German of the day: Loser

That means loser. It also means losers (in plural).

US and Germany risk owning Ukraine’s stalling war effort – The onus is on European allies to step up support and chart a path for Kyiv towards Nato and EU membership.

More than 50 countries are supporting Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion. Yet Ukraine’s existential struggle in Europe’s largest war since 1945 currently hinges mainly on two countries. US leadership, as well as financial and material support for Kyiv, have been essential to Ukraine’s survival. Germany is its second largest supplier of weapons and money, far ahead of the rest of the field. 

Are you serious?

About getting serious?

Don’t take that nonsense seriously, folks. I’m serious.

Wind of change: Germany gets serious about plans to make military ‘fit for war’ – The return of full-scale armed conflict to Europe has Germany dramatically reframing its security policy.

With Russia and Ukraine still locked in combat after nearly two years and a major Israeli-Palestinian conflict underway, the European Union and NATO are feeling their way into a chaotic new world security order – and Europe’s largest economy is shaking up decades-old ideas on what its military is actually for.

I’ll bet you ten bucks those statistics are wrong!

OK then. How about twenty bucks?

Germany: 4.6 million adults addicted to gambling or at risk – After a new report revealed the extent of gambling addiction in Germany, a government minister has called for measures including a ban on sports betting advertising on television before 11pm.

Approximately 1.3 million adults in Germany suffer from a gambling disorder and a further 3.3 million show initial signs of gambling addiction, according to a new report presented by the country’s Federal Drugs Commissioner Burkhard Blienert on Monday.

According to “The Gambling Atlas,” which draws on data compiled in 2021, 30% of German adults gamble. The figure represents a reduction on the 55% calculated in 2007, but the report nevertheless found that 7.7% of adults suffer financial, social or health problems associated with addition.

It’s not like we’d ever use the money for our own defense…

You know. To get “fit for war?”

Germany Set to Double Its Ukraine Military Aid Under Scholz Plan – SPD-led coalition parties agree on funding boost to €8 billion. Germany is Ukraine’s biggest military backer in Europe.

If approved by the parliament in Berlin where Scholz’s parties hold a majority, the boost would lift Germany’s defense spending beyond the 2% of gross domestic product target pledged by all North Atlantic Treaty Organization members, according to the people.

“War” is the past tense of is

In German. “Was,” in English.

So that headline down there doesn’t make much sense – in my mind. The German army was never “was ready” and never will be.

Germany aims for a ‘war-ready’ military – It’s the most momentous shift in German defense priorities since 2011.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is forcing Germany to turn its military into a powerful and well-financed fighting force focused on defending the country and NATO allies, Germany’s chancellor said on Friday.

“Today, nobody can seriously doubt what we in Germany have been avoiding for a long time, namely that we need a powerful Bundeswehr,” Olaf Scholz said on the second day of a political-military conference presenting the deep change in Berlin’s strategic thinking.

“Our peace order is in danger,” he warned, also mentioning the war between Hamas and Israel and adding that Germany needs “a long-term, permanent change of course.”

It sure is a catchy little phrase

Has a nice ring to it. It’s kind of cute, even.

Sure glad we displayed it on Brandenburg Gate so everyone could see that we displayed it on Brandenburg Gate.

But now it’s back to business. Now it’s time to accuse Israel of genocide. You know, for, well, letting Hamas attack it like that? How dare they fight for survival. Damned Jewish Nazis.

‘Never again is now’: 1938 Nazi pogrom anniversary marked in Germany – ‘Antisemitism is poisoning our society’ says Olaf Scholz at Berlin synagogue that was destroyed 85 years ago and is again target of firebombing.

He’s just talking the talk

Wait and see. “Good” Germans never walk the walk.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz agrees ‘historic’ stricter migration policy – Move comes hours after Italy unveils plan to build asylum reception centres in Albania for those arriving by sea.

Stricter measures to deal with a large number of migrants arriving in Germany have been agreed by the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and state leaders, as NGOs criticised Italy’s plans to create centres in Albania to accommodate asylum seekers.

After a marathon session of talks in Berlin that continued into the early hours of Tuesday, Scholz said the measures would help speed up asylum procedures, restrict social benefits for migrants, and provide more federal funding for local communities.

Too challenging?

I don’t doubt that for a moment.

There are so many “too challenging” things in today’s enlightened leftist world already, don’t you think? Remembering the past belongs in the past. Or some things do, anyway. It’s not like that type of thing could ever happen again today.

Germans rename Anne Frank daycare centre to avoid upsetting immigrant children – Parents and staff said the name of the Dutch Holocaust victim was too ‘challenging.’

A German daycare centre named after Anne Frank has been renamed to avoid upsetting children from immigrant backgrounds.

The building in Tangerhütte, Saxony-Anhalt, is to be rebranded “Weltentdecker” (Explorers of the World) to spare local children from being exposed to the thorny issue of the Shoah and the murder of six million Jews.

Consequences?

In Germany? There are never any consequences here.

It’s just like back home in the Banana Republic itself. Nice try, though.

Germany’s Habeck warns antisemitism bears consequences – Germany’s vice-chancellor has underlined the country’s commitment to the security of the state of Israel. He also condemned a rise in antisemitic incidents and warned some offenders could face deportation.

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has spoken out emphatically about antisemitism in Germany — and, in particular, an uptick in hate crimes since the Israel-Hamas war began.

In a video posted online, the Green Party politician also warned that there would be consequences for those who exhibit antisemitic hatred.