Bad American Fracking LNG Suddenly Not That Bad After All

March 6, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy Tags: Dependency, Energy, Fracking, Gas, German, Germans, Germany, Greens, LNG, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

In Germany. Not nearly as bad as it was a few days ago, in fact. Just like that. It’s magic or something. It’s fracking inexplicable!

Germany Goes Ahead With First LNG Terminal to Cut Dependence on Russian Gas – Germany unveiled more details Saturday on its plan to build its first liquefied natural-gas terminals as it seeks to wean itself off its dependence on Russian gas.

The terminals are the latest step in Berlin’s diversification efforts that have been urgently ramped up in recent days following Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Germany gets around 55% of its gas from Moscow and has long been resistant to diversifying away from cheap and plentiful Russian energy supplies.

Germany last week halted the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 project, which would have doubled the capacity of an existing pipeline traveling along a similar route. The government also announced plans for gas and coal storage and commissioned its gas market trading hub to buy LNG for 1.5 billion euros, or the equivalent of $1.64 billion, from outside Russia.

Good Times

February 28, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Higher Education, Hurt Feelings, Hysteria Tags: Defense, German, Germans, Germany, NATO, Putin, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

The old days. When Germany could elegantly or less elegantly wiggle out of paying for its own defense (spending 2% GDP for defense like it had promised to pay many, many years ago).

Suddenly, inexplicably, now it’s possible after all. Mysterious, don’t you think? We need to find some experts to explain to us just how this change of heart was made possible.

Putin Accidentally Started a Revolution in Germany – The invasion of Ukraine is triggering a dramatic reversal of Berlin’s grand strategy.

In seven days, Germany has axed its biggest Russian energy project, imposed sanctions that will cause significant pain at home, and instituted a course that will make Germany the largest European defense spender, with the most advanced aircraft and a growing forward presence in Central and Eastern Europe. One can wonder whether Germany’s dedicated detractors in Washington will notice. How did it happen so quickly, when German officials had so tenaciously defended their status quo policies for so long?

Tough As Nails

February 25, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hypocrisy Tags: EU, Germany, Putin, Russia, Sanctions, SWIFT, Ukraine, War Leave a comment

Or as Jell-O, at least. Here’s the latest “Money Makes The World Go Around” going around in Germany (some still refer to it as “the EU”).

Cutting off Russia from the SWIFT global interbank payment system should not be part of the second EU sanctions package against Russia that EU leaders will decide upon at a meeting on Thursday in Brussels, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.

He’s right, of course. Doing that would be one of the only things that would actually hurt Putin & Co. and that would be counterproductive.

Die Swift-Keule kommt nicht zum Einsatz.

Money Makes The World Go Around

February 23, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hypocrisy Tags: Exports, Germany, Law, Russia, Ukraine, Weapons Sales Leave a comment

And there’s a big demand for military machinery in Russia these days.

So German business can just jump right in to fill that gap.

Germany indicts man for sale of military machinery to Russia – Germany has indicted a businessman on suspicion of breaking arms control laws by helping Russia purchase sophisticated machinery that could be used to make chemical weapons...

Prosecutors allege that a Russian company the suspect had business relations with was a front controlled by the intelligence agency to cover up purchases by Russia’s military industry.

Bundesanwaltschaft klagt Deutschen wegen Lieferungen an russischen Geheimdienst an.

“Historically Low Levels”

February 22, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: Dependency, Gas, Germany, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

Regulate the gas you failed to store in advance? Because of your insistance to remain dependent on Russian gas – even after the Russians refused to give you more? For months now? Yeah. Go ahead and regulate that.

Germany must regulate gas storage to secure supplies – Habeck (The Greens).

Germany’s gas storage facilities are at historically low levels and fears that a possible war between Russia and Ukraine could worsen an energy crisis in Europe has raised the pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to secure supplies.

German Of The Day: Cyber-Attacke

February 2, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: Dependency, Energy, Gas, German, Germany, Language, North Stream 2, Oil, Pipelines, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

That means cyberattack.

An oil storage and a supply firm? Why would anybody attack oil storage and supply firms in Germany these days? And who could have possibly done it?

Germany: 2 oil storage and supply firms hit by cyberattack – Two companies involved in storing and supplying oil and other materials said Tuesday they have been hit by a cyberattack that has impacted operations in Germany.

Oiltanking GmbH Group and Mabanaft Group on Saturday discovered what they called a “cyber incident affecting our IT systems” and launched an investigation together with external specialists, the companies said in an emailed statement. They did not elaborate on the nature of the incident or address who might be responsible, and said they are working to understand its “full scope.”

This Is CNN?

February 1, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hypocrisy Tags: Blackmail, Dependency, Energy, Gas, German, Germans, Germany, Media, North Stream 2, Pipelines, Putin, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

How refreshing or something. What others (conservative voices) have been warning about for years and years has finally gone “mainstream” – as in North Stream 2.

Why Germany is so vulnerable to Russian blackmail – Roughly half of Germany’s natural gas imports come from Russia. That reliance will become increasingly important in coming years as Germany embarks on a simultaneous phaseout from coal and nuclear energy. Russia is also an important destination for German exports. And for historical reasons, German leaders have long desired close relations with Russia.

Slowly but surely, Germany has maneuvered itself into a position of vulnerability vis-à-vis the Kremlin.

Germany Urges Prudence?

January 23, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: Dependency, Energy, Germany, Russia, Sanctions Leave a comment

When it comes to potential sanctions against Russia over Ukraine? Gee, I wonder why.

Germany’s Reliance on Russian Gas Limits Europe’s Options in Ukraine Crisis – Berlin is vulnerable if the West sanctions Russia over Ukraine and Moscow responds by cutting off exports.

German Green Government In Action

January 7, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy, Hysteria Tags: Germans, Germany, Government, Greens, Inflation, Nuclear energy, Politicians, Renewable energy, Taxation, Taxes Leave a comment

It’s brilliant, really. Or diabolical, if you prefer.

First create the current energy crisis by forcing the country to go down the ideological path to unreliable and unaffordable renewable energy, come what may, heavily burdening the German taxpayer, consumer and businessman in the process. Then promise aid to those most negatively affected by this crisis by burdening the German taxpayer, consumer and businessman even further. And still come out of it smelling like a rose. Aid here is just another nice word for taxation.

Germany’s soaring energy prices force government to promise aid – Headline inflation dips slightly, but energy costs still rising at double-digit pace.

New German Weapons Export Law That Won’t Actually Change Anything Now In The Works

December 27, 2021 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hypocrisy Tags: Arms, Arms exports, Business, German, Germans, Germany, Greens, Industry, Profit, Weapons, Weapons Exports Leave a comment

It won’t change anything but it will make us feel good about ourselves.

Compare the weapons export numbers for Germany this year with the numbers this time next year if you don’t believe me. Just have patience. Seen it a dozen times. It’s a recurring, calming ritual Germans like to perform. They seem to believe it reinforces their moral superpower status.

Germany: Baerbock vows new law to curb weapons exports – German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said new weapons export control legislation is in the works. During its last few days in power, Angela Merkel’s administration approved almost €5 billion in arms sales…

Together with the United States, Russia, and France, Germany is one of the world’s biggest arms exporters, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Observing Hermann

“Was interessiert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?”

Category Archives: Heconomy