Category Archives: Heconomy

For Being Such A Smart Guy It’s Odd That He Still Hasn’t Figured It Out

November 3, 2021 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Higher Education, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I guess you have to live here for a while to get it.

If German bureaucracy gets all up in your face when trying to get some commonplace document, as it does, then it’s certainly going to ruin your day (year? life?) when you try to build a gigafactory.

Tesla’s Elon Musk bemoans German red tape, again – Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk took to Twitter to bemoan a consultation process launched on Tuesday for local citizens to express objections to a huge factory he is building near Berlin.

The process, being repeated over concerns the first time around did not comply with regulations, is a snag in Tesla’s plans to start production of electric cars this month.

“Sigh.”

As American As Apple Pie

October 22, 2021 By in Hard Facts, Hate, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That good old Greyhound Bus. Or at least it used to be. Now it’s as American as FlixBus.

FlixMobility, the $3 billion-German transportation startup that has doubled down on long distance buses and slowly and quietly gobbled up transit lines and operations across Europe, today announced a big move to raise its game in the U.S. The company announced that it is acquiring Greyhound Lines, the iconic U.S. bus network, from U.K.-based owner FirstGroup. Flix said the deal — which includes a vehicle fleet, trademarks, and related assets and liabilities — has an enterprise value on a debt-free/cash-free basis of $46 million, with an unconditional deferred consideration of $32 million with an interest rate of 5% per annum alongside that.

German Collusion

September 30, 2021 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hi-tech, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I mean, Russian collusion. YouTube collusion? I dunno. There must be some kind of collusion in there somewhere, right?

Russia threatens to block YouTube after suspension of German RT channels – Moscow warns of retaliation against video-sharing platform after RT channels blocked over Covid disinformation…

YouTube on Tuesday told German media that it had issued a warning to RT for violating its coronavirus disinformation guidelines and then shuttered two channels for breaching user terms.

On Wednesday, Russia’s foreign ministry accused YouTube of an “unprecedented act of media aggression” which it said was likely aided by German authorities – a claim Berlin denied.

The Russian ministry said the adoption of retaliatory measures against German media “seems not only appropriate but also necessary.”

German Of The Day: Königmacher

September 28, 2021 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helections Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means kingmaker.

You know, as in Germany’s FDP party (classic liberal, business-friendly)? They will most likely decide what kind of coaltion Germany will now get. Either SPD-Green-FDP or CDU-Green-FDP. Unless, of course, negotiations fail and they go back to another grand goalition of CDU-SPD, which absolutely nobody wants.

Germany’s FDP holds strong cards in post-election haggling – Buoyant from its best election result in 10 years, Germany’s liberal FDP party looks set to play a outsized role in coalition negotiations to form the next government…

The FDP wants to avoid tax increases and preserve Germany’s cherished debt brake, while the SPD and the Greens want to raise the minimum wage, increase taxes for the wealthy and and invest public money in tackling climate change.

“The coalition issue is extremely difficult for the FDP. Its members do not want the FDP to be propping up a left-wing government,” said political scientist Oskar Niedermeyer of the Free University of Berlin.

German Of The Day: Fünfprozenthürde

September 27, 2021 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helections, Helplessness Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means the “five percent hurdle.” A political party has to get at least five percent of the votes in order to get seats in the German Bundestag.

The Left Party (communists pretending not to be communists) received only 4.9 percent in yesterday’s election so they’re out. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer party. Don’t let the door hit you and all that.

So, with them gone, the local Berlin vote to pass the non-binding referendum to expropriate real estate companies (already deemed illegal by Germany’s highest court) takes on an even more fantastic touch.

Germany: Berlin locals vote to expropriate real estate giants – Berliners cast their referendum votes on whether to nationalize thousands of housing units owned by real estate giants. After counting 27% of the votes, results found that over half voted yes while just 39% voted no.

The Eurozone Doesn’t Work Now With It’s Current Member States

September 22, 2021 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

I know, the EU’s bureaucratic hive mind says, let’s add another broke country to see how that doesn’t work then either.

Concerns Rise as Bulgaria Prepares to Join the Euro – Bulgaria has significant problems with corruption and money laundering. Nevertheless, the European Union is prepared to accept the country as the next member of the eurozone. Many fear that might be a bad idea.

Why Does “Going According To Plan” Sound So Sinister Here?

September 13, 2021 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Health, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hi-tech, Hurt Feelings, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Or is it just me?

I know it isn’t just me. Asking for a friend.

“Things Are Looking Good and Going According to Plan” – In an interview, BioNTech founders Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci explain why booster shots are needed to combat the Delta variant of the coronavirus, and they say that a vaccine for five- to 11-year-old children is on its way…

The number of vaccine doses is no longer a limiting factor. There will be enough vaccine for every person in the world by 2022 at the latest.

Energy Prices Can’t Be High Enough

September 12, 2021 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helections, Helplessness, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The German Greens reassure their voters. To save the planet and all that.

But their voters are finally starting to get restless. Even Good Green Germans may stop doing what they’re told at one point.

Not easy voting green: Germans wary of getting climate bill – Climate change is among the top concerns for Germans going into this month’s national election, which will determine who replaces Angela Merkel as chancellor.

“They don’t say enough where the money is going to come from.”

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

September 10, 2021 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

What do Germans fear the most?

An annual study has again asked people what they fear the most. After almost two years of COVID pandemic, somewhat surprisingly, health issues do not top the list.

For years, there was no new public debt in Germany. This gave citizens the reassuring feeling of living in a fiscally sound country — until the coronavirus pandemic came rolling over our world like a tsunami.

“People like to push thoughts of illness away, we all know that. But when it comes to money, then, also in my experience, the fears are always very large.”

We Love You, Germany

September 5, 2021 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hypocrisy Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

And all you German peoples.

And all that wonderful German financial aid you will be giving us before the dust even settles in Kabul.

Germans welcome in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson says – A Taliban spokesman has said Germans are welcome in Afghanistan and that the group hopes Berlin will open diplomatic ties. The militant Islamist group is aiming for international legitimacy — as well as substantial aid.