Germans and Meth

For most Americans, there is this moment of reality that arrived....realizing that there is a serious issue with meth in various American communities.  You can go into any farming or rural area of the US today, and find meth.

For Germans....the reality of meth is starting to arrive as well.  One of the more active areas of production for the drug....is across the border into Czech territory.  An article this week, laid out the number of arrests in Hof, Germany....just over the border from Czech....for 2011, approximately 250 German dealers ended up being apprehended.  

The curious part of this article.....was the lead to the manufacturing circle....a group of Vietnamese guys.  Apparently, the Vietnam guys had this lucrative deal with cigarettes going on, before the cops all jumped onto their trade and brought the illegal smokes operation down.  So, they flipped over, and went into meth production.  One way or another, the Vietnamese gang was going to make money.  It was that simple.  

You take a high school kid with a bit of chemistry background, some simple materials, a tub-like device, and in a few hours....you manufacture meth.  The Vietnamese gang guys have figured out the economics of this, viewed the German potential for profit, and got themselves in a money-making operation.  

If you take the American model for meth growth, and toss it into the German system....it's a potential major problem.  And you likely hear more about this in the future.  

German President Ending

Joachim Gauck has ended up as the agreeable guy to be the next President of Germany.

What you should know about the guy?  Well....he's not really a political figure of sorts.  In the old East Germany days...he was a minister and respected for his human rights standing.  After the wall came down, he was probably amongst the ten most popular East German figures at the time.

When the former President Wulff was in the running for the job.....Gauck was the number two guy....supported by the opposition parties.  So it was kind of easy for Chancellor Merkel to go back and bring his nomination back.

His negatives?  I doubt if anyone can find much of anything.  He's not the type to be looking for a 500k Euro house, or ask for special discounts.  I'm pretty sure he's capable of living off a meager minister's salary.  He is 72 years old and you can figure that he has a couple of minor health issues.....but anybody that can last four years would be appreciated at the current time.

The only curious thing?  He's openly confessed and pretty honest about the fact....he just isn't a member of any party, and hasn't really been that political in his life.  If you had gone up to him in the 1970s and said he might one day be President of Germany.....he would have laughed you out of the room.  I'm guessing that his wardrobe attire is that of any regular minister, and Frau Merkel might have take him shopping for a couple of new suits, and insist that he get a good pair of shoes.

And if clothing is the worst you can say about a guy.....then he's probably a pretty good choice.

German Gas Stations

As an American, I've come to make a number of observations about German gas stations.  They are.....a bit different.

There four categories of German gas station.

First, there's the local shop, where they actually still sell tires and do oil changes.  You can still find a normal regular gas station in small towns and villages throughout Germany.  They are a dying breed.  Don't expect anything fancy....these are the guys who are marginally making a profit and somehow survive.

Second, there are the gas stations....which just sell gas and offer a car-wash....with nothing else beyond sodas and snack food.  They've popped up over the past twenty years and tend to be more of a urban thing. 

Third, there are the gas stations with a coffee bisto shop and some fancy breakfast treats to offer.  Guys stop in twice a week to get some decent coffee on the way to work, and pick up a fancy pastry or such.  They tend to be positioned at the end of a town or near a autobahn entry point.  

Fourth, the autobahn gas stations.  These are the type that you pull up, and top off the tank after three hours of driving.  Being tired and hungry.....after you pay for fuel.....you pull around the corner to the restaurant.  For $12, you get a plate of something, which has a fifty-fifty shot of being a decent meal.  Then you step into the bathroom to relieve yourself....which is cleaned hourly by some gal, who posts herself near the door and expects 40 Euro-cents in the plate next to her chair.  Finally, there's the little shop where you can buy the fancy treats or drinks for your trip....which are typically twenty-percent higher than your corner grocery.  

There are two odd things which German gas stations sell.....girly magazines and booze.  As you step up next to the cashier.....there's always a dozen girly magazines which are laid out, in full view.  An American would likely be shocked, but somehow....the station is selling hundreds of these each month and every nickel counts.  You will notice to the left or right of the counter....a container of sorts....with vast shots of booze for sell.  These one-shot bottles are typically around a Euro or 1.5 Euro.  A guy stops after work....tired and run down....after paying for his gas....picks up two bottles.  He guzzles them down and pulls into the driveway of his house ten minutes later....when the booze starts to hit his system.  For a brief while after he enters the house.....the wife can whine all she wants....but it just won't matter because he's feeling kinda good from the two shots. 

There used to be a station in every village of any size.  But as the 1970s came and stringent rules on tanks came into play....a number of stations disappeared.  So you might actually live in a village of a hundred homes.....without a gas station.  You might even live in a village of three hundred homes, and only have two gas stations.  

The sad thing that I've come to notice....is that this used to be the place where you could stop and ask a general maintenance question, and have some mechanical advice given.  The truth now?  Ingrid, the cashier knows how to dispense coffee, run the cash machine, and knows forty-four different villages in the local area to provide you directions.....but she knows nothing about transmissions.  

You might roll into a station run by Rita....and she might just know enough to ring up your purchases and operate the car-wash machine....so forget about asking about winter tires there.

The truth is that Germany is entering a period where you just don't have a local real mechanic around your village, and you might have to branch out and look for an authority on maintenance that operates a gas station twelve miles away. 

So if you ever come to Germany....don't worry much about your gas situation.  There's always a station somewhere.   

The Wulff Ending

Almost by a scripted event....Germany's President Wulff finally said enough, and resigned.  When the prosecutors came out this week and talked how they wanted a way for charges to be brought against him (the law forbids charges while he sits as President).....you could sense the frustration on this guy.

What happens now?  The leading party in the Bundestag has the responsibility of looking for and finding a candidate (with a majority of the Bundestag accepting the guy in a vote).  Chancellor Merkel is probably going to have a short list of five people....sit down with the SPD (the leading opposition party), and ask if any of the five are an issue with their leadership.  This meeting isn't required, but she'd like to have 'nod' that they won't immediately go against the incoming character.

Who gets picked?  Generally, it's an individual who has been generally acceptable to everyone.  Whenever someone is selected for the job....the majority of Germans probably can't readily identify the guy because he hasn't been in the top ten party folks that continually appear on TV.  The individual is usually a smooth talker and comes off very polished in news interviews.

The real story now?  Well.....when all the smoke clears on Wulff and his legal matters.....I would imagine that not one single charge sticks.  The prosecution team will grin over this final conclusion....that they couldn't prove much of anything other than a guy continually looking for the best deal possible.  He didn't do one single favor in return for what he got on discount.  Some Germans will ask what this whole thing was about then, but the media will just suggest for folks to move along, and forget the whole matter.  Five years from now....some idiot will write a book over this, and show that the whole accusation process was bogus, and all political in nature.  And Germans will be fairly shocked by this, and then forget the whole thing entirely.

The Truth About German Jobs

It's the kind of news that folks in most countries would get all excited about.  A research institute in Germany reports today just over one million jobs in Germany vacant and in need of unemployed folks.  When you consider a population of only eighty million....this ought to be really positive news.  But it really doesn't come off sounding that way.

So you start gazing at the one million unemployed jobs.  The research institute was careful not to break the numbers down into simple areas of employment (carpenters, doctors, nurses, etc).  When you avoid that breakdown, then there's a problem.

My guess is that most of these one million empty jobs are cheaper labor jobs at fast-food restaurants, and mini-groceries around the country.  These are the 10-Euro an hour or cheaper jobs.  Take out taxes and health insurance....and you barely bring home a thousand Euro.  Take out your apartment, heating, electricity, your car, and food....and you might have five bucks left at the end of the month. Forget about savings, clothing, or dog food.

These are survival jobs, and not much to feel great about.

There is a positive economy going on in Germany at present, but don't get overly excited about one million empty jobs.  It's just not what you think.

Achilles and Dieter

This is a blog to note Germans and Greeks, written by an American.  So you might get a totally different view by a German writer, or by a Greek writer.

Dieter is your typical German.  He doesn't like taking risks, but he might be willing to take them.  He prefers very safe investments....like a CD account in a bank, or his house.  He saves money all year.....to take that brief two-week vacation to some exotic location.  Dieter works hard and takes two brief breaks a day, and his brief lunch.  It would bring Dieter to tears if you suggested for a moment that he was lazy.  If Dieter gets hired to build something....he takes it pretty serious, and it gets done generally on time.

Achilles is your typical Greek.  There are no risks in his life....mostly because he likes his lifestyle....with no changes.  Achilles doesn't think much about investments.  Achilles has a general work tendency.....work a couple of hours....take an extra long lunch.....toss in a slow afternoon, and simply take it easy.  If anyone were to suggest Achilles were lazy...he'd just start laughing, and then admit his ten habits which readily identify himself as being lazy.  If Achilles gets hired to build something....it will eventually be built, although it might take an extra year.....maybe several extra years.

Up until World War II....Greeks had this agreeable relationship with Germans.  The German occupation in Greece was something that stirred up a number of Greeks.  After the war, things tended to be forgotten.  When the 1960s came.....there was this opening of the door for one serious industry to grow....tourism.  By the end of the 1990s....Germans were arriving minute by minute at Greek vacation destinations from May to September.  Greeks were making millions per week off hotels, resorts, and bars.

Germans came to Greece for the sun, the great food, and the laid-back attitude of Greeks.  Germans got drunk on Greek wine.  The old world charm of Greek villages was a magnet for Germans.  Although if you asked a Greek.....the old world appearance was mostly because they really didn't care to upgrade infrastructure.

As the Euro came to arrive, the Greeks had to stand up in the European Union and present their finance book.  At the time....no one in Europe knew that the Greeks kind of had two different finance books.  The good book....which European political figures saw.....suggested a country that had its finances in order....had a few issues....and were working on the future.  The real book?  Well....the Greeks were borrowing in massive sums to cover various expenditures, from pensions to infrastructural projects.  The Greek politicians had learned to promise just about everyone something, and had latched onto making promises that could destroy the country eventually.

So as the 2008 period came and economic upheaval arrived......the Greeks finally came to admit that they weren't really that secure in finance.  They've come to ask for various loans....from just about anyone.....to ensure pensions keep getting paid, medicine keeps getting shipped into the country, and government operations can continue.  

The amount of money that the Greeks need....is fairly substantial.  So the Germans are involved....because they are the only ones who saved money and could possibly loan it out.

Well....Dieter is viewing his good friend Achilles, and frankly.....Dieter wants some changes.  Dieter wants a balanced book.  He wants pensions under control.  He wants corruption halted.  Achilles is insulted by his friend, and as each day goes by.....the two are getting on each others nerves.  Dieter wants to actually manage the money business of Achilles.

Here's the thing....from the prospective of an American.  If you want Dieter's money.....you basically have to come and sit at his table and play by his rules.  For Achilles, this is an insult.....to say that Dieter can make up his own rules at this finance game.  And while all of this is going on.....all over Greece....there are folks who are angry and upset with Dieter.  So much so.....that German tourism just might decrease, and put Greece in a even bigger situation.  Meanwhile....Abbas the Turk....sitting over in the corner....with no finance issues, and lots of tourism potential.  Abbas is not stupid.  He knows the Germans might just give up on Greek tourism.

So Achilles and Dieter are at this crossroads.  Achilles has screwed up but he can't admit this in public, and he really doesn't want to take Dieter's money.  Dieter would prefer to keep his money....in a nice safe place (certainly not Greece).  I'm guessing that this soap opera will continue for months to come....with both Achilles and Dieter whining about each other's personal habits.  And the only reason why Dieter gets stuck in this position....is because he skimped and saved every week....putting his money away in the bank.  He should have been like Achilles and spent every single penny and enjoyed life to the fullest.

The Trend of the Machine

When I first arrived in Germany in 1978, I kinda noticed these cigarette machines around various German pubs and villages, but since I didn't smoke....I didn't ask many questions.

In 1993 when I came back and settled in for fifteen-odd years....I came to occasionally ask a stupid question about German cigarette machines.  For an American, there's some interesting observations.

First, there's only two machines that you ever see in villages....cigarette machines and gumball machines.  Cigarette machines tend to have regular movement and fresh smokes are generally always there.  I've rarely ever seen any kids around the gumball machines....and I suspect that those gumballs might be four or five years old when you finally get them in your hand.

Second, you can proportionally figure there's a machine for about every hundred German houses (my humble figure).  Some come attached to a post.  Some come attached to a barn wall.  Some come attached to the side of a house.

Third, there's only three types of people who buy smokes out of a machine like this. First, the guys who never remember to buy cartons of cigarettes at the grocery.  Second group, the guys who pretend they don't smoke.  They smoke while hiding out in the garage.  These are the folks who told their wife that they quit back six months ago, but they still have an occasional smoke.  Finally, the last group, which I thought were the most interesting group.....kids.  You could be a twelve-year old kid, and just walk up and buy your smokes.....which you share with the kids down the street.  As a kid, you are relying on Grandma's pocket money or your birthday money....to buy the more expensive cigarettes.

Folks kinda figured out the issue with youthful smokers, and a couple of years ago.....they got the government to order up this nifty law.  Every machine.....to sell you smokes....had to have a bank card inserted....which took most kids out of the purchasing scheme.  The guys who run the machine business were upset....mostly because of the fair cost involved in upgrading their machines.  But, it was supposed to have improved who got their hands on cigarettes.

Well.....this week, a report came out and indicated a definite decrease in youth smoking.  The numbers?  Twelve percent of the kids from 12-to-17 own up to smoking now.  It's a pretty fair decrease.  Everyone will talk about various programs that helped decrease the number.....but when you get down to the upgrade to cigarette machines.....that was probably the cherry on the cake.

There is a negative out of this trend.....which it might be better not bringing up.....but there were all of these tax revenues that came out of cigarettes.  What we admit here is a smaller population buying smokes over the next couple of decades, which means a smaller tax base.  Eventually.....some German government guy will admit that it's time to find something else to tax.....to make up for what they lost.

An Element of Bad Luck

There is a preoccupation with Germans in general.....to find the best deal.  I won't say they all have this tendency.....but most Germans are seeking that one discount, that one special deal, that one contract that beats all other contracts.  And this is how Christian Wulff, President of Germany (not Chancellor).....got into a bit of trouble.

For a brief introduction to Americans who might not grasp the big picture.  Wulff came out of the CDU (the right-leaning party of Germany) and ended up as the ceremonial President of Germany.  It's a position that you tend to hand folks who are clean-cut and without issues.

Somewhere along life's trail.....Wulff came to a point where he wanted to buy his dream house.....worth roughly 500k Euro (figure $650k roughly).  There are various points to the story.  No one argues over the value of the house or that he paid full price for the house.  Based on most stories.....I would imagine that he went far and wide to find the best place to borrow the money.  He probably had quotes from various banks in the area, and eventually was standing with a family friend....who happened to be the wife of a regional millionaire.

You can imagine this conversation taking place......he likely talked about the high rates.....no real deals.....and how he'd like to save some money.  Edith (Egon) felt sorry for her associate, and like a good neighbor....offered up this great loan deal.  We can admit it was better than any bank could offer.

For an American, we've all heard stories where some friend or relative came up and offered to finance a house purchase for someone....avoiding the bank and their profits.  Wulff probably sat there and added this up a dozen times and simply couldn't resist the deal.  To be honest, I doubt if there is a single German law that he violated.  There in, lies his misfortune.....that he simply looks corrupted.  No normal German gets great deals on house loans....so how can Wulff get it, without doing a favor for his friend?  This question, we can't really answer.....because no one has yet shown a flipped deal on this.

The misery has kinda lasted more than a week or two, and most political experts would have predicted Wulff stepping down....but he hasn't done that.  But in the last week.....we have this second episode where Wulff sought out this great discount (.5 percent isn't much to brag about) with Volkswagen and a leased car deal.  When all the smoke cleared.....he got a half percent lower rate than you'd expect.  Based on comments said.....he likely saved around 1,200 Euro (figure $1600).   The news media is hot over this (they rarely get any good corruption episodes with political figures).

So onward we go with Wulff in the hot seat.  I'm guessing that he's briefed his wife and he intends to pay full price on just about everything from this point on out.....even avoiding discount grocery chains, cheaper gas stations, and maybe skipping the cheaper Tuesday night movie discounts.

At this point....no one has found a single corruption issue to stick on the guy.  Secretly, I'm guessing that a quarter of the German adult population quietly admire the guy because he's done exactly what they would have done.  Meanwhile, numerous German political figures are talking about making up new rules to combat corruption in Germany and prevent political figures from ever getting into discount deals ever again.  If they are successful....I'm also guessing that a payraise will be required for all the Bundestag members.....to make up for the various deals that they were all working.....quietly under the table.

For an American watching over the events....I'm kind of thinking that we wish.....we had a few guys like Wulff around in the US, because our level of political corruption make President Wulff like the Pope.