Category Archives: Habitudes

It’s not because we have the highest energy costs in the world…

April 24, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Or the shortest number of hours (days) worked in any industrialized country. Or the most restrictive bureaucracy of any G7 nation. Or even that we continue to miss the boat when it comes to embracing new technological developments. To name just a few.

No. Germany’s economy continues to fail (for the third year now) because of Donald Trump.

Germany sees zero growth in 2025, blames Trump tariffs – Germany was the only G7 economy that failed to grow for the last two years, and is on track for a third year without growth in 2025.

The German government cut its economic growth forecast to zero citing the impact of US President Donald Trump’s trade policies .

“There is above all one reason for this, namely Donald Trump’s trade policy and the effects of the trade policy on Germany,” outgoing Economy Minister Robert Habeck said.

Thought Crime and Punishment

April 22, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Watch your step in Germany.

The British news magazine “Economist”, which is read by decision-makers worldwide, sounds the alarm: in Germany, freedom of opinion is increasingly under threat – from laws, court judgments and a way of dealing with criticism that raises questions in a liberal democracy.

The report focuses on the case of journalist David Bendels. The editor-in-chief of the right-wing populist “Deutschland-Kurier” had published a manipulated photo of Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser holding a sign saying “I hate freedom of expression.” The Economist notes: “Such images are commonplace on social media.” However, Faeser filed a criminal complaint – and a court sentenced Bendels to a seven-month suspended sentence, a heavy fine and an apology.

German of the day: Redefreiheit war gestern

April 18, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helections, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

That means free speech was yesterday.

The threat to free speech in Germany – One of the freest countries in the world takes a hammer to its own reputation.

Freedom of expression jeopardized by coalition agreement?

A paragraph in the coalition agreement is now causing new concern online about the right to freedom of expression. “The future black-red coalition does not respect freedom,” according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. According to Cicero magazine, the potential new government is “alienated” from the “responsible citizen” and Die Welt warns of a new “kind of truth law.”

“Reducing bureaucracy will be one of our top priorities!”

April 12, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This is why we are going to create a new ‘super–high-tech ministry’ for research, technology, and aerospace.

Germany to create ‘super–high-tech ministry’ for research, technology, and aerospace – New governing coalition also plans to woo scientists from abroad and make it easier for universities to collaborate with the military on defense research.

The announcement is one of several nods to science in the 144-page agreement, unveiled on 9 April following weeks of negotiations between the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU)—who together won the most seats in February’s federal elections—and the center-left Social Democrats. The agreement is expected to be formally approved by the three parties by early May, paving the way for CDU leader Friedrich Merz to be elected chancellor.

Sherlock himself

February 25, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Must have figured this one out.

Syrian suspect in Berlin Holocaust Memorial stabbing wanted to kill Jews, investigators say – The suspect in a stabbing attack at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial that seriously injured a Spanish tourist is a Syrian refugee who apparently wanted to kill Jews, investigators said Saturday.

The 19-year-old suspect was arrested on Friday evening, nearly three hours after the attack, when he approached officers with blood on his hands and clothes…

The suspect arrived in Germany in 2023 as an unaccompanied minor and successfully applied for asylum, investigators said. He lives in Leipzig.

JD is a rightwing extremist again

February 16, 2025 By in Habitudes, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

He really needs to stop doing that, or something.

End of an era? Germany in disarray as US scolds staunchest European ally – Washington’s message at Munich security conference sends shockwaves through transatlantic alliance...

“Vance is a rightwing extremist politician supported by US Big Tech oligarchs, whose aim is to gradually destroy the EU,” said Anton Hofreiter, a German Green MP.

German of the day: Anschlag

February 13, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means attack. As in terrorist attack. As in the next one.

Munich: Söder speaks of attack – driver 24-year-old Afghan – A car has driven into a crowd of strikers in Munich. At least 28 people were injured, including children. Bavaria’s Minister President speaks of a “suspected attack”. The driver of the car was an Afghan asylum seeker.

200,000 protesters!

February 9, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Is that a lot?

Doesn’t that reflect German majority opinion? Well… No, it doesn’t. Not when the polls all indicate the opposite.

At least 200,000 protesters rally in Munich against far-right AfD ahead of German election – More than 200,000 protesters rallied in Munich, Germany, on Saturday against far-right extremism ahead of the country’s general election.

The far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is in second place in recent polls and has prompted widespread protests across the country before voters cast their ballots on Feb. 23…

FDP deputy leader Kubicki rejects the idea that “firewall” demonstrations reflect majority opinion: Otherwise the red-green party would have made huge gains in the polls.

German of the day: Handelsüberschuss

February 8, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hypocrisy Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means trade surplus.

As Trump threatens EU with tariffs, Germany announces trade surplus worth $74.1 billion with U.S. – Germany logged a record trade surplus with the United States last year, data showed Friday, news that could stoke tensions with US President Donald Trump as he threatens the EU with tariffs.

The United States also returned as the top trading partner for Europe’s biggest economy last year, it showed, overtaking China which had been in the number one spot since 2016…

Germany accounts for a hefty chunk of the European Union’s large trade surplus with the United States, which has been a source of anger for Trump.