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.

Interview

 This AM....interview via RTL-news....with the Interior Minister....Alexander Dobrindt (CSU).

At some point.....it's talked about over the weekend terror attack in Berlin: “How can a sentence actually be suspended on probation for someone who has been identified as a threat?” which is the quote given by Dobrindt.  Obviously, how the Abdul-character was 'free'....makes no sense.

The Abdul's lawyers?  Obviously, they found the legal framework to convince a judge that you could go through a recovery process to lose your radicalization.

I'll just say....as the weeks go by, and more questions get public attention....there's intense pressure building up.  But I said that five years ago as well.  It helps to have stupid people....go through Amnesia....over and over.

Elon Interview

 Last night....I sat  and completed the 90-odd-minute interview of Elon Musk with Zanny Minton Beddoes, the Editor-in-Chief of The Economist.  You can find it on YouTube.

I'll make three observations.

First, I don't 'HATE' the news media or journalists.  I'd say if anything....over the past dozen years....I've been very skeptical of the stories laid out....or the narrative told.  Since AI came along....I can hit the analyze-button, and check out the facts (if any).

Second, once I've noted that you are slanting the story....intentionally....my trust goes to zero.  I might still read your piece....but I'm very unlikely to buy into the story.

Third, I don't really believe that journalists have any special skills or talents. Maybe in the period up to the 1990s.....there were some with talents....but that era has ended.

The interview worth viewing?  Oh yeah.  

Just A Odd Number

 Focus published a piece....experts in Berlin-City....say that from the entire community...there are in the range of 1,940 radicalized folks who seem  to be violence-prone extremists...of the Islamic religion.  That's Berlin....alone.

Nation-wide?  The number suggested is 9,000.

The problem? At some point....folks start to ask security questions, and how police efforts can work?

In some ways....it begs the question....is this intentional...to create a bigger problem than the current economy? 

Three Things

 1.  Did some German gal  at the vigil for the Berlin Pride parade victims utter that she hoped it was "not an Arab-Muslim, but a White Christian person"?

Well....yeah.  This was a spokesperson for the LGBTQ folks....talking in the hours after the attack.

My impression....she really wanted to discount the Abdul-guy as the terrorist.   Oddly....it's hard to find a German Christian guy....who'd fit the terror angle (my belief).

2. Spiegel reporter talked to the Abdul-guy's dad.  He says the son was utterly brain-washed.  

One odd factor....Abdul-guy had washed-out of occupational skill training.  He was mostly working as a driver or security guard....no  real path in life.

3.  Folks at the garden-area where he was cornered (in Berlin).....report six shoots by the federal-police unit...upon encountering the guy with a knife (described as a machete). 

Wrapping Up The Abdul-Story

 Total damage, 1 dead (gal) and 29 wounded from the terror-car-attack (Sat evening)..

The Abdul-guy stayed hid for most of Sunday.....cops had a suspicious activity thing they reacted upon....Spandau area.....garden-plot community.  Federal police approach....guy reacts with a knife....cops shoot him dead. 

Most of the story wrapped up.  

Questions over the detention period....deal offered for him to deradicalize via some 'successful' program (he'd attended two sessions of the 26 mandated).  

My impression....he wanted to serve some great purpose in life, and by joining ISIS....on that attempted trip to Lebanon, and onto Syria....he would have been part o the 'team'.  Once denied, and sent back to  Germany....the dream collapsed.

Two consequences left?

First, back in May....some polling group went to LGTBQ folks about their voting pattern.  Bulk (around 19-percent) vote AfD (no explanations for this).  After this attack....that national trend with  LGTBQ might ram up to 25-perecent (my humble belief).

Second, Berlin-City is set for a state-vote early in September.  Poll done 2 weeks ago....shows AfD slightly in the lead....around 19/20 percent....with Greens, SPD, Linke and CDU fighting for 16 to 18 percent. I might go and suggest that the SPD and CDU folks will lose around 5 points.....with AfD getting fairly near 25-percent of the vote for the state-election.

Final observation....reading through the limited details of Abdul's life.....he wasn't much of a success story, or going anywhere.  He seems drawn to a cult-like existence.

On the deradicalization BS....some Germans buy into the concept. 

Court Chatter

Robert Koch Institute numbers....5,000, they say those folks in June died due to heat.

Retiree Markus Roach (logically) filed charges against Chancellor Merz and ministers....for "failure to provide possible assistance against the threat posed by extreme weather events."  

I paused over this.

Legal system able to handle this?  Typically, you'd have a name and a death certificate. 

How you'd prevent future deaths?  Tons of tax revenue. 

Things From Koln Trip

 First....it  was  some kind of Goth-fest....probably 10,000 Gothic dressed folks....from teens to age 70. 

Second....I noted two protest parades...one for a pro-Iran/pro-Mullah/anti-Trump group.  Other was pro-Iran/anti-Mullah/pro-Trump group.

Third, the hotel-parking-garage....deep under the place....was  not made for normal cars.  I had high anxiety pulling in/parking.  

Attack: Berlin

 What the cops say....around10 PM....Islamic guy....drove into a parade crowd (Christopher Street Day)....killing a woman...wounding 15-odd  folks.

Guy got away.....still 'free' at 13:00 local time today.

Lebanese guy....age 21.....previous time in some youth detention center.

If they do catch him? Well....if he says something about 'voices'....he goes off to mental clinic.

Odd thing....2025, he went off to Lebanon...got detained...held...deported back to Germany.   Declared radicalized....was told to take 26-odd classes to de-radicalize (in Germany). Guess....it didn't work.

UK Story

 Yesterday....a Sky News-commissioned YouGov poll found that a ONLY 6-perecent of UK residents would volunteer to fight if facing an imminent invasion.

They didn't add a 'enemy'....assuming it was Russia.

I pondered over this.....the greatest opportunity in the history of Russia.  Simply a invasion force of 30,000 could probably take over England in 10 days.  Would NATO come to save the UK?  I'm not that sure.  Would the US/Trump come?  Probably only to remove our troops/families there, and exit a quickly as possible.

So the question....what would  Putin gain?

I ponder over this for an hour.  

A quarter of the UK population would welcome the Putin-force....for liberating them from the Labor-Party.

The anti-King Charles folks?  They'd welcome the Russians.

The folks hating the police?  They'd welcome the Russians.

Would it matter....if this were the Spaniards, French, or Germans....instead of the Russians?  I'm of the mind.....anyone could invade....even the Argentina folks.

For Putin?  If he just had forty-odd tanks, and 30,000 troops...the UK is his to take.

Trip to Koln This Weekend

Four star hotel in the mix.  Oddly,  they note that they will provide Covid masks, if requested,  and they stock TP...toilet paper.  🤔

My wife selected it...some frugal deal.

Adventure stories will follow.

(Other than military deployments....I never worried much over TP.)

64 Teams?

 My German wife and I had a soccer chat last night (it's rare....maybe twice every decade)....so the topic was if FIFA follows through....enlarging the World Cup to 64 teams.

My wife took the position...it's CRAZY-CRAZY.  

I asked how many games would be involved, and she did the analysis in 60 seconds....suggesting there would be 16 'groups', and a total of 128 total games.

I added my thoughts....that six weeks were not enough...it'd have to be 8 weeks (two full months).  Also....to be honest....adding Iceland, Mongolia, and Thailand....doesn't really thrill me.

Based on readings yesterday....FIFA believes they made in the range of $8-Billion off the US-Canada-Mexico series.

If you added the 64 team scenario into it....profit-wise?  I'd guess the numbers go close to $15-billion.

Players accepting this?   I'm not that sure.

Would I watch 30-plus games over two months?  That's the question that I come to.  With all the crappy ref action....I lost 50-percent interest by the 3rd week of this spell. 

Train 'Attack'

It's reported in the Ulm area (Bavaria) but barely mentioned nationally (at this point).

So....Monday morning....around 8:45 AM....a Tunisian 52-year old guy....got on a ICE train heading toward Munch.

If you've ever been on ICE trains....it's a 99-percent chance of a ticket-audit, and if you were traveling without a ticket....it's 5-star stupid.

The guy had no ticket.

So there is this meeting/confrontation in  the bistro-car.....conductor and the Tunisian.

Somewhere in the middle of this....the Tunisian guy threatens a passenger with a piece of broken glass (I assume a beer-bottle).

Police say...the guy kicked at officers who arrived, and attempted to bite them during the arrest. 

Arrested....held on charges now.  The ticket problem is the least of  his worries.  Assault on the police....the biting charge....then the threat with a broken glass on a traveler-lady....would be ten years of prison, unless 'crazy-crazy'. 

Odds of a mental exam order (by the judge)....I'd give it a 50-50 possibility.

On the positive side....at least the police didn't have to draw weapons or fire a round or two into the guy.  

Likely Le Pen Effect On Germany

 Over the past month....there's been a fair amount of focus by German public news (ZDF/ARD)....that Marine Le Pen will win next year's France Presidential race..

So I've pondered over the scenario.

What Le Pen promises?  Tough....immediate actions.  Deportations.

So I'm making three predictions.

First, in the month after she assumes  office....somewhere in the range of 500,000 'bad-boys' will exit France...before the full effect of deportations....arriving for the most part in Germany.

Second, the Merz-coalition will be completely unable to comprehend this situation and by early 2028....crime numbers rapidly escalate.  

Third,  AfD ends up promising Le Pen-type rules.....to resolve the mess.

Yeah, I'm laying out  a pretty bad landscape for 2028.

Egling Stabbing Attack Story Ended?

 Bavarian police have arrested a 16-year old German (ethnic German) kid for the attack.

Eight teens wounded in the attack.....over the weekend.

Oddly, as the 'be-on-the-look-out' report went out....it said that the attack-person spoke broken German....meaning....he was a 'guest' (so you assumed).

After the arrest, and the ethnic status determined....I asked Grok (AI) how the broken German part of the story 'fits'.

AI suggested....some Germans don't speak plain/clear German.

I paused over this.

No matter where you go in Germany....probably one-third of the population speaks with some dialect (Bavarians are the worse, but Saar folks pretty close....with Hesse folks in rural areas really bad).  If you were an American...marginal on German  skills....it's a pain-in-the-ass to ask a question and get the odd dialect answer.

As  for why the 16-year old kid stabbed the others?  So far....cops have little to add.  My bet?  Doped-up on something, or fairly drunk.

23 July 2026: Germany: 6 Stories

 1.  Cool trend?  Well....the past 2 weeks have been exceptionally cool (last night, low of 12 C/54 F).  Drought continues?  Yes....virtually all of the yard is dead now.

2. Fake suicide?  The Stade-shooter (shoot dead six social service personnel, about a month ago).....is dead by suicide.

But there is this 'catch'.  For the 4 weeks of  jail-time....he continually gave this happy-feeling/positive-thoughts....faking the guards out.  In the suicide note, he brags of this in some way.

3.  Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the Munich shooting.

Background?  This was a mass shooting.....classified as a right-wing extremist attack.....occurring in the vicinity of the Olympia shopping mall in the Moosach district of Munich, Germany. 

The guy involved?  A 18-year-old Iranian-German David Sonboly.  He opened fire on teenagers with migrant background at a McDonald's restaurant.  Thirty-six wounded....nine dead.

So they held a ceremony.....President of Germany gave a speech.

I paused over this.  Shooter was a gamer.  In the 3 years prior to the shooting....he had received psychiatric treatment for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In 2015 he spent two months as an inpatient in a mental care facility,

Police noted in the after-action report....the shooter was socially isolated, had endured years of bullying (including physical abuse) at school—mostly by classmates from immigrant backgrounds.

None of this mental issue stuff was mentioned yesterday....just that he was a right-wing nutcase....over and over.

Footnote:  if you take the statistical average....Germany has 280,000 paranoid schizophrenic folks walking around....waiting for some 'trigger'.  If you were walking for an hour in Mainz....you probably passed by a dozen folks who were  potentially a  'loose-canon'.

4. About 30 years ago....folks in Bonn had this idea of bringing the S13 S-Bahn train line to the Koln Airport.  It was almost to the last stage....when this week....they woke up and realized that a bridge was required.

Planners now say....it'll be 2040....before S13 is finished.

5. HR ran a terrific documentary piece last night....'Dirty Money'...talking over money-laundering in Germany.  The experts say....nearly 100 billion Euro  is washed yearly in Germany. 

The more interesting suggestion....there are hotels in Germany....faked-up....noting ghost-guests....paying in cash....but the hotel is mostly empty.  The registered guests....non-existent....simply washing the money as income.

6. Argument to some degree going on....who will enforce the NO-drinking rule in train stations (when it becomes effective).  Police don't really want the job.  Bahn-security is not manned to the degree to take on the job.

I'll predict....'bouncers' end up  being hired at massive levels.  Cost will be passed to railway riders.....figure 25-percent bump in ticket prices by 2030.  

Germany and Militias

Americans tend to get into this affiliation with militias.  So this is one of those historical essays I write, except it's about Germans (Prussians) and roughly a 180-year period where it was acceptable to have militias around Prussia/Germany. 

German militias were originally referred to as 'Freikorps' (meaning Free Corps).   The first historical identification goes back to 1759 and Frederick the Great.  This group of 80 men were all volunteers and they were based around the Dresden region (the far east side of what was Prussia).  Oddly enough, these were all Hungarian men.  By the end of 1759, four additional groups of volunteers were created....mostly of Prussian men.  These four were based around other cities (Berlin, Leipzig, for example).  The key thing was that they were all volunteers, and not part of any military unit.

by the late 1770s, other units had been created around Germany/Prussia and these were made up of a number of ethnic groups (Prussian, Hungarians, Turks, Cossacks, Poles, Lithuanians and Slavic men).  In the Seven Years War, all of these militias played key roles.

There's a key thing about the militias that were created.....they weren't regular Army, and tended to be undisciplined.  Training skills?  No one ever gives them plus-points on combat-type skills.  It's hard to find occasions that militia members were ever paid anything much.  Most did it out of patriotic motivation (a little adventure).

Throughout the 1800s, in every single 'skirmish' or war that the Prussians had with France....the Freikorp guys showed up.  Some got recognition in battles.  Some commanders got noted recognition and public 'status'.

So you come to 1918....the end of WW I.  Oddly enough, a large number of regular soldiers found themselves returning to communities in defeat, and by joining a local Freikorps unit....they felt they were part of a bigger team.  In some ways, the local militias now became political devices.

The potential coups threats of the 1920s?  All leading back to some type of militia unit.

By the fall of 1933, Hitler and the Nazi machine came to a realization....that the various Freikorp units were a threat.  Over the period of three days in June and July 1934....most of the commanders of Freikorp militias (along with the Brown Shirt thugs) were detained, and in some cases executed.  That basically triggered the end of the militias in Germany.

Existence today?  No.  Nor do I think that the Berlin crowd would appreciate such units popping up and suggesting that the police were no longer capable of providing protection.

ZDF Documentary

 Last night, prime-time....ZDF (public TV, Channel 2) ran a news piece entitled: 'Our Railway: Loved,  Cursed, Dangerous?'

You can view it here. It is worth watching (only in German).

I'll say....it's a fair assessment.

What they generally point out....the Bahn is in a long, long period of renovation  (probably 20 years), and there's simply not enough money to achieve total  and absolute success.

What I'll say?

They are keeping ticket prices at a level....to get you hooked to their 'product'....avoiding flights.  The reality is....tickets should be 50-to-100 percent higher.

I do agree....everyone seems to have extremely high expectations....that the 7:08 train from Wiesbaden to Frankfurt train should be 99-percent 'on-time'. The same crowd expects the toilet to always be working.

On stations being 'magnets' for trouble?  Frankfurt, Hamburg.....absolutely true.  I would tell you to enter....get  to your train, and limit your actions within the structure.  Don't linger or be a target.

Q-and-A: Boozing and Train-Stations in Germany

 1.   Are there any booze 'spots' in the Wiesbaden train station?

Well...one....on the north end....as you face the station.  Up until the 1990s....might have been 2 or 3 'spots'. Over the past 20 years....they mostly went to food shops (McDonalds/KFC).  

2.  Mainz station?

Mostly the same story....there's one pub at the very end of the station.

3.  Frankfurt station? 

There's probably five or six spots where you can step in, and have a beer.

4.  Boozing after work a lost cause?

1960s/1970s....it was fairly common for the German working guy....to stop....toss  back a schnapps or beer every single evening while heading home.  That has mostly ended by the 1990s.

5.  Boozing in general.....less?

Yeah, I'd make that observation.  If you ask any German guy (age 50)....most will say they drink one-third less compared to what they were drinking twenty years ago.

6.  Where this trend goes by 2040?

My gut feeling is if you inventory all pubs today....fifty-percent will cease to exist by 2040. Two defining reasons. First....the rental cost is getting to a ridiculous point.  Second....Gen-Z crowd consumes marginal amount of alcohol.

Remember That Berlin Power Outage

Back on the 3rd of January (2026)....a massive power outage occurred in Berlin.  Terror-act.  Around 40k households affected, with 2k business operations shutdown.

So police have been investigating.

They have come to some odd conclusion....identifying four left-wing extremists (2 men, 2 women)....who are allegedly responsible for the Berlin power outage.

Problem?  How the police came to this 'idea' is unknown, and presently....the four are using lawyers to sue....to prevent the evidence found during a raid from being used.

This raid?  Well....in March....a house in the Kreuzberg district was the target...but no one is saying this was related to the outage....may be a totally separate deal....where some phone record or email connected to the four.

End of Stade Story

 About three to four weeks ago...I essayed a piece over a killing....six dead social workers.  Turkish guy responsible....arrested and held.

Well....6 AM...jail-cell check....the guy is 'found' dead.

Cops investigating....suicide talk so far.

Issue remaining?  Well....he was connected up to some NGO in the area, and the driver of the car....was connected to the NGO, and some local political figure.

Boozing Story

  Mid-October....the Bahn (railway folks) will mandate....NO booze consumption within all train-stations of Germany.

If you look back to May....there were a dozen-odd stations  that went 'early' to no booze (Berlin's Zoo and Ostbahnhof stations for example).

This being a no-consumption 'end'.....that sales are still possible? Yes.

Accepting?  Well....so far....there's mixed reaction.

Folks on long journey situations....who have a two-hour pause before the next 'leg'....aren't going to be happy.  

Folks returning home from work, and used to having a quick beer in the 'home' station?  They won't be accepting this.

All due to out-of-control boozing?  Yeah....no one argues much over that. I sat in a Hamburg station last year, with twenty-odd folks in a state of drunkenness....all easily within my 100 ft view.

Something new....out-of-control drinking?  I would strongly discount that. Even in 1978....around Munich, Frankfurt and Koln stations....you'd notice hefty consumption.   It's simply that the modern era isn't willing to accept drunkenness.

If you were carrying a flask, and sitting on a bench...waiting for your train? There's some statistical odds....the Bahn cops will notice you and hand you over to the police, with some type of charge possible.

Who benefits?  Well....if you ran a pub about 30 meters away from the station....you have a chance to bump up sales.

My advice....if you need a 'nip' to ease your stress....buy some cannabis-gummis and pop two or three.

Three Observations

 First, it is rather amusing....the whole 'Russia-is-safe' script is crapped out now....because gas-station-chaos.  Every week...more stations go to limited purchases.  You can figure  in a average week....there's probably three hours  minimum...wasted...waiting in line.

Second, because of surrogacy, politician Jens Spahn is 'gone'.  Odd  questions now pop-up.  So.....the infant having German citizenship....even though Jens and his spouse are not married to the lady involved (the lady is American)?   Yeah. Some are asking how.  I'm going to make a prediction....30 years from now....the Jens kid will be a politician.

Third, it came up via a poll.....only 58-percent of Germans are against their party being in a coalition with the AfD Party.....meaning 42-percent are supportive of the idea.  State by state?  You might find 3 or 4 states where more than 60 percent support the coalition idea.

Is There A Test For Paranoid Schizophrenia?

About every month or two....there's some story in the German news....some attack on a German....with a knife involved (usually).  If you follow the story over the next couple of months....the German judge has 'bound' the guy over to a mental clinic for a 30-day exam.  With one exception that I know of....the vast majority of endings end up with the clinic director stamping the guy paranoid schizophrenic. 

The letter goes to the judge, and a month or two later....the charges are dismissed and the guy is 'bound' (in a permanent way) to some German mental clinic. That's usually the end of the story.

Over the past month....I've put a couple of hours in...reading up on schizophrenia.

First....how it develops.  It's basically a mix of genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental triggers.  You could live in a pretty low-key/low-stress situation and marginally ever show schizophrenia. The more stress you mix in....the more likely of a uncontrolled situation.

Second....there is NO real test to determine your level of schizophrenia.  You can run blood and urine tests to check for drugs, alcohol, or other chemical imbalances. You can run imaging tests (MRI or CT scans) and EEGs (brain activity tests) to rule out brain injuries, strokes, tumors, or epilepsy.

I worked with a guy who'd had a stroke....over the course of three months....he developed full-blown schizoprenia....to the level that you couldn't trust the guy.

Third, you could survive with light schizophrenia.....keeping to a zero-drug lifestyle, and NO alcohol.   The minute you add to your lifestyle....your odds increase.

Fourth....genetics plays a role.  If your dad or mom had it.....higher the probability that you have it.

So I've come to the reality....yeah, there probably are hundreds of 'new-residents' of Germany with schizophrenia....adding alcohol/drugs to their lifestyle....hearing 'voices' and are not in control of themselves. 

Resolving this trend?  I've come to the point....you can't really fix this.

I also believe.....after five to ten years of holding some guy in a mental clinic....under very tight controls (no booze/no alcohol)....the management folks will eventually sign off on some release form....going to a German judge to release the 'safe' guy.  Naturally....a month or two into freedom....he'll find temptation (booze/alcohol), and buy a knife. You know the scenario. 

The odd end-point?  Well...the schizophrenia guy would be fairly safe....in a zero-alcohol/zero-drug landscape....like in the 'old' country.  But in Germany....he can never be truly safe.

This Egling Attack Story

 I chatted about it earlier today.  Police have released a piece on who they are looking for:

- approximately 1.80 to 1.90 meters tall, of dark skin type, with a slim build and short, dark hair. 

= speaks broken German and was wearing a gray fleece jacket and jeans.

Village size?  Well....around 5,200 residents....so I'd say it's not 'small'.

Oddly, no one has said much on 'knowing' the kid.

Five Thoughts Over World Cup 'Action'

 1.  Half-time 'show' for last night....final game....basically a circus atmosphere.  

2.  The wife and I watched sixteen games over the past month.  The least 'thrilling' game was last night....Argentina versus Spain.  You could have skipped the whole first half entirely.  How Argentina made it to the final sixteen teams?  Unknown.  

3.  This fight-business at the end of the Argentina-Spain game....probably the more thrilling...of the game itself.  Bad behavior on Argentina's part....I'd red-card every member of their team.

4.  'Freddy' the German....was probably the biggest draw for me....getting his daily reports on great things to see.....via Twitter.

5.  I'm pretty convinced that AI has to arrive and replace the FIFA ref's....ASAP.

20 July 2026: Germany: 4 Things

1.  Saarbrucken area...Saturday evening....Syrian couple  (early 30s)....argument develops. Husband threatens the wife with knife.  She ends up on the roof of the building....chased around by the husband there....falls 8 meters to the ground.  Injured.

Cops arrive with the ambulance crew.  Husband arrested.

2. Village fest in Egling (Bavaria).  Some nutcase comes at 8 folks with a knife.  They are wounded but survive....nutcase escapes.  No ID yet on the guy.

3.  Weekend meeting of CDU.....they say they want a national policy....if there are any attacks and the police determine the origin of the attacker.....that it should be released to the public.

Nothing from the SPD or Greens, but I  would guess they aren't that thrilled over the idea.

Even if the police release a statement with 'origin'.....I have my doubts that the public TV folks would talk about it.

4.  Half-time show at World Cup....I would estimate that  more than 50-percent of German viewers were annoyed by it.    

Business Chatter

Some business reporter brought up this topic this week....on VW and the impending cut of 100,000 potential employees.

Generally, the law says.....you need to compensate let-go folks....one month of pay....for each year you employed them.

Well...the journalists did a analysis....if you were a university engineer grad....cut....with 25 years of service (figure you are nearing 50 years old).  Ballpark pay-off?  Nearing 150,000 Euro in  pay.

Just a assembly-guy....nearing 12 years?  Around 54,000 in pay-out.

The thing you wonder about....this effort to downsize...if it increases the downward spiral of profitability.

Nord Stream II Update

 If you follow the Nord Stream II pipeline saga....this past week....another chapter was written of the German-Russian natural gas pipe.

If you didn't know....there was a insurance policy bought over it....via a London company.

Well...they started out....to decline the pay-out.

From a London court this week....it was decided....Nord Stream AG will not receive the approximately 580 million Euro it is claiming from its insurers. 

Judgement....the destruction of the pipelines was a consequence of the war . Such damages are excluded from insurance coverage.

Ending?  Well....the Gazprom-controlled company will be left to bear the repair costs.  

Next step?  If the war ends....within 6 months, I'd expect Gazprom to get a deal....where the German gov't pays something (certainly not 580 million Euro) to  restart the pipe.....and the unit to be turned on within 12 months.  My guess is that a invented 'tax' will occur, and German consumers end up paying the repair cost (entirely).

19 July 2026: Germany: 6 Things

1.  Temp's radically flipped....last night was at a low of 13 C (55 F).  Today a max of of 20 C (68 F).  Around four storm fronts in the past 48 hours....none dumping that much on rain....so the drought continues.  Forecast for next 10 days....mostly 30 C or less....with marginal rain.

2.  Lithuania German-brigade....Germans still have trouble finding volunteers willing to deploy and be stationed there.

3.  What is the ZDF-Danger Dan scandal about?

Danger Dan is a German rapper (real name Daniel Pongratz) from the band Antilopen Gang.   If you read over his rap text....it's about 95-percent political, left-leaning, and anti-fascist music.

So ZDF (Channel 2, public TV)...has a show, Die Anstalt.....and they were willing to give Danger Dan a chance to show his new song called "Keine Angst" ("No Fear").  If you were wondering....the show is a satire/comedy type show.

While the show management were open to this....the top level of ZDF started to discuss the matter.

I suspect....this management group got the text....read through it....and got worried.  The rap song is strongly against right-wing extremism (like the AfD) and fascism. Mixed in....it refers to resistance, mentions Antifa groups and real court cases involving violent fights with neo-Nazis, and oddly enough....encourages folks to take action without fear.  

So the bosses told show people....you have to cancel the invitation.

Danger Dan got pretty peeved.

If you were asking me....on the level of public notice....among the top ten rap-stars of Germany?  No....I might rank him in the top forty.  But to be honest....there's probably 3,000 rap-singers in Germany presently.

Questions at this point?   Well....were they correct in censoring Danger Dan, and exactly how many folks watch ZDF's Anstalt show?  

4.  General agreement now....stagflation in Russia....mostly due to fuel crisis.

5.  New FOCUS column written by Jan Fleischhauer....entitled: "Heat deaths, drowning deaths: Greens warn of a new “mass death”.

Odd piece.....while the Greens hype-up heat-deaths....talking about the numbers in early Covid (5,000 Germans dead each week)....it's not the same thing.

6.  New INSA national poll:

- AfD at 29-percent, with CDU dropping a point to 21-percent.

- SPD and Greens at 13-percent each.  Linke at 10-percent.  Everyone else....below 5-percent.

Spahn

 Jens Spahn has turned in his resignation as leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.  He's still in the CDU....just not holding a key position.

What Merz says?  He's going to do a shuffle of a couple of folks....probably to announce by Monday afternoon.

Spahn's troubles over?  Well....it would appear several factions of the conservatives CDU exist....with a fair number happy that Jens is out.

Gay conservatives seeing this in a negative way?    I'd say that 50-percent will have a negative stance about the way this was handled.

Added to this mess....the CDU has kinda stepped around into various potholes for the past year.....they need some change of leadership to occur.

Train Incident

 Somewhere....between Karlsruhe and Offenburg (SW Germany)...a Bahn train was progressing yesterday.  A conductor was conducting a ticket-audit, and a drunk 'German' (some folks don't believe this element of  the story)....had a discussion  (the drunk German lacked a ticket).

The conductor?  He alerts the two Bahn security guys onboard.

Bahn security? They are dressed in black....looking more like upscale 'bouncers' than anything else. They arrive, and then this turns into a curious fight.

Well...somehow...the door opened (moving train).  We are left to wonder how (it's supposed to be impossible with the modern trains for this to happen.  I can remember 1978....noting a door opening on a moving train.

Out goes the one security guy.  Drunk is arrested  at the stop-off point.

So they go and search for the security guy.....he's banged-up and in life-serious condition.   Based on the description....he'll be in a hospital unit for a month or two......probably getting some kind of early retirement.  Medal?  Yeah....there will be some type of medal deal.

The drunk?

Well...most Germans hearing the story....have doubts over this being a ethnic German.

Charges?  I can see two or three serious charges....he might be in prison for five to seven years.

This brings me to the obvious view....traveling via Bahn....is just not a 100-percent safe situation.  Doors opening while in motion....drunk passengers on a assault agenda....etc.

You have to be vigilant.     

The 8,000 German Bridges

 I sat through a N-TV piece...talking over the assessment....8,000 German bridges are in need of renovation/replacement.

The term 'dilapidated' gets used a good bit.

There was a color-code.....green means acceptable....orange/yellow mean action required....with red/black meaning in serious danger.  

Cost a factor?  Well....yeah.  The states simply don't have the cash flow.

A lot of this....from massive project in the 1960s/1970s?  You can make that case.

Jens Spahn Scandal (On My Scandal Index....1-to-10...Maybe A '3')

 To lay this out....Jens is a intellectual gay CDU conservative politician.  He's been around 20 years.....married (gay-wise)....probably one of the three best debate folks in Germany.

Jens and his spouse....wanted a kid.

In Germany....the law is blunt....you can't pay a woman to have a kid for your situation.  You can pay her as a prostitute.....but paying-to-have-a-kid....is illegal (German logic).

Jens and the spouse...figure this other angle....pay an American woman.

Jens and the spouse find this American gal (probably through a service), and nine months later....they (Jens and the spouse) have a kid.

Naturally....the CDU Party folks are pretty peeved (at least acting this way), and some want Jens to resign from the party.

Chancellor Merz?  He's in a fairly weak position and has to find some way to cease the hype on this mess.

On my scale of scandals (1-to-10)?  It marginally gets to a '3'.  

Top news for ARD/ZDF (public TV news)?  That is the odd thing.

My five questions?

1.  What exactly did Jens and the spouse  pay?  For the service, and ordeal....it has to be a minimum of 100,000 Euro, and I could easily see it going toward 150k Euro.

2.  How would you pay this?  In cash?

3.  Is it just odd that the Green Party and SPD Party say nothing much....just the CDU folks?

4.  The odds that 500 gay couples in Germany each year pay some American gal at least 50,000 Euro  for this 'service'?  They are smart....not saying much of anything.

5.  Could Jens have handled this better....by saying he paid some transwoman American for the kid?

It is a odd scandal, and it just seems like the news folks are desperate to find something to get folks 'focused'. 

If Jens resigns?  I suspect a number of gay CDU-voters....will just up-and-walk-away.  

Fire Story

 Friday AM (probably 3 AM to 3:30 AM)....I got woke up.  Funny noises....like your  roof ceramic tiles hitting the pavement.  One about every 30 seconds.  20 minutes pass....then fire truck siren.  Ten minutes pass....2nd  fire truck.   Ten minutes pass....3rd fire truck.

It's near the house but probably 2 blocks away. 

Yeah, being from Alabama....I was tempted to put on shorts and walk around to find the fire location....but it is 3:30 AM.

Around noon....the rest of the story.

Apartment building about 300 ft away....E-car (no brand given)....charging up....caught fire.

Electricity to the structure went out.....but E-car was blazing away at this point.

Firemen eventually put the fire out.....number of guys on-hand?  Well....journalists counted 35 of them.....Group of a dozen from our village (volunteer-unit), and another dozen from the next village (volunteer-unit), and the rest from Wiesbaden....who have the certification to handle E-car fires.

Assessment?  Car is totaled-out.  Building has some  moderate damage...paint-job required.

Odd thing....once the firemen were sure it was out.....they were done.  E-car?  It's a regulation of sorts....only a approved toxic-recovery service can remove the car.  No one says how much.....but I would be guessing for 2 guys and a pick-up service....probably in the 2,000 Euro range for them to say 'all-clear'.

All of this perked up my German wife....giving the 99th lecture of the evils of E-cars, and she won't allow a charger on our house-structure.  

Fight Story

Cops got called last night in Witten (NW Germany)....to a refugee compound/center.

So what they lay out...there was a knife attack occurring at the center.

Around 1:20 AM (yeah....things tend to get messy after midnight).....there was a argument....between two residents. 

A 19-year-old man from Syria allegedly attacked a 39-year-old man from Iraq with a knife, inflicting life-threatening injuries. 

Iraqi guy still alive...cops looking for the Syrian.

What the argument was about? Unknown.  Maybe it was soccer-related....maybe it was a woman.....maybe it was a insult that one had uttered to the other.

The one thing you notice after a while....there's a short-temper-fuse over arguments....where some phrase or comment....draws a knife-reaction real quick.

Honesty

 Germans are known for being brutally honest.....they feel in some way....it's being helpful and resolves the problem/mess laying in plain sight.  It took me several years to grasp this 'strength'.

Somewhere along this path...for a brief time....I had a related phobia (alethophobia,  fear or dislike of the truth).  

Then one day....I turned to brutal honesty, and repackaged it...dishing it back in equal portions.

It's just odd....week by week....month by month....I started to receive less and less brutal honesty. I'm always prepared to be helpful, and resolve problems laying in the landscape. I guess in some ways....I've triggered alethophobia in people.

Explaining The Mohrenstraße Scandal in Berlin

For a long time....Mohrenstraße just existed, and no one (even local residents) said much of anything. If someone  asked for a meaning.....it meant 'Moors Street'....and they related it to African people. 

Derogatory? Well....yeah, in some way.  

This street dates back to the 1700s....running near landmarks like the Gendarmenmarkt and the former site of the Berlin Conference (1884–1885, which formalized European colonial partitions of Africa).

Oddly, at least around intellectuals....this street started debates on racism, colonialism, history, and decolonization (over the past 20-odd years).  If you ask me.....they needed something to argue about. 

Things reached a point about four years ago....where some folks wanted to remove the perceived racist name.  Yeah, this led to legal battles and court situations.

Where this really started?  If you go back to the 1700s....there was a Berlin community of African residents (who probably were merchants....not slaves) in the Friedrichstadt area (mixed possibly including enslaved or freed people). 

Somewhere around 2020....the city council for this district (led by the Green Party)....did a vote and agreed to rename it Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße, honoring Anton Wilhelm Amo (1703–1759).  

Who was Amo?  Well...a West African philosopher born in what is now Ghana. The original story told was that he was kidnapped as a child and brought to Germany.  Amo then became the first Black university professor in Europe, studying and teaching philosophy. I should add....there's a new argument here brewing that his dad arranged a movement to Berlin...to educate the kid...having nothing to do with slavery.

Folks felt good about the Amo story....showing the evils against colonialism.

Any folks against the Amo renaming?   This came up....that everyone who lived on Mohrenstraße...would have to deal with address changes, and  this was not necessary (at least in their mind).

Back in August of 2025.....they had a ceremony.  The street was renamed.  Yep....complete with a street festival, poetry readings, music and new signs installed. 

So 4 Oct 2025 came....a twist occurred.  This Amo guy (dead for 200 years plus)...well....his family in some way....was tied to the slave-industry/sales.

Adding to this...the family had connections to the transatlantic slave trade. They owned plantations in the Caribbean and profited from enslaved labor. 

Some folks suggest renaming again.    

This to consume more argument efforts?  Yeah. But look....if you weren't arguing over colonization....you'd probably argue over the off-sides rule in soccer.

17 July 2026: Germany

 1.  Curious update on the Trier stabbing-death of the university student by the Afghan refugee guy.

Prosecutor is using paragraph 126A....holding the guy in a mental clinic. Once established as 'mentally-lack-of-culpability', or unable to handle right from wrong....zero charges and he'll be set for life  in a German mental hospital.

Not saying right or wrong, but the public will ask from day one, that he entered Germany.....shouldn't someone have tested/noted the guy was this way and sent him 'home'?

From social media commentary....folks from around Trier (I lived there for 13 months) are fairly hyped-up (critical/negative).  

2. Jens Spahn (CDU political figure, gay) and his husband....went through a US-gal for surrogacy.....producing a kid....for a sum of money.

Yeah, it's illegal if you'd done it in Germany.  But since it was in the US....totally legal.

Oddly, ARD (Channel 1 of public  TV) made this top-top-top news at 8 PM last night.

Personally, I didn't see a big deal, and  I suspect there are probably 300 German gay couples a year who go the US surrogacy route.

3.  German union folks are pushing for heat-related compensation payment.  Probably won't pass in 2026....but in 2027....possible.  They suggest one in three Germans deserve heat compensation.

How you'd assess heat zones?  Unknown.

Seems like you'd have to require sensors on people.

4.  Noted in  news yesterday.....300,000 individuals (with a guest situation)....are unemployed, and lacking job-skills. Selling point to open-door policy....was that they'd fit in, and be skilled-employees.

What is odd....the German economy is struggling. Companies are shutting down. People are dealing with salary cuts or losing their jobs.  AT SAME TIME....Germany needs around 400,000 new workers every year to fill the gaps in its workforce. It doesn't make sense.

5. Odd travel news....Turk flying from Turkey to Dusseldorf....gets on plane and finds he has to sit next to a woman....complains.....says he can't do it.....stewardess intervenes....Turk slaps the stewardess to knock sense into her.  

Probably going to be charges on the guy.

Will probably have to be a male-only area to sit....in the future.  If airlines were smart....they'd charge extra for this benefit.

6. Malaria reported in Frankfurt area.....all four with it...employees at the  airport.  Some belief that mosquitos got into the country.

Hate to imagine that I'm only 22 miles from the Flughafen.

7.  Under-16 'kids' in UK...banned from energy drinks....new law.

Personally.....the over-60 crowd probably needs a banning as well.

8. Munich says they will build up a structure at the airport....allowing up to 100 folks to  be delivered daily....from the  banned group, and deported.  State money flowing in....to make the building possible.

9.  General average of 4,000 Euro....now required to pay for driver's license/training in Germany.  Huge sum of money.

Alternate path?  You could go to Romania or Bulgaria....do  the same  training....half the cost.

Amazing that the Air Force (while stationed at Bitburg) did it free of charge for me.

10.  EU Commission examining a technology that would locate new cars via GPS, 5G, and cameras from space, reduce engine power if in a lower zone area, and automatically brake as soon as a lower speed limit is detected.

Probably three years away from development.

If you poll Germans....I would guess 90-percent would be against the idea.

Food Chatter

I sat this AM....looking over the Brit Telegraph....saying that the British public will be told shortly....to stock up on food and water....in case of a Russian cyber attack.... under new plans to prepare the country for conflict.

For about one-third of the population....they really don't have the cash-flow to stock up on 2 weeks of extra food.

Added to this chaos....probably ten-percent of Brits count on 'eating-out', and they aren't prepared to live/cook....off stock in the pantry.

Where did this  'warning' come from?  Unknown.

Russians in the same mess?  Well....for the past couple of months....Moscow grocery shelves have been 'hit-and-miss'.

Ale in the same worry-category?   They didn't really say that.....but I assume it's to be a problem as well.

What Will Become Of The 700,000 Russian Soldiers On The Front....At The End?

Well....over the past couple of months....I've pondered more about the end.

Most of these men are like the Germans left at the conclusion of WW I....permanently scarred by PTSD....alcohol, and drugs.  I see them as having no further value for Russia's commerce or industry. 

Burden would be the best word to use.

If you've survived two years of conflict....you probably have little respect left in your soul.

Future prison population?  I doubt if Putin really put much thought into this or how they can be controlled.

The value of the WW I German soldiers?  They made a path toward WW II.   

Knife Waving

 Up in Hagan (NW Germany)....cops got called yesterday.

Basically....guy (in his 30s) walking around on the street with a butcher knife in each hand.

Cops arrive....persuading the guy to calm down.

Having watched the video of the guy....I'd say it's a 90-percent chance he was high on some type of drug.

Detained....he'll have to appear in court. 

16 July 2026: Germany

1. It's been an odd week.

Back on Monday in Hamburg....Albanian guy in his 20s...turns himself in to the police after killing a 79-year-old German.

Tuesday evening, over in Kelkheim: A Croat guy (60s) kills his wife (58) in the middle of town....with a machete.

Wednesday morning, Ruhpolding area: An Afghan young guy (20s) pulls a knife during a driver's license check.  Then he chases around school kids at a train station. No one harmed.

Wednesday morning, Dresden.  A Turk  is noted walking around a grocery parking lot with a 'musket' (I checked on translation....'antique gun' was the term used, but witnesses describe it as a 1800s type musket.  Cops called....arrive.  They order the Turk to settle down.  He refuses....fires one round from the musket....cops return fire, and wound him in the supermarket parking lot.  My question...where would you buy a musket?

Wednesday morning, Iserlohn: A Syrian (mid-20s) assaults a woman (59) in a supermarket, leaving her with severe facial injuries

Wednesday around noon...Trier....Afghan guy (mid-20s) stabs dead a 22-year-old German university student "in an argument".

2.   Berlin City election results expected.....SPD-Green-Linke Party led.

3.  N-TV report....for European car industry....could go as high as  three-quarters of a million car industry workers to be 'let-go'.

'Freddy' Returns to Twitter

World Cup 'Freddy' (the German)....has returned to Twitter.

About 2 weeks ago....he exited....mostly over a odd group of Americans highly critical of his travel-log via Twitter/X.

It was funny to some degree...Americans hating positive words  over traveling the US....like some irrational nutcases.

A number of folks reached out.....talked Freddy back into returning.

Lot of phobia BS going on in the US now....maybe one day....Freddy will talk about this.

Political Chatter

Couple of weeks ago....I ventured into Berlin for a week (my wife's suggestion).

I'll just say it....of metro-cities in Germany....on my messiness scale (1-to-10).....it's probably a '6'.  You get to some places (particularly around subway stations) and it's crappy.

Election is coming up shortly in the city.

I noted this AM....the new Berlin CDU top candidate....Stefan Evers...proposes obligating welfare recipients to clean up duty. 

Naturally....other parties are pretty negative about this proposal.

Statistics at play?  Well...generally....if you lay out welfare folks in Germany....approximately half are 'new' residents.  Some folks would say it's unfair to do clean-up duty.

General population supporting the idea?  I'd suggest about 50-percent of Germans in general....like this type of idea.

15 July 2026: Observations

 1.  Kelkheim: last night....husband stabs a wife to death on the street. No motive given.  

Nationality?  Unknown.

Knife used?  Well....a machte.  Yeah.....a pretty messy weapon of choice.

2. Odd trend developing....older Germans applying for pensions....getting it, and still working (another year or two).

3.Warnemünde (up on the Baltic coastal area)....has a nude beach area.  They have a rule....you need to be nude. If enjoying the beach....in some form of clothing.....a fine. (only in Germany)

4.  WELT piece talking over the new up-surge on smokes-tax....saying it is a plus-up for organized crime....import of black-market smokes.

I won't argue.

5.  IPSOS survey....more than half of German society want the border closed to refugees.

AfD Party And The Deport Gimmick

 As of early 2026....there were roughly 232,000 folks on the national list to deport....from the 16 German states.

Every month....each of the state make an effort to deport.  There's no real consolidated number....but you can probably figure around 2,000 go 'somewhere'....but then there's probably between 1,000 and 2,000 added to the list.

Yes, there are two lists....there's the tolerated list...meaning wherever you came from....won't accept you back, or your safety is in question. The other list.....you can go back home and it's a question of the state having 'seats' to rid you from Germany.

The states doing any better?  No....to run the normal deport plane....figure around 30 deportees leave...with the help of around 45 police onboard, and another 50-odd cops who round up the crew.

So, how would AfD change this  outcome?

I've thought about a good bit. This Saxony-Anhalt election in 3 month....revolves around a promise to fix the problem.

What I suspect?  On day one of being in charge....I think the state will just have the cops round up the deport folks within the state....put them on a bus, and take them to the state-line....to be some other German state's problem.

Saxony-Anhalt?  In a matter of 30 days....this would remove the state's problem.

Legal?  I'd question how you tell the guy the news and the threat made if you return.

This aggravating other German states?  OH YEAH.

But they will start to ask....why can't they take folks to a state-line and dump them elsewhere.

For  several decades in Alabama....Sheriffs had this authority....taking a guy to the county-line...or state-line....dumping them.  I'm not saying it was right....but it rid the county of a problem.

France and Le Pen?

Polls suggest in France....that National Rally party 'boss'...Marine Le Pen could run and win in 2027....as president of France (replacing Macron).

BS?  Well....there's a odd factor.

France runs a wide open 'primary'....with at least six parties/candidates.

The top two?  They move to a second round two weeks later.

So you could imagine Le Pen getting around 37-percent....leading.

But as you get to the 2nd round...the number two candidate....likely a lefty....will draw from the 63-percent who did not vote or Le Pen.  If that person gets 50-percent plus 10-percent....they win.

Polling currently says....73-to-80 percent of French people are disgruntled with Macron, and the current trends.  At least six polls (all in June 2026) say the bulk of voters aren't happy.

Economic pressures?  Well....it's the worst of times in forty-plus years.....high public debt, austerity measures continually brought up, rising living costs, and perceived inequalities.

Le Pen having some economic miracle to offer?  So far....the talk is limited. 

Was Hitler a V-Man?

 First, to define V-man....it's secret agent of the police....who is under-cover, and informing you of stuff going on.

Yes, Hitler was a V-man....reporting to the Bavarian Secret-Police.  Paid? Yep.

Lot of discussion going on presently about V-men?  Well....draft law circulating....allowing 16/17 year old German kids to be V-men/W-women. 

14 July 2026: Observations

 1.  I noted yesterday....three French nuclear reactors went offline.  Seven additional ones are running at reduced power.

Reason?  Climate laws (within France) restrict reactors from discharging hot water into rivers during hot weather.

Energy shortage?  Well....no one is saying that yet.

2.  This 20-percent duty/tax on ships leaving the Hormuz Gulf area....will hit European countries....paying to Trump.

3. Drought stage in Germany....reaching the level of warning for forest fires.

4.  Storm front coming to my valley today....maybe up to 2 hours of rainfall.  Temp-drop of 4 degree C expected.

5.  New law passed....officials will be permitted to use automatic real-time facial recognition within their areas of responsibility, provided there is a specific threat.

Yeah.  It is loosely worded.

6.  I ordered out for pizza last Friday....went to pick it up in town.  Got there....walked from parking lot to the pizza shop....here was a Muslim guy (I assume a employee)....on his carpet....doing the 'prayer'.   

I'm a direction-guy......you can stop me on the street, and in 99-percent of the time....ask me about directions, and I'll give you a pretty accurate setting.

So I looked at the carpet guy....noted he was about 90 degrees 'off' from the Qibla 'path'.  I felt like it wasn't my job to correct him.

7.  Kiel: rock thrown at police-gal.  Afterwards....200 police arrive at apartment building where the rock was thrown.....all occupants mandated for DNA test.  

242 rentals.....DNA found on paving stone thrown.  

8.  Spahn of the CDU Party....suggests there is 'power' in stripping people of their  right  to vote....aimed at AfD Party's Höcke.

I paused over this.  Since 1945....there's never been a case where voting rights were restricted.

Constitutional?  I guess the Constitutional Court would observe the idea.  Not sure if they'd agree.

Problem I see....if you open up this idea....saying voting could be restricted from citizens.....a bunch of folks would discuss voting in general.  Example?  If you had a IQ of 80 or less....you probably shouldn't vote.  If you can't  read....maybe you shouldn't have a right to vote.  If you were for Constitutional chaos....you probably shouldn't vote.

Seems like it's a discussion...leading to public discontent. 

12 Euro A Pack For Smokes?

 Smokers were expecting the CDU-CSU-SPD coalition to have 'some' rise in the smokes tax.  Based on talk this AM....by early 2027, a single pack of smokes will be around 12 Euro ($13.5).

If you were a pack a day smoker?  Well....you'd need 360 Euro (figure close to $420)....for a month.

1978....Frankfurt....a pack of smokes ran for 2.40 DM (figure $1.20).

The 5-Degree Difference

 Locally (Wiesbaden area)....the public bus folks....came up and lectured everyone.  While they have AC....basically the cooling effect is 5 degrees less.

So if the outdoor temp is 37 C (99 F)....the bus can only cool to 32 C (90 F).

In this type of scenario....I'd advise you....either travel early mornings, or limit your trip to 15 minutes (getting off and cooling a bit).

Trains?  They might be slightly better but I doubt that you have more than 7 degrees C cooler.  

Saxony-Anhalt State Election Likely Outcome

 6 Sep is the date of the state election.

Presently....AfD is rating around 42-percent of the vote....with 12-percent of the vote likely going to smaller parties without a chance to get seats in the state assembly.

So I crunched the math...asking AI for help.

There will be five likely parties getting 5-percent or more (AfD, SPD, Linke, BSW and CDU).

With the current numbers...83 seats in the mix....AfD will not be able to get 50-percent or more....meaning that the CDU (in 2nd place) will be told to forge a coalition with the SPD, Linke and BSW....all lefties.  This would be a 50-plus situation.

However, I'll point this out....if you were a CDU-voter and were told....the 5-year coalition would be mostly a left-situation...why would you vote for the CDU?

Somewhere in the 21-percent polling for the CDU....I suspect half of the voters really can't dream of partnering into a  situation like this.  So part of me suggests that half of the CDU-voters might slide over and vote for the AfD...giving them a 50-plus percent win, with the 50-plus seats.

It would be a pretty radical win, and hard to explain to the general public.  Nationally, it'd trigger a lot of questions

12 July 2026: Germany: 5 Stories

 1.  WELT piece this AM....wave of German hospital bankruptcies going on.

At present pace, I might suggest that a full-blown Bundestag 'emergency' will occur by early 2027.

2.   Between Dusseldorf and Koln....Bahn railway sabotage noted....left-wing group claims credit.

Group noted....."Kommando Angry Birds."

The group says....."mass death caused by progress" as their motive.  BS chatter if you ask me....probably a group of two nutcases.

3.  100 folks in Germany for June...drowned....mostly all males....highest rate in almost 30 years.

4.  Noted on N-TV new....near one-third of German retirees....get only 900 Euro or less on monthly pension.

5.  AfD....regionally (SSaxony-Anhalt)....published their 10 key points to 'push' upon winning in the state election (within 90 days):

- Cancel public broadcasting, at least for their state....which might mean no TV tax (would be court-challenged).

- More deportations (not explained HOW).

- Work requirement for asylum seekers....this gets brought up as a common theme....how they would force the issue, unknown.

- Cut funding for foundations & democracy projects.

- Driver's license subsidy for apprentices (where funding would come from, unknown)

- Special classes (not explained). 

- Security guards at schools (where funding would come from....unknown).

- Only use of the German National flag....instead of rainbow flag

-  Some topic called German-thinking.....replacing Modern-thinking (not explained). 

- Reduce ministries (easily done, if you combined several into one).

If you ask me....several of these probably would have 60-plus percent of folks in support of.  Lot revolving around extra funding.

Two Heat-Wave Stories

 First, France launched a national authority 'emergency'.

Basically....if you are senior citizen or homeless guy/gal....the local city authority is ordered to 'provide' you cooling comfort...meaning public buildings (that are cooled) must drag out chairs and keep you cooled throughout the afternoons.

I thought over this....here in my village....there's no public building with cooling.  In Wiesbaden....there might be twenty-odd public structures with some kind of cooling.  In France?  Unknown.

Second story....spokesperson for the German Green Party came up and said there needs to be a national 'moment' for the Germans dead from the June heat-wave. 

They aren't saying a monument or statue....just some 30-second remembrance.

What the media says for a number?  5,000 is thrown around....saying the heat killed them.  I won't vouch for the number or against it....just that it's a nice round number, and that usually means bogus facts.

If I were the SPD....I'd  jump on this and have a statue of some type....symbolic of the sun radiating.  

Juvenile Story

 This past week in Germany...changes occurred.

In the future.....the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (their version of the FBI)....will be able to recruit juveniles/minors (starting at age 16)....as informants. 

I paused over reading this....it's a short piece and not really worth much discussion.

What is funny.....you go and trust/rely upon the 16/17 year old....but then you say they are lacking maturity for social media....but you trust them to be secret agents/spies.

This new spy-crew needed to spy upon right-wing elements?  I would imagine so.

You can imagine the sales-pitch....be a spy for the German nation. 

Q-and-A

 1. Hostage situation in Berlin?

Somewhere around 10 PM.....as the REWE grocery was to close....some nutcase took a clerk hostage.  As of 7 AM....situation continues.

Odd factor?  Well....this is in the Marienfelde area (near Tempelhof).....away from urbanized Berlin.

2.  Mayor Wegner of Berlin (CDU guy) down-and-out?

For the upcoming election, Wegner is replaced by a new candidate for the party (Evers).

Back in January....there was the terror-attack on the city electrical grid....affecting about 10-percent of the Berlin area. For several days....power was off (in cold weather).

Wegner was 'gone' for about12 hours....with a comment that he was on a 'tennis' lesson.  It was a odd explanation, and news folks suggested he was on some other 'business'.  

A History Story

I live about 25 minutes away from Idstein, Germany.  There are three things which the town is known for.  The first....I'll skip for another day.  The second, the witch trials between February 1676 and March 1677 (where 43 folks were executed for demon stuff), and finally....the traffic circles (roughly 35 of them).  Two of the topics...I'll blog another day.

The witch business?  By the end, they had executed 35 women and 8 guys.

What triggered the witch business?  

Most folks agree that religious zeal with fear of heresy started it.  There were ongoing tension between the Catholics and Protestants....each needing angle to get public support,  and paranoia/demonic influences help to get things going. 

I should add...witchcraft was seen as as a direct threat to Christian order. Folks had started to engineer sermons and religious texts....talking up the agents of Satan (the witches).

Crop failures, famines, and the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648)?  Over the years....they added up.  The area?  I won't say it was poverty-stricken....but poor harvests came up occasionally. 

Legal and Judicial woes?  The Carolina Code of 1532 (a legal code) was a instrument used by the Holy Roman Empire, an it permitted legal cases for witchcraft.  You could make the case that it was 'due-process' at the time.

Mass Hysteria?  Well....after you got torture to lead onto confessions...it was a  self-perpetuating cycle. 

Why it just stopped?  Mostly judicial exhaustion, locals getting anti-demonic, and oddly enough....the local count’s satisfaction that the “demon-threat” had been eradicated.

Why a ratio of 4 women for each guy....executed?  I've always speculated that the guys accused...probably had a better alibi to tell, thus lessening the potential to be found guilty.  Course, it could be that more women are demonic in nature....than guys.

The odd thing that it's the only community around....that has a history like that?  Yeah, it's a odd note.  

German Court Story

 I'll try to make this brief...coming out of the Stuttgarter Zeitung (rather long story):  

Older (mid-50s) German gal.....she is a gynecologist by trade...goes to  massage studio.  Asks for a massage....somewhere in this process....younger guy (20 years old....nationality not German)....penetrates her with two fingers (nothing else).

Yeah....that part she didn't ask for, and it's a basic rape....she goes to the police same day.

So it comes out...in reality....he has no training....no certificate.  How he got hired....unknown, and left for you to imagine.

This was back at the end of 2024.

Case recently came up....months later...guilty....2.5 years in prison.

His lawyer challenges this.

What occurs....the new court hears evidence (recently) that he lacks maturity to grasp what he did was wrong....so they throw out the bulk of the 2.5 years.

How?  Well....they applied juvenile code....not adult code....saying he wasn't really able to grasp the wrong committed.

I paused over this....three or four times.  

Cops and prosecutor did what they felt was the right-job...right charges....right ending.

Judge effort?  Well....it makes you now wonder....everyone you meet on the street....even if they look 18, 20, 25, 30 or even 45.....if they haven't reached maturity yet.....can you assume anything?

Then I pondered....after this guy exits jail.....will he even have maturity in Germany at this point....to work and survive in this atmosphere.

Yeah...pretty confusing.

The Round-About Rule

 Back in 1978, when I first came to Germany....there was this slight mention of round-abouts (traffic circles) in the German driver's training episode.  The instructor spent about five minutes going through the thrill of traffic circles, and there were probably one single question on the 100-item test relating to the circle.

For two years....around the Frankfurt region....on the rare times that I did drive beyond the base....I never encountered a single round-about.

1984 to 1986?  On my second tour?  I probably encountered about twenty round-abouts.  

From 1993 on?  It was a hit-and-miss thing....you might go a whole year and never see or experience a single one.  Sometimes you'd wander into some town and go through eight in a single day.  

I live about six miles from a small German town (12,000 residents) that has around forty-five round-abouts.  In my local city of Wiesbaden?  There might be ten in the entire city.

Lately, the cops are onto enforcing the round-about rule.....you MUST signal as you enter, and exit the round-about.  Failure to signal?  Ten Euro fine.  If you enter and go LEFT (instead of right)?  That's a 35 Euro fine.  If you park inside of the round-about (there's never room for this anyway)....it's a fifty Euro fine.

Where did round-abouts start?  Well....most folks argue in the UK....in the mid-1950s.  Some argue that the French started this in 1778.....in central Paris.  Some Germans will argue it was in Gorlitz....right around 1900.  

At some point after 2000, Ramstein (the base) went to the circles......building around twenty of them.  With the gate renovations in the past five years....there's probably another dozen thats been added.  

I'm not anti-round-about....but I'm not pro-round-about either.  

My negativity intensifies mostly when you have a two-lane (particularly if you go to a 3-lane round-about).  Your intensity of concentration bumps up a notch or two....with two lanes, and how you exit (or if you make a second or third circle....trying to get to the right lane for exit purposes).  

Around five or six years ago....there was a German story from my region....older couple (guy/gal were in their 80s) who'd planned a grocery trip....to a town that they didn't typically visit.  It's safe to say that guy driving probably didn't have full concentration of where they were going, or knew that four traffic circles were in the route.  At some point about six hours into a 45-minute trip....he pulled into a gas station and admitted he was 'stone-cold-lost' and needed some help to find his way back home.  He'd taken an exit too early, and hit another circle later that just further complicated matters (bringing him at least sixty kilometers away from his intended target).  

The intensity of building more traffic circles?  That's the rather odd thing.  If I got back to my old village around Kaiserslautern/Ramstein.....there's probably over two-hundred round-abouts which now exist.....where in the 1993 period....there were just two.  At the pace of things?  I would suggest in another decade, that a minimum of four-hundred round-abouts will exist in that one single region.  

Heat Realities

 Today, my German valley will peak at 30 C (86 F).  For me....without the AC running (just 3  fans)....I don't consider it a big deal.

32 C (90 F)?  It starts to reach a  point.....where I say it's warm.

34 C (93 F)?  That's where the windows are shut....the AC runs in one room....all six fans are running.

But is 93 F really HOT, or just mildly warm?

I spent 3 years in Panama, and followed that with four in Arizona....with one day reaching 47 C (117 F).

I'm just not sitting much within the German reality of a HEAT-WAVE.

10 July 2026: Germany: 3 Things

 1.  What VW says....because of declining profits....they will cut the models they produce....maybe a 50-percent reduction.

Odd other factor?  They are settling on the idea of limiting 'options' (figure 50-to-75 percent cuts there).  Yeah.....bare base models are the path for the next year or two.

I will be honest....for the Audi A5 that my wife bought (2019)....offering here near 50 different options...was the wrong thing.  She had to spend almost an hour talking to some car rep....to grasp what the option packages meant.  If you ask me five years later....I would have told you around 4,000 Euro of the options she picked....were crap.

2.  German states (16) hold the responsibility of debt for cities in their region.  Well....there's a massive amount existing.  So the fed-guys are saying....maybe to some degree....they will pass money down.

3.  Some science report yesterday....German study....there is a trend of higher deaths due to 'heat'.....but it connects directly to blood pressure issues.  So, they can say 'heat-deaths', but at the same time....heart-disease deaths are basically the same thing.

My View Of Spain As A Vacation Destination

 I've made four vacations to Spain over the past forty years.

So, I'll offer five observations:

First, from a beach prospective....I can think of several better choices (country-wise).

Second, if this is purely a city-tour (for a week)....then yeah....Barcelona or Madrid are worth the trip.  But you need to add the warning....crime in both are an issue.

Third, food-wise.....you can't go wrong.

Fourth, rural areas and small towns might be a better choice to select....than some beach resort.

Fifth and final.....on the islands....locals have a dislike of tourists, and the past decade....a housing crisis has started up. 

Advice....if you want a pure-beach suggestion....both Denmark and the northern coast of  Germany....are worth reviewing....as well as Greece.

Bahn Violence?

 The Bahn (railway) folks admitted today....on average....there's  5.5 assaults/threats -made daily against their employees nationally.  They say....it's reaching a level where employees want 'something' done.

If you ride the rails......even locally....it's a mix now....Bahn-security (guys ready for action) and ticket-audit folks.  I'd say out of each three trains I ride (mostly regional around Wiesbaden/Frankfurt/Mainz)....there's a ticket-check.  Maybe out of each 20 trips....there's the security guys there....ready to take you to the floor.

In my 1978/1979 and 1984/1985 periods.....there just wasn't that level of violence.  This pretty much started 15-to-20 years ago, and really pepped-up in the past five years.

What you have (even on buses now) is a free-rider who refuses to exit or pay the fine (60 Euro).  They easily slip from a rider-mentality....to a irrational nutcase-mentality.

The security guys?  Most are young...say age 25, and fairly fit (over 200 pounds), and I'm pretty sure they could throw you to the floor, and hold you down till the cops arrive.

This getting ridiculous? 

Personally, I'm of the mind....they need to issue shock-sticks, and give the nutcase a jolt-or-two....halt the train in the middle of nowhere, and simply toss the guy on the gravel. 

AI Story

 The German Bahn (railway) folks came up today and said....coming in the future (suggesting we will start to see it in 2027).....AI will be used to keep the public informed on delays, problems, platform changes, cancellations, etc.

You (the consumer/customer) would get these AI messages (with a friendly greeting) telling.....your train is running 16 minutes late, or that they moved from  platform 4 to platform 12 (figure a 10 min walk).

I pondered upon this.

At some  point....this AI will start to 'know' a lot about crappy service, and even warn you ten minutes ahead of time....things are fu*ked-up.

Eventually, the AI ought to start asking the Bahn leadership....WHY.

At that point....AI will take over and fire the leadership (I would imagine).

Is it that bad?  If you ride daily to work...in a metro-area (Frankfurt, Bremen, Stuttgart for example)....you probably have one trip out of each eight occasions....that is screwed-up (15 min late, or a flip to a new platform).  Personally, safety is a higher concern to me, and having a seat. If it were 10 minutes late....I wouldn't say much.

My worst experience?  Last year....going from Frankfurt to Hamburg, and  finding  out 10 minutes before the 'run'.....that train was cancelled. The back-up deal?  Running 35 min later, but it was never clear about the platform, and the reserved seats I paid for....were non-existent.

A Court Story

 Up in Minden (population 84k)....NW Germany....a school case came up in court.

This  local public school had a mandated 'trip' (at least a night or two gone)....they leave the destination...but I'm assuming it's probably a trip to Berlin.  It's paid by the gov't.

So this Islamic girl and the parents said 'no-thanks'.  The school came back and said you have no real choice.

The parents said....the trip is not possible....she'd have to be escorted by a male relative.  School said 'fine'....they would allow some relative of the girl to come as well.

Parents said 'no, this won't work'.

Court comes back this week....says it's mandated, period. Whether she goes or not....I'm guessing 'not'.  Could the school fail her on this class situation?  It's possible, but I'm guessing it's not enough to hold her back.

It's an interesting case.   

School is basically saying....you need to 'act' German and live in the modern society.

Parents?  I would imagine they are waiting to get her to some marrying age, and she'll never be employed in the German system.   

My Assessment Of Five Guys Burgers In Wiesbaden

 Over the past two years....I've probably been there five times.  Yeah, it is a better burger than BK or McDonalds.....but you end up paying 24 to 28 Euro for the menu selection (unlimited soda).

Their problem is that it doesn't matter if you walk by at noon or 6 PM....there's never more than 10 people sitting there.  It's a great spot....to seat 100 guests.

By the time they pay rent (good location) and labor costs.....I doubt if there's any profit.  

Better to have much smaller spot/less rent?  I'd probably go and find a side-street, and cut my rent in half.

Three months ago.....the Dunkin-Donuts shop on the shopping district closed.....I hate to suggest it...but this is headed the same direction.

Three Things I Noted This Week

 1.  Sometimes.....I watch HR or SWR or NDR (the regional public networks) for news.

So....I was watching SWR and they do a report over a murder.  There's this report of a guy who murdered a gal....then shot himself.

Pretty rare/unusual.  About 30 seconds of info....then finished.

I sat and thought....there must be more to the story.  So I  go to social media,  and the rest of the story....involves the guy being Turkish, and the dead gal being a  Ukrainian woman.

Ninety-nine percent of Germans leaving the story as public TV told it?  Yeah....probably.

2. Just seems to be a LOT of public TV (ARD/ZDF) attention over French far-right politician Marine Le Pen.  

Apparently, she will be running for President in 2027, and higher than normal odds for her to win.

I guess some fear....her 'win' would drum up more AfD attention.

The sad thing....normally...Germans focus almost no attention on France, and now....ARD will probably make this a weekly thing.

3.   Just odd....the feeling of creation of crisis-after-crisis-after crisis....over and over....like a normal thing now.

Irrational acceptance of crisis-chatter....being normal?