Category Archives: Helplessness

German of the day: Alleingang

August 9, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, History, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means going it alone.

A major pillar of German international policy is to regularly stress how Germany will never again “go it alone.” German politicians then promptly demonstrate the importance of this strategy by going it alone once again.

Germany halts arms exports that Israel can use in Gaza – Germany is to suspend exports of weaponry that could be used in the Gaza Stripbecause of Israel’s plan to expand its operations there – the first time united Germany has acknowledged denying military support to its long-time ally.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s sudden about-turn on Friday followed mounting pressure from the public and his junior coalition partner over the manmade humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel has severely restricted supplies of food and water.

Shock treatment about to begin in Germany

August 8, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

China shock treatment.

If the Chinese can’t displace the American workforce anymore, then they’ll displace another one (or two, or three…).

The China shock hits Germany – Trade with China displaced large parts of the American workforce in the 2000s, but Germany did not experience a similar shock at the time…

You can pump in all the money you want

August 6, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Into defense.

What difference does it make if nobody is interested in defense?

Few Germans willing to take up arms to defend country, survey shows – Nearly 60% of Germans say they are not prepared to defend their homeland with weapons if Germany were attacked militarily.

Only 16% of Germans would “definitely” be willing to defend their country with weapons in case of a military attack, according to a new poll released Monday.

The Forsa Institute survey revealed widespread reluctance among Germans toward military engagement, despite repeated warnings from political and military leaders that the country should prepare for a potential armed conflict.

A clear majority—59%—indicated they would “probably not” or “definitely not” be prepared to defend Germany militarily if attacked. Among women, this reluctance was even higher at 72%.

Crazy high energy costs, crippling taxation, ever-growing red tape, ineffective government…

August 4, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

In Germany.

What’s not to like? This isn’t rocket science for businesses here. For businesses that are still here, I should say.

Germany’s biggest sports retailer considers moving production to China – Intersport eyes spare Chinese manufacturing capacity as Nike and Adidas back away from the country amid trade war.

One of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers is considering shifting production to China, just as brands including Nike and Adidas move production out of the country in response to US tariffs.

How did they gather all that information without everybody carrying handheld surveillance monitors?

August 3, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, History, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

You know, like we do now?

Very impressive.

Stasi: How the GDR kept its citizens under surveillance – Do all intelligence agents live like James Bond? Not those who worked for East Germany’s Ministry for State Security (Stasi). A new book reveals the mundane lives of the agents.

“Comrades, we must know everything!”

Better late than never

August 1, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Or is it already too late?

Germany is now leading the charge on Europe’s anti-immigration turn – Chancellor Merz’s new hardline course promises to accelerate the EU’s rightward pivot on migration as the bloc prepares to implement tough measures.

Past German governments sought to temper Europe’s most hardline impulses on migration. Now, under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Berlin is vying to lead Europe’s anti-immigration charge.

The stark shift in Germany’s migration stance under its new government promises to accelerate the EU’s hard-right turn on migration as the bloc prepares to implement a series of new measures aimed at drastically reducing the number of asylum seekers entering Europe — and deporting more of those who do make it. As European leaders negotiate on how to put these measures into place, those from some of the EU’s most hardline countries are welcoming Germany’s new role.

Dial Wassim Al M. for Murder

July 30, 2025 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Or attempted murder, at least.

Why won’t he tell us the rest of the letters in his name?

Syrian man charged with attempted murder in Berlin Holocaust Memorial stabbing – Germany’s top prosecutor has filed charges against a Syrian man in connection with a stabbing attack at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial in February that seriously wounded a Spanish tourist.

The suspect sought to use the alleged crime to join the militant Islamic State group, the federal prosecutor said. The charges were filed July 18 and announced Tuesday.

The man, who was only identified as Wassim Al M. in line with German privacy rules, allegedly sent a photo of himself to members of the group before the stabbing to give the militants the opportunity to claim responsibility for the crime, authorities said.

Is this crossing of ideological boundaries so unusual?

July 29, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Hate, Helplessness, Hideology, Hostility Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Or is this way more comman than we want to believe?

“Horst Mahler personified the way that antisemitism crosses ideological boundaries and can appeal to different, ostensibly opposing, extremist movements. Even though on the surface the far right and far left are enemies, they share a contempt for liberal democracy and a conspiratorial view of the world in which Jews, or Zionists, are seen as an obstacle to their political objectives. Given this shared anti-Jewish worldview, Mahler’s political migration from far left to far right is not as uncommon as people might think.”

German of the day: Am längeren Hebel sitzen

July 28, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

That means to have the greater leverage, to have the upper hand.

Trump triumphs over the EU: Why the Americans have always had the upper hand over Brussels – The “deal” between the two economic superpowers is a clear victory for the US. The Europeans lacked the potential to threaten.

There’s a loneliness epidemic among young people?

July 27, 2025 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

No wonder. When all you care about is yourself how could you expect anything else?

Take another selfie. You’ll feel better.

Germany sees loneliness epidemic among young people – “How do I find friends?” is the most common question German influencers get asked on social media. Loneliness has become a pressing issue in Germany, with far-reaching consequences.

Three years ago, Felix Wunnike realized he had struck a chord with young people. Whenever the business psychology graduate posts videos on his TikTok account about “finding friends,” his followers respond immediately.

“Even when I just said in the video, ‘Send this video to your best friend,’ the top comment with the most likes was always something like, ‘I don’t have any friends.'”