 

Three Observations

 1.  Assaults' on the Bahn for first-half of 2026?

Statistics released yesterday....989 'events' so far in the first half....which freaks out the public, and the railway employees.

If the trend continues....there's likely to be a evolving situation.  

I noted last night....railway employees are now testing/using facial recognition cameras.   So if you triggered an  event....the picture is going direct to some center, and you probably have zero chance in just walking away.

2.  New German law coming into effect over money-laundering.  Once they establish you are participating, and you happen to have property, at 40k Euro watch, or some 150k Euro Porsche.....the law makes it pretty simple in confiscate of everything you 'own'.

3.  Bahn 'bonus' program for upper-level employees...now under a threat?

Gov't is opening up a draft law.....where if they can't improve their on-time situation....there's no yearly bonus.

Politically.....everyone seems to support it.

11 August 2026: Germany: 5 Things

 1.  Duren (NW Germany)....Sunday night....around 20 guys met up as two groups, and a brawl started up on the street.  Bats, hammers, sticks, etc.  Couple of folks carried off in a ambulance.  Discussion topic?  Police don't say.

2.  SPD Party disenchantment over leadership 'duo': Bas and Klingbeil.

Way things are developing....there's to be a extra party meeting in the next two months....probably some type of new leadership deal....probably just one person instead of a duo.

3.  Disagreement in Saxony-Anhalt.....apparently....billions of state welfare money (citizens benefit)....going to non-Germans.  Becoming a election topic.

4.  Concert in Frankfurt....Boy George attending (rock-star from 90s).  Some kind of sound problems....reaches a point where Boy George leaves the stage in anger.

5. Just a weird story that has not concluded yet.

Back in Feb....there was this dismembered male corpse was found in an industrial park in Hessen (my state).

Cops came to believe (still today) that this dead guy was in some type of satanic ritual.

I'll just say there's a lot of weird crap in Germany....but these type of rituals are awful rare.

So....the public prosecutor's office has requested that the body be placed in secure custody, as the perpetrator/killer/assistant is believed to have been legally insane/crazy at the time of the crime.

Classification?  Well....murder at the present time.

The Darmstadt prosecutor's office has filed a holding application for the preventive detention of a 40-year-old suspect.

Oddly, the person in question....is a prostitute.

What's likely to happen?  Well...if she is crazy-crazy....she'll just go off to a secure psychiatric clinic....for the remainder of her life.  The body will be buried, and the case closed.

My question....being near age 40....I'm wondering if she was active for the past 20 years, and if there's a dozen other guys....used for some type of satanic ritual BS. (Best not to discuss stuff like this with Germans....it'd freak them out)

A Day In Wiesbaden

 I did a public bus 'run' today....into Wiesbaden, and over to the Army post.  Observations:

1.  Back-to-school day.  You get to observe the attire/dress trends.  

So....about 10-percent of the 12/13/14-year old German girls have fake eyelashes, and thick lipstick (fire-engine red).  Hair color trend?  Probably 10-percent went to florescent red/orange over the summer.  I probably noted 30 young ladies in slut-attire (I wouldn't let them leave the house dressed like this).

2.  Virtually everywhere you....water pipe renovation going on....both in the shopping district and along the route to the post.

3.  Robo-mowers set up on the outer boundaries of the Army post.  Three of them running....no human around.  Oddly....mowing 100-percent dead grass (since early July).  I would assume some guy sets them up and comes back three hours later...moving onto the next patch.  

4.  Bus/train audits?  Odd....on the six rides I had today.....I was ticket-audit-checked by six folks.  Statistically?  In one day....I usually might be hit once in twenty trips.  Just odd.

5.  Max in the city at 34 C (93 F).  Germans 'dying' all over the place from the heat-wave. 

Well.....NO.....lot of folks sipping water/ice coffee. 

6.  All time record of ice cream shops along the shopping district.  From end-to-end....probably 14 of the shops set up.  Twice of what you'd observe in 2010.

7.  Finally, AC-wise for bus travel....is crap.  You can probably sit and ride for about 20 minutes....before the heat gets to you (noon-time), and you have to exit the bus.

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.

The Barest of a Bluff?

  I read a piece yesterday....via the Brit Telegraph.

The blunt story?  Vladimir Putin could perhaps attack a NATO country within weeks to test the alliance, US intelligence has warned.

So this forecast centers on a 'test'....either a cyber attack or a land incursion....over the next two years.  Who dug up the forecast?  WSJ.

On my BS-meter (1-to-10)....it's a rock-solid '9'.

Putin having the weapons/hardware inventory to conduct such an operation?  Zero.  If you gave Putin II (the guy standing there in 2046)....maybe a 50-50 situation.  But today?  They lack manpower and hardware.

Who gave the WSJ this BS?  I'm guessing some outsider group to the Pentagon....or some pro-Ukraine group in DC.

How German ZDF Public TV Came To Exist

 I'll tell the story like a bedtime story.

Once upon a time....WW II ended....some Germans gathered up in spring 1949, and wrote the Basic Law (the Constitution). Contained was article 5....which listed TV as a part of German rights.  

German TV was not to be covered by gov't funding....it was a fee (tax) that households would pay...covering the cost.

It was heavily interpreted from the start....TV was supposed to provide culture, education, news, and entertainment (to a lesser degree).  

The network created?  ARD...Channel 1...was to be based out of Hamburg.

Who would monitor the network?  Well...a group of sixty-odd folks....from all over the country, and marginally controlled by the gov't.  It's safe to say....by such a large group....they could really change or guide the network.

So in this fairytale....about a dozen years go by and there's woes in fairytale land. The conservative folks (CDU/CSU) have figured out that basing ARD out of Hamburg...means a left-leaning group mostly runs ARD public forum shows, and the nightly news.  

So the CDU/CSU cooked up this plan in the early 1960s....they'd create a 2nd network....basing it out of Mainz, and it'd have a right-leaning group of journalists. Funding poured in....buildings were acquired, and almost immediately. the lawyers for ARD stepped up....saying the Basic Law prevented a 2nd network.  The court stepped up and agreed....the Basic Law says only one TV empire can exist.

Rather than collapse Channel 2 (the obvious answer)....ARD took control, and 'guided' them.

Instead of having one single left-leaning network....over a period of ten to twenty years...Channel 2 (ZDF) also leaned left.

As RTL arrived in 1984....ARD went back to the court and tried to halt them....saying ONLY one single network could operate in Germany.  Commercial TV was supposed to be prevented.

The court eventually said 'no'.....nothing prevented commercial TV.

The general perception today? If you polled most 18-to-40 year old folks....more than half would say they marginally watch ARD or ZDF....that the monthly tax-fee (around 18 Euro) should be cut, and that some major reform is needed.

Oddly, if the gov't had screwed up in the early 60s....adding ZDF....you'd only have ARD today to mess with.

As for some ending to the fairytale?  Well...no, it just continues on.

Conclusion of Summer?

 This AM....German weather gave a odd 'ending' to the 2026 heat-wave 'mess'.

So prepare....in approximately 10 days (figure between the 16th and 20th of August)....the heat (literally anything above 30 C / 86 F) officially ends.

What remains for the next 30 days after that?  Unseasonable low temperatures (figure 22 C or less for the most part), a fair amount of rain, and a fair amount of cloud cover.  If you had solar panels....it's not a happy feeling.

The 2026 heat-wave?  Well....I'd say....all total....there were about 20 total days (figuring this coming Sunday/Monday to hit 34 C) for the year being ultra HOT.  Basically four waves....the worst being ten days straight of heat.

Folks hyped-up to buy AC units?  News folks claim that AC technicians have a ton of work lined up, and will be busy through October installing new units.

The drought side?  Yeah....it's probably the most intense drought period across all of Germany....in thirty-odd years.  In my valley....the last real massive rain....was the end of March.  Since late April....there's been around four light rainfalls....never really amounting to much.  The grass?  Absolutely dead.

My Humble Thoughts Over The Halle Airport Drone 'Threat'

 First, if this were FSB/KGB (the Russians)....they wouldn't have screwed up and failed on two drone 'threats'.

Second, it was around midnight when the drones were 'sent-in'.  It seems like....whoever was the pilot....didn't readily know the layout of the airport.

Third, it could have just as well....been some local 18-year-old German kid who did it as a 'joke'.

Fourth....so far.....the make, model, brand of the drone....have been kept quiet....which is odd.

Fifth, the C-4 explosive?  No data yet on that....which is odd.

7 August 2026: Germany: 7 Things

 1. This halted drone attack at the Halle Airport?  Well....two aspects laid out yesterday.  First....the guy who spotted it....a bus-driver for a tour group....saw it land on the ground (no reason given)....got out....stomped on it to disable it.  Cops came about 10-to-15 minutes later....to find it was 'armed' with an explosive.

Second thing....the Interior Ministry is NOT convinced it was the Russians.  This has confused the public TV journalists a good bit.  I'll just say....there's probably six or more groups I would be eyeballing, and the Russians are on the list....but so are the Iranians, the CIA guys, private Ukrainians with a agenda, and Ukrainian gov't guys.

2.  France.  About those fires.  Well...the authorities now say that they've arrested 402 individuals who were trying to start fires....roughly 150 of them....were juveniles.  

3.  FIFA boss (Gianni Infantino) says he is not considering stepping down. Crisis meeting wrapped up yesterday.....he intends to stay until forced out.

4.  Study of effect done....if the food VAT (tax) is raised to normal VAT levels (19-percent)....for a family of four....it means around 1,200 to 1,400 Euro a year MORE.  Public really not agreeing much with the VAT change.

5.  Morocco has said now....they will NOT accept back the juveniles in Ceuta (the Spanish enclave). 

6.  Lot of discussion going on....to pick the next German President (after Steinmeier leaves office in January).  Two hypes.....one that it should be open to non-political folks (unlikely to occur).  The other being that it MUST be a woman.

My suggestion....get a transwoman up for the job.

7.  Jason Arday....the Cambridge sociology of education professor.....having resigned a day or two ago....over plagiarism allegations in his academic work is fully 'gone'.

The college now says that they will have a investigation to figure out how they screwed-up.

I see 3 problems.....first, if you open up to this issue....there is a pretty good chance that a 2nd and 3rd idiot-professor also exists....so everyone needs a review.

Second thing, if you had folks who took two or three of his classes....do they still get 'credits'?

Finally, do you sue to recover 'pay'?  (I should add....I do wonder what the guy will do for a job in the future....flipping burgers or driving a bus?)

I watched yesterday....about 15 minutes of a clip over his professor-talk.  I wasn't that impressed, and about 60-percent of it....was pure BS.  But it started to make me think....across the US, there's probably 5,000 instructors of this type...dumbass types with a PhD that was fake-work.  They aren't really teaching anything....just BSing folks to a level of thinking they know something.

My Humble Advice On Long-Term Travel Via The Bahn (Railway of Germany)

 1. Load the Bahn app on your smart-phone....it'll provide updates if  'crap'  occurs.

2.  Always be ready for a plan 'B'  situation....meaning a overnight in cow-town.

3.  AC on the ICE trains (high-speed rail)....is marginal. If above 35 C....it won't be effective.

4.  Reserve seats when possible.

5.  If you get stuck in some city....waiting five hours for the next leg of the trip....don't go loitering around the train station.

6.  Keep a couple of coins on you....for station toilets.

7.  On ICE trains....it's 100-percent chance of a ticket-audit.

8.  Accept the fact  that the Bahn is 'on-time'....about 65-percent of the time....so you have hefty odds of missing a train in your 3-leg trip.

9.  In a station like Frankfurt....there's forty-odd junkie/nutcases wandering around....be aware of that.

10. Don't travel via rail...if you know of a winter-storm, or a massive rainfall period. 

6 August 2026: Germany: 5 Things

 1.  The Leipzig drone 'attack'?  Tuesday night....around midnight....some Halle Airport employee (probably a tug-guy/logistics-guy....noted a drone and 'brought it' down.  He calls airport security.  Cops arrive within minutes....then they note explosives on it.  Yeah...kinda freaks out folks.

Security is bumped up....within 15 min....another drone detected and brought down...same deal.

Blame?  Well...this is a airport which handles Ukraine re-supply efforts.  So the Russians are believed to be behind the business.

Interior Ministry hyped-up over this, and I would imagine surveillance is maxed-out.

2.  In the past week....there's a public letter signed by 1,000 lawyers/judges in Germany....stating a effort to oppose the AfD Party.

The problem in this?  Well....in the future (even 10 years down the road)....if a prosecutor comes up to challenge AfD 'players' in court over anything....if his/her name was on the letter....they can be challenged in court and dismissed.  

How they got so far and thought the letter was super-smart to sign?  Unknown.

3.  There's talk of deleting the reduced rate of VAT (sales tax, currently at 19-percent) for food.  This would mean all items....including grocery items....would be taxed at the normal rate of 19-percent.  Public support questionable.

4.  Linke Party group in the Berlin-City election....says that if building a partnership with the SPD or Greens.....they would have to accept the idea of expropriation.

This means the new city gov't would go and 'grab' apartment buildings....paying off the losing organization with city/state-cash.

This topic has come up a fair bit over the past decade....the problem is....where the cash comes from, and the significant amount required just for a building (or two).

The 'Kids'

I sat and read over this AM story....Spain's Ceuta (the enclave in Morocco).....say they will seek transfer of over 1,000 "unaccompanied migrant minors," to mainland Spain. 

The 'minors' gimmick....the 'kid' showed up....probably lacking a ID....convincing the gov't guy that they were juvenile in nature.  True or not.....not really a item to discuss.

A 2025 reform to Spain's immigration law says unaccompanied minors must be redistributed from overstretched territories within 15 days ​of their case file completion....so there is no choice.

Will the towns/cities accept the 'kid'?  They have little choice.  Will the 'kid' stay there?  I've of the mind....I'd probably have a 'go-to' list....places with better deals (yeah, like Germany).

This Ceuta deal becoming a bigger 'mess'?  You start to wonder about that.

Russia Planned Attack

The newspaper....Die Zeit....reported today....that German intelligence services halted a Russian assassination plot on Stefan Thumann the CEO of Donaustahl....one of the bigger drone manufacturing companies......helping Ukraine with vast amounts of drones.

Region?  Bavaria.

SPD Party Strategy Paper?

 It got brought up via Focus today.....the SPD Party is having a discussion with the Linke Party....finding  path to merge.

If you went down the top forty points of the SPD....there's probably 20 points where they could merge.  The problem is....probably half of the SPD voters (the older crowd)...wouldn't be that thrilled.

Where both are in national polls?  SPD around 14-percent....Linke folks around 11-to-12 percent.  

Just a humble guess.....10-percent of SPD wouldn't support this idea.  Not sure about the Linke voters.

Why make this move?  I'd suspect that if you gathered up SPD voters who were 40 or older....most aren't really hyped-up for the party, and it's been trending that way since Merkel.

Younger voters from the left?  They might see a reason to exit from Green Party numbers....maybe over a year or two....perhaps taking 25-percent of the Green vote.....getting the SPD/Linke 'creature' up to around 30-percent.

I'm not saying this is a done deal....just that some talks will take place.

My View On This Hyped-Up German Chatter for Air Conditioning

 First, once you got up to 35 C (PLUS)....for about 10 days in a row (meaning 95 F)....yeah, you had to take drastic measures.  

Shutters got closed at 11 AM....brought the AC unit up from the basement and ran for 10 hours per day....sipped through 4 lemonades in the afternoon....stayed mostly in the shade.

Then the heat wave ended.....getting back to 25 to 30 C for two weeks.

Yesterday ended the 2nd heat wave (going to 34 C for three days).  Cooling trend now for 10 days.

There's probably one more heat wave by the end of August.

Biggest negative?  I have to listen daily to the German wife talk about climate change, American SUVs, the great evil triggered by Trump, and mankind's spiral.

You can assume that about 25-percent of German society is opening up a discussion about buying a 3,000 Euro AC unit.  Half of them will buy the unit by March of 2027.....then discover that 2027 only brings four days of HOT weather for the upcoming year, and the AC  unit was a total waste.

These France Fires

 French police now say.....they've arrested around 400 individuals (at least up to last night)....for starting fires.  

Reasoning?  None given. 

Ethnic status?  So far....none given.

5 Aug 2026: Germany: 9 Stories

 1.  2nd heat wave in effect.....yesterday was  35 C day (95 F).  Today will max at 31 C.  Yeah, I've been running the portable AC unit a bit.

Thursday is supposed to return to the 27-to-30 C temps for a week.  

2.  Crazy police crash in Frankfurt last night.  From the report....cops were bringing two 'guests' back to the squad area....crashing into another vehicle.....both vehicles totaled. 

3.  ZDF (public TV, Channel 2) ran another 45-min Bahn (railway) critical report last night.  

The general problem (if you review the facts)....the Bahn is in the middle of a long era (over 10 years) of upgrades/renovation.  Anyone expecting the top efficiency BS....is kidding themselves.  If you are on a wild 500 km trip via the Bahn....yeah, you need to be open to the idea of delays or cancellations.  

4.  20 Sep Berlin-City election approaching.  Linke Party in the lead: 21-percent.  CDU at 19-percent  SPD at 12-percent.  AfD at 18-percent.  Greens at 17-percent.  Everyone else at 4-percent or less.

CDU currently runs the council......so the Linke is posed to lead. 

Based on reporting....a large segment of the youth vote is Linke at this point.

5.  EU has started to talk 'tough' on border control, and people-smuggling.  Whether or not it's true....unknown.

6.  Hotel Adion in Berlin to be sold.  Highest rated hotel in Germany....was actually owned by a syndicate group.....around 4,000.  Most were in a age-group aimed for retirement and wanted to 'dump' their shares.  About a 3-min walk from the US embassy.  

7.  The 'Abdul-terrorist' event in Berlin...isn't really concluded (the guy is dead).

Questions continue to arise.  One of the key ones.....police had identified him as a 'threat'.....yet he was on bail.  How this was possible....no one can readily explain.

8.  Oddly, several cities that hosted World Cup soccer games....are waiting to be paid by FIFA for 'services'.  

9.  Ladies Tour de France.....investigations?  Well....there's inspections going on....some type of special bra being used....for aero-dynamic purposes (illegal apparently).  My view....if you are a big-boob gal and Tour-rider.....this improves airflow around the boobs.  How they tested this and proved the point....unknown.

4 August 2026: Germany: 3Things

 1.  Ceuta, Spain.  Just odd speculation brewing.....a belief that 10,000 'invaders'....are hiding out in Ceuta somewhere.  Locals say this....some police agree.  

2.  Nuremberg Airport....last Friday....fight developed at the terminal.  Eleven guys waiting to board for Izmir, Turkey.  Cops were called....took a fair number to halt the fight.  In the end....airport authorities told the 'boys'.....boarding was not possible.

What the fight was about?  Unknown.  Bunch of drunks?  I wonder about that.

Oddly, Saturday morning....in Nuremberg City....near the train-station....cops were called....naked-gal was in a violent mindset.  Drugged-up apparently.  Took several cops to take her down.

3.  33-year old druggie...Langen clinic (Frankfurt area)....cops were called.  Some patient going crazy....fighting staff folks.  Two cops did finally establish authority....both wounded in the brawl.

This German View of Mayonnaise

 My wife (German in nature) tried years ago to bring me over to the 'dark-side'....to use mayonnaise on French Fries/pommes.  That effort....failed.

I went grocery shopping with her last Friday.  About ten minutes into the journey...I got to the retiree 'bench' that the store maintains....so older guys didn't have to walk aisle by aisle....wasting an entire hour.  

So the bench in this store.....is across the way from the mayonnaise aisle.  I had the full view....all 15 brands, and probably around 100 variations of mayonnaise.  There's plain regular....there's kitchen-blended-in....there's hot-pepper mayonnaise....there's mustard-blended-in....and on, and on.

The general use of mayonnaise?  It still goes on, but I suspect that 75-percent of mayonnaise is bought for fries/pommes.

Where this started?  I've asked this question, but there's no history to draw upon.  

Just A Odd Statistic

The state of NRW was forced into a inquiry by the AfD Party.... over drug trafficking at the Düsseldorf Central Station.

The question was....the 2025 nationality of identified drug suspects.  

Suspects with German nationality: 6  

Suspects with foreign nationality: 104  

Of the 6 German suspects, five had an additional nationality. 1 x Greece, 1 x Iran, 1 x Turkey, 2 x Morocco.  

Of the 104 foreign suspects, 80 individuals are immigrants, i.e., asylum seekers and refugees. 

You would take from the data....most all engaged in drug sales....are non-Germans. It begs the question.....if you asked over the top twenty stations in Germany....would they all go the same way?

1 Aug 2026: Germany: 4 Stories

 1.  All this hyped-up mess with the FIFA folks and World Cup?

Well....after the Asian league said 'no'....it appears this $20-billion sell-off concept...is 'dead'.  It also appears that the leadership of FIFA....is probably going to be forced out.

2.  At least four countries are talking up the idea of border controls....after the mess in Spain.

Curiously, most of the 40k occupants (Moroccan) have departed Ceuta.

3.  All this cabinet shuffling-around business with Chancellor Merz....appears to have NO bounce on polling....which means...it was a worthless act.  Kinda funny....but demonstrates how screwed-up things are.

4.  From the ten-odd storm fronts that came through my valley this past seven days....none produced more than a sprinkle.  Five-star drought status.  If you walk by corn fields...nothing is growing much.  

This Spain 'Chaos'

  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.

31 July 2026: Germany: 5 Things

 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.  

Impact of 2027 German State Elections

 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.

Return of 'Freddy'?

 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.

1,200 Km Aqueduct In Bavaria?

 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.

Dilettantisch Meaning?

  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).

29 July 2026: Germany: 9 Stories

 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.

This FIFA Chaos

 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?

Preventative Dention?

This morning....big meeting with German federal authorities....the Interior Minister... Dobrindt (CSU)....spoke up and said....he's calling for the introduction of preventive detention for potential threats. 

I'll just say from the federal folks (the BKA).....there's 400-plus Islamist individuals who might fit into this category of potential threats.

I paused over this....there's NO constitutional text to allow 'preventative-holding.'

There is a piece that allows (after a serious crime)....a piece to hold you, if you were a threat to society because you demonstrated clear-potential, or a threat to run-away. But these are actions which we aren't really discussing.

So there would have to be a constitutional change (my view).

If you were just uttering BS about stupid infidels....how they need to be roughed-up or hurt....that probably wouldn't get you preventive holding under current rules.

But then I come to the 2nd issue....once you invent/write such a law....where exactly would you go and hold such individuals?  Clearly, you need a German-super-max-type prison....like the US has in Colorado.   Then you'd tell the guy...upon detention.....he would never leave such a place.  In a crazy guy's mind.....this would hype him up, and he'd be a threat for the remainder of his life.

This being just for 400 guys?  I have my doubts.....this list would expand within a year to probably 1,000 guys, and potentially in five years.....maybe 3,000.

So I'll just say this....whatever they are discussing....will NEVER occur....NEVER be funded....NEVER be built.

If you asked me logically about the use of such a place?  Yeah....it's probably the only 5-star answer to get Germans to being safe and comfortable.   

One added note....you'd go and add lefty/righty extremists.....to fall into this pit as well.  This problem would not fix much of anything.

What Is Waswasa?

 Within the Islamic religion....waswasa is an Islamic theological term that means the subtle “whispers” or intrusive suggestions planted in a person’s heart or mind by Shaytan (Satan/the devil himself).

Oddly....it describes Satan’s attempts to introduce doubts, temptations, baseless worries, or distracting thoughts in order to weaken faith, disrupt worship, or lead someone toward sin. 

So if you were in some treatment  program for deradicalization....you probably have a defensive mechanism in your mind...thinking the clinic-help folks....are  planting doubts in your mind or trying to distract you.

This Berlin Abdul guy facing this reality?  I think from day one of the deradicalization program....he had a frame of mind to 'protect' himself from change. If so......then the whole concept of the program...is wasted effort.

Odd Polling For Sachsen-Anhalt State Election

 6 Sep is the election day for state voting in Sachsen-Anhalt.  Polling?

AfD will (without doubt) 'win' with 41-percent of the vote.

CDU, 2nd place with 24-percent.  Linke Party with 14-percent, and SPD at 5-percent.

Note, you have to have 5-percent or better....to get seats in the state assembly.

Then follows Greens, BSW, FDP and lesser parties....4-percent each....meaning 16-percent of the state votes....earns no seats.

When you do the math....AfD will be fairly close to 50-percent (meaning  no coalition is required).  The question is.....will the SPD get to 5-percent?  If not....then it's absolutely clear...AfD wins and forms it's own gov't within the state.

The other odd scenario?  If you vote for the CDU, and the SPD gets 5-to-6 percent....AfD can't get a free deal, and the CDU end up in a leading-the-coalition 'game'....with the SPD/Linke Party.  In this case...a fair number of CDU folks are peeved at the deal-making involved, and they might vote AfD to avoid the deals.

28 July 2026: Germany: 6 Things

 1.   It's just odd....a Muslim radicalized youth (age 21)....goes into terror mode, and left-wing commentary tries to 'sell' you on the idea that it was a 'right-wing' attack.  Lot of BS existing...especially around Berlin.  

One odd aspect of the dead radical guy....while in the German prison...he was apparently trying to convert Muslims (already in jail) to be radicalized.  At  some point, the prison realized the 'act' going on, and put him into a separate enclosed area.  He still tried to socialize and friend-up other Muslims. 

If you asked me....this idea of bringing him out of prison....to a 'deradicalization' program....was a four-star joke.  

One other odd aspect....at some point in the legal process....he was  categorized as 'emotional development delayed' (even though he was over age 18)....which meant they didn't treat him as a adult but as a juvenile.

2.  Tegel Airport (Berlin) effort to convert over to a university....has begun.

3.  Starting in August, providers and operators of AI-generated content must clearly label it as such. (German and EU mandate).

4.    "Crashout" is a newly invented word (in 2026) by German teenagers.....refers to a situation where someone completely loses their composure, freaks out, or reacts extremely emotionally.

5.  Interior Minister Dobrindt wants to fit electronic ankle monitors to dangerous individuals.  'House-arrest/detention' would follow the guy.  I'll predict....most don't have the patience for the monitor, and will quickly violate the situation.

6.  Heat wave for my valley returns Wed/Thur...35 C (95 F).  Settles back to 31 C by Friday/Saturday.

The Odds of Having Paranoid Schizophrenia With Lower IQ?

 Well....it's a numbers thing.  A lower IQ is linked to a higher risk of developing schizophrenia.

This relates to a 3.7-percent increase in risk for every single-point drop in an IQ test. So if you considered 100 average, and you had a 80 IQ....that means  20 x 3.7-percent....70-percent higher chance.

In recent weeks....I've hyped the problems of low-IQ folks in making rational decisions and relating to threats of violence.

Each time you note a member of society doing something irrational and threatening....you can generally start a betting pool....something related to a lower IQ has occurred.