Germany + China = Shock

February 23, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

For Germany.

“The China shock is here,” the German Economic Institute declared last year. Indeed, 2025 will go down as the year in which it could no longer be denied. Germany’s trade deficit with China reached a record level of €87 billion—an increase of €20 billion compared to the previous year. And German exports to China continue to be in free fall. The United States, France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Italy have by now become more important export markets for Germany than China.

Maybe not the best top trading partner to have.

Genocide! Genocide again? Yawn.

February 22, 2026 By in Habitudes, Helplessness, Hideology, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Double parking is genocide these days, people.

Get a little more original, please. Or get a life already, Berlin Film Festival.

German minister walks out of film festival after claim of Berlin role in Gaza ‘genocide’ – A German minister walked out of the awards ceremony of the Berlin Film Festival after a prize-winning director accused Germany of complicity in the “genocide” committed by Israel in Gaza.

Social Democratic Environment Minister Carsten Schneider left the ceremony on Saturday evening because of “unacceptable” remarks, his ministry says.

Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Al-Khatib, who picked up a prize for Best First Feature Award with his “Chronicles from the Siege,” said in his speech that the German government “are partners in the genocide in Gaza by Israel. I believe you are intelligent enough to recognize this truth.”

A Tale of Two Headlines

February 21, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

“German business lobby warns of unfair trade practices by China” vs. “China overtakes US to become Germany’s top trading partner.”

China has overtaken the US as Germany’s most important trading partner, according to figures released by Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Friday.

The sum of exports and imports between the two countries last year totaled €251.8 billion ($296.6 billion), a 2.1% increase, according to Destatis.

China was Germany’s most important trading partner from 2016 all the way through to 2023. In 2024, the US briefly held the title.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also set to visit China next week, where he is set to discuss trade and other topics.

Only silver for the USA?

February 18, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

No way. We were robbed!

US now ranks behind only Russia as top world peace threat in German eyes, researchers find.

Two-thirds of Germans view the United States as one of the greatest threats to world peace, surpassing China and edging closer to Russia, according to a nationwide opinion poll. The survey by the Allensbach Institute, a German market research firm, revealed that 65% of respondents named the U.S. among the countries they believe could pose the greatest threat to global peace in the coming years.

Just because Mommy is a mummy…

February 17, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Home Cooking, Horror Tags: , , Leave a comment

Doesn’t mean she still isn’t retired.

She just, well, as Norman Bates once said: “She isn’t quite herself today.”

German Woman Hid Mother’s Dead Body For Years To Claim Pension: Cops – Police suspected the daughter of hiding the body for years so she could continue collecting the woman’s pension, worth around 1,500 euros ($1,780) per month.

What’s wrong with Germans these days?

February 16, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Two-thirds of them don’t welcome killer robots.

They’re stuck in the past, man.

One in three Germans welcome killer robots, new poll says – AI-enabled technologies like drones are transforming warfare but face criticism from rights groups.

Call it “bots on the ground.”

One in three Germans think their country should allow artificial intelligence to make life-or-death decisions on the battle field, according to The POLITICO Poll.

A third of respondents in Germany said they favor AI systems to be used in weapons in place of human decision makers, even if these systems are less transparent, the poll showed.

Tone shift?

February 15, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

I suppose. But the message was just the same.

Marco Rubio said essentially nothing different than J.D. Vance did here last year. But go ahead and welcome it this time, Europe, if it makes you feel better.

EU leaders welcome US tone shift in Rubio’s Munich speech – While European leaders cautiously welcomed a softer tone from the US at the Munich Security Conference, American independence and the “Trumpian narrative” remained top of mind for Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline. We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilization in human history.”

The US is not powerful enough to go it alone”

February 14, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Says the leader of Germany, a country that is not powerful enough to “go it” with the help of partners and allies.

Meaning, I suppose: “But we’ll help you if you ask nicely.”

US ‘not powerful enough to go it alone’, Merz tells Munich conference – German chancellor rebuts idea of American unilateralism and says ‘democracies have partners and allies.’

The US acting alone has reached the limits of its power and may already have lost its role as global leader, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, warned Donald Trump at the opening of the Munich Security Conference.

Merz also disclosed he had held initial talks with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, over the possibility of joining France’s nuclear umbrella, underlining his call for Europe to develop a stronger self-standing security strategy.

No Good Men

February 13, 2026 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, High Art, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Originally titled “Men No Good,” it’s a film about no good men who are just no good.

So you can bet everybody who’s anybody will want to see it at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, which is also no good, but at least run by women.

Berlin Film Festival 2026: Opening Gala, ‘No Good Men’ Premiere & Red Carpet Gallery – The 76th Berlin International Film Festival rolled out the red carpet today for the opening film and the world premiere of No Good Men by award-winning Afghan director Sharbanoo Sadat, starring Shahrbanoo Sadat, Anwar Hashimi, Liam Hussaini, Yasin Negah, and Torkan Omari at the Berlinale Palast.

The Berlinale launched with a festive opening ceremony led by Festival Director Tricia Tuttle and Jury President Wim Wenders. The evening featured the introduction of the International Jury and the presentation of the Honorary Golden Bear to Michele Yeoh, with Sean Baker delivering the tribute.

Team D

February 12, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Team D (for Deutschland), they call themselves. Seriously.

Not Team A, B or C. Team D. How could you possibly expect to have a “podium finish” if you’re number four?

Team Germany Wants Podium Finish at Olympics – The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will be one for the history books if Team Germany has its way.

Team Germany wants to shock the world.

The Germans have medaled only twice in men’s ice hockey. They claimed silver at Pyeongchang in 2018 and bronze in 1932. That’s not a lot of success at the international level, yet Team Germany is still optimistic about its chances to reach the podium at Milan in 2026.