In the past week, a couple of public videos have come up (from Frankfurt, Hamburg and Dusseldorf)....showing the German police in situations similar to what happened to Minneapolis police. ARD has done a decent reporting of the episodes and it's worth a read.
In the Frankfurt situation....the 'kid' was kicked while held on the ground (by the policeman). In that case, if you follow what local news is saying and the commentary of the Hessen Interior Minister....there's going to be an investigation and I would suggest that policeman probably will be looking for new employment in six months.
In the Hamburg episode....the police are still in some form of denial over the force used.
All of this is going to trigger public discussion over police use of force, and when it is necessary. If individuals cooperated upon a detention.....none of this would be required, so it also brings up non-cooperation, and refusal by individuals to be cooperative.
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
German Airports in Corona-Failure Status?
N-TV did a update today and laid out the issues for several German regional airports (Hahn, Kassel-Calden, Niederrhein, Paderborn, Rostock, Erfurt-Weimar and Saarbrücken among the dozen mentioned).
These are all airports that were marginally surviving before Covid-19 came along, and now? They are probably not going to survive this new era.
There was a EU directive handed out a couple of years ago....'gift-money' from the states was going to come to an end (2024 was the last point that you could get extra money from the federal or state governments to carry the regional airport budgets. So Covid-19 just speeded up the process.
Bankruptcy? I would imagine by spring of 2021....the paperwork will start to be assembled and by the end of 2021....at least two or three of these airports will shut down and be attempted as real estate sales. Some of these (Kassel-Calden for example)....probably has potential for commercial re-use, and can be bought on the cheap end.
These are all airports that were marginally surviving before Covid-19 came along, and now? They are probably not going to survive this new era.
There was a EU directive handed out a couple of years ago....'gift-money' from the states was going to come to an end (2024 was the last point that you could get extra money from the federal or state governments to carry the regional airport budgets. So Covid-19 just speeded up the process.
Bankruptcy? I would imagine by spring of 2021....the paperwork will start to be assembled and by the end of 2021....at least two or three of these airports will shut down and be attempted as real estate sales. Some of these (Kassel-Calden for example)....probably has potential for commercial re-use, and can be bought on the cheap end.
Covid-19 Chatter
N-TV (commercial news in Germany) did a fairly long and extensive report on Covid-19 details.....six months into the crisis period....looking more so at recent developments.
So here is the shocker...only six Germans out of every hundred infected....required hospitalization.
The bulk of Germans did their home-quarantine situation, and passed through completely.
At the very beginning of the crisis....the German view was that your doctor would review your records after the infection was noted, and if you had secondary issues (asthma, COPD, or diabetes for example)....that was the entry point for you into a hospital situation.
The other shocker from their review? For all deceased Covid-19 folks.....the average age was 81 years old. For people 70 and over, who were infected....the death rate was 85 percent.
The discussion over ventilation? It wasn't used that much, primarily because the patients were breathing on their own.
So here is the shocker...only six Germans out of every hundred infected....required hospitalization.
The bulk of Germans did their home-quarantine situation, and passed through completely.
At the very beginning of the crisis....the German view was that your doctor would review your records after the infection was noted, and if you had secondary issues (asthma, COPD, or diabetes for example)....that was the entry point for you into a hospital situation.
The other shocker from their review? For all deceased Covid-19 folks.....the average age was 81 years old. For people 70 and over, who were infected....the death rate was 85 percent.
The discussion over ventilation? It wasn't used that much, primarily because the patients were breathing on their own.
Frankfurt Court Opens Today
I essayed a piece from July of 2019....over the pushing of three people into the path of a arriving ICE train in Frankfurt's main station, with two being able to climb out of the way in time....but the 8-year old kid dying there on the tracks.
The court case finally opens today over the Swiss guy involved. As I suggested last year, the guy probably has serious paranoid schizophrenia issues, and the case developing (in his defense) will be that he's mentally unbalanced.....likely to be a permanent situation in a mental facility.
HR (our regional public TV group) is covering the episode, and reports that experts anticipate the case ending by 29 August.
The court case finally opens today over the Swiss guy involved. As I suggested last year, the guy probably has serious paranoid schizophrenia issues, and the case developing (in his defense) will be that he's mentally unbalanced.....likely to be a permanent situation in a mental facility.
HR (our regional public TV group) is covering the episode, and reports that experts anticipate the case ending by 29 August.
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Beggar Story
Over the past decade, in most urban cities of Germany.....beggars on the street have doubled and tripled in terms of numbers. To say it's a German problem....no, you see the same signs in Spain, France and Italy.
Even in my metro town of Wiesbaden, on a typical afternoon in an area of 285k residents....you'd come across sixty of them in the downtown area.
It's no longer surprising to be sitting in a cafe or outdoor restaurant on the streets of the city.....then to have some beggar come directly upon the table and flip the sign up....'begging for money' in German.
What was a bit surprising for me....as I sat and sipped upon a beer in the downtown area....that when the beggar came up to the established area of the pub (outdoors)....the German waitress (probably around 22 to 24 years old) came right up and chastised the guy to leave immediately. So he left.
Not just once, but five minutes later he attempted to slip into the cafe area....she went right back at the guy.
The thing is....more and more Germans are having less patience for this type of situation, and kinda wondering.....if they have the visa to be in the country (as a non-German).....shouldn't they be in a language class or job-training situation?
In an average year now, at least before Covid-19 came along.....I probably would get approached at least 200 times a year.
It's the kind of thing that might be accepted in some countries, but it's drawing negative attention in Germany. It makes you wonder how things will be in five years, or if the police get the tasking of moving folks along.
Even in my metro town of Wiesbaden, on a typical afternoon in an area of 285k residents....you'd come across sixty of them in the downtown area.
It's no longer surprising to be sitting in a cafe or outdoor restaurant on the streets of the city.....then to have some beggar come directly upon the table and flip the sign up....'begging for money' in German.
What was a bit surprising for me....as I sat and sipped upon a beer in the downtown area....that when the beggar came up to the established area of the pub (outdoors)....the German waitress (probably around 22 to 24 years old) came right up and chastised the guy to leave immediately. So he left.
Not just once, but five minutes later he attempted to slip into the cafe area....she went right back at the guy.
The thing is....more and more Germans are having less patience for this type of situation, and kinda wondering.....if they have the visa to be in the country (as a non-German).....shouldn't they be in a language class or job-training situation?
In an average year now, at least before Covid-19 came along.....I probably would get approached at least 200 times a year.
It's the kind of thing that might be accepted in some countries, but it's drawing negative attention in Germany. It makes you wonder how things will be in five years, or if the police get the tasking of moving folks along.
Better Party While You Can
This morning via N-TV news....they had a segment talking over commentary by the German Federal Health Minister....Spahn.
Basically, the infection numbers are increasing, and the idea of a second 'shut-down' are being discussed. But, before we get to that....the general idea being discussed....is that you really screw down all drinking and partying in Germany, with more regulations.
This would mean standardized rules (federally mandated) over the location of public and private 'parties', and with additional rules on ventilation.
Being agreeable? Well....the hotels, restaurants, and bars would prefer a few more rules, than a complete and absolute shut-down (like the spring episode). They probably would admit that they can't survive another two months of maximum shut-down.
Where this will lead onto? Secretive and sudden commercial parties announced in wooded areas or city parks....that's my guess.
Let's be honest here and admit this one fact....there's probably about four weeks of summer left, and the fall season will arrive. This regulation chatter will take barely a week, and I'll bet before the conclusion of August....you get a half-page of new and additional rules for drinking establishments.
Basically, the infection numbers are increasing, and the idea of a second 'shut-down' are being discussed. But, before we get to that....the general idea being discussed....is that you really screw down all drinking and partying in Germany, with more regulations.
This would mean standardized rules (federally mandated) over the location of public and private 'parties', and with additional rules on ventilation.
Being agreeable? Well....the hotels, restaurants, and bars would prefer a few more rules, than a complete and absolute shut-down (like the spring episode). They probably would admit that they can't survive another two months of maximum shut-down.
Where this will lead onto? Secretive and sudden commercial parties announced in wooded areas or city parks....that's my guess.
Let's be honest here and admit this one fact....there's probably about four weeks of summer left, and the fall season will arrive. This regulation chatter will take barely a week, and I'll bet before the conclusion of August....you get a half-page of new and additional rules for drinking establishments.
Enforcing Masks
In the Wiesbaden area yesterday (Monday)....the police started a bus-ride situation where they audit everyone onboard for the mask requirement.
If you were wearing a mask covering your mouth, but NOT your nose? They asked for your ID, and wrote out a citation. You will get a invite to a judge and unless you get some sympathy....you will be assessed a 50- Euro fine.
Walking around in stores, I'd suggest that 10-percent of people leave the mask off the nose, to get more air. In the midst of summer heat, and marginal AC onboard the the buses.....you can probably survive twenty minutes before the discomfort becomes a problem.
If you don't want the police audit? Drive your car to the destination, or walk.
If you were wearing a mask covering your mouth, but NOT your nose? They asked for your ID, and wrote out a citation. You will get a invite to a judge and unless you get some sympathy....you will be assessed a 50- Euro fine.
Walking around in stores, I'd suggest that 10-percent of people leave the mask off the nose, to get more air. In the midst of summer heat, and marginal AC onboard the the buses.....you can probably survive twenty minutes before the discomfort becomes a problem.
If you don't want the police audit? Drive your car to the destination, or walk.
Monday, August 17, 2020
Water Discussion
Drought around Germany has been an issue this year, and I would suggest for the past two years.....it's been a regional problem.
So today.....the political folks walked into the 'mess'.
The Environmental Minister (from the SPD Party)....via a commentary by ARD News (public TV)....said that there needs to be a national 'strategy'.
Part of this discussion includes the comment that maybe pools in dry areas....even city pools....would have to shut down.
Another comment made....sprinkling of water on yards and gardens.....might have to be banned.
The basis of the discussion? Well....water is a right (as the politicians see it).
My neighbor went out two years ago and resodded his entire backyard....probably over 2k Euro spent on the project. I'll admit he has the best yard of the entire village. But along with it....he has to water it on various evenings because of the lesser rainfall (true in 2019, and to some degree in 2020). If he couldn't water the grass? Well....it'd be dead like mine.
I'd take a guess around the village....as dry as 2019 and 2020 have been....at least 50-percent of the folks are using a fair amount of water.
If the political folks engaged on this topic and got it hyped up? I would imagine that a fair number of folks would ask stupid questions. If you shut down the three major outdoor public pools in the Wiesbaden area....you'd get a lot of 'heck' over that idea.
So today.....the political folks walked into the 'mess'.
The Environmental Minister (from the SPD Party)....via a commentary by ARD News (public TV)....said that there needs to be a national 'strategy'.
Part of this discussion includes the comment that maybe pools in dry areas....even city pools....would have to shut down.
Another comment made....sprinkling of water on yards and gardens.....might have to be banned.
The basis of the discussion? Well....water is a right (as the politicians see it).
My neighbor went out two years ago and resodded his entire backyard....probably over 2k Euro spent on the project. I'll admit he has the best yard of the entire village. But along with it....he has to water it on various evenings because of the lesser rainfall (true in 2019, and to some degree in 2020). If he couldn't water the grass? Well....it'd be dead like mine.
I'd take a guess around the village....as dry as 2019 and 2020 have been....at least 50-percent of the folks are using a fair amount of water.
If the political folks engaged on this topic and got it hyped up? I would imagine that a fair number of folks would ask stupid questions. If you shut down the three major outdoor public pools in the Wiesbaden area....you'd get a lot of 'heck' over that idea.
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