“Diplomatically awkward”

July 2, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

The truth often is.

Nord Stream blast ordered by Ukraine, say German prosecutors – German prosecutors believe the Ukrainian national suspected of sabotaging Baltic Sea gas pipelines in 2022 acted “on the orders of state authorities in Ukraine…”

Germany is one of the biggest military backers of Ukraine in its battle against the ongoing Russian invasion, making the incident potentially diplomatically awkward. Before the war, Germany covered a considerable part of its energy needs with fuel and gas from Russia.

Greens capitulate!

June 29, 2026 By in Helplessness, Hi-tech, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Air conditioning in Germany is now officially a good thing.

Greens’ Dröge calls for air conditioning push in public facilities – The co-leader of Germany’s Greens, Katharina Dröge, appeals in this week’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper for rapid moves to install air conditioning units in key public buildings.

You know. Key public buildings like the German Bundestag.

German of the day: Stellenabbau

June 28, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means job cuts. Deep cuts, in this case.

Job Cuts at VW: Auto Giant Plans to Cut Up to 100,000 Jobs – The crisis in the auto industry continues. VW is now reportedly doubling its original layoff plans – and some plants are also expected to be closed.

According to information from Manager Magazin, the Volkswagen Group plans to cut up to 100,000 jobs. Citing insider information, the publication reported that the restructuring is to be carried out over the next few years. This would effectively double the previous job-cut target. In addition, plans are reportedly in place to close four plants in Hanover, Emden, Zwickau, and Neckarsulm (Audi) in the medium term.

Germany has never seen heatwaves like this!

June 27, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

It’s felt them though. In the ancient past.

Germany hit by record temperatures as heatwave moves east – Germans braced ​for sweltering conditions on Saturday as a heatwave linked to dozens of deaths in Western Europe was expected ‌to move east after temperatures broke records above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Why Germans don’t have air conditioning?

June 26, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Everybody knows why Germans don’t have air conditioning.

Unlike the US or parts of Asia, many homes in Germany and northern Europe aren’t equipped to deal with extreme heat. But as the world gets hotter, trends are changing.

Be more like Freddy

June 25, 2026 By in Habitudes, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

German of the day: Amerikabild

That means image of America.

The soccer fan who is shaking up Germany’s image of America – For years, Germans have viewed the U.S. primarily through headlines and mostly negative news: Donald Trump, polarization, gun violence, and culture wars. And now an unknown German soccer fan named “Freddy from Germany” comes along, posts on social media about his first visit to a “Waffle House,” expresses amazement at a massive gas station with more than a hundred pumps and a shooting range right in the middle of an outdoor store—and suddenly, millions of people are seeing a different side of America…

Perhaps this World Cup ultimately says more about Germany than it does about the United States.

Germans caught copying Americans again

June 23, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

This time it’s “blame the Designated Bad Guy for everything.”

They just switched it from Trump to Merz.

Germans’ New National Sport: Blaming Friedrich Merz for Everything – Blaming the current chancellor cannot conceal the deeper, collective responsibility for Germany’s nearly 20 years of drift.

That impulse says less about Mr. Merz than about the political maturity of the Federal Republic.