German Of The Day: Enttäuschend

February 6, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy Tags: Gas, German, Germans, Germany, Jim Risch, Language, Nord Stream 2, Olaf Scholz, Pipelines, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

That means disappointing.

Olaf Scholz goes to Washington. Hope he’s not too disappointed with all the disappointment there.

“The German government’s actions to date with respect to Ukraine have been disappointing at best. All of us in NATO are doing what we can to help Ukraine. And I think many of us believe that a country of Germany’s importance and capabilities could and should do a lot. Especially at a time that will be so important for the future of the European security order. I hope the German Government will decide to do the right thing.“

The Invisible Man

February 4, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: Gas, German, Germans, Germany, North Stream 2, Oil Pipelines, Pipelines, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

Impossible to find when hard decisions need to be made – concerning Russia.

Hey, once a Sozi (Social Democrat mini-Socialist pinko), always a Sozi.

Germany’s new chancellor Olaf Scholz is waving goodbye to the honeymoon period of his tenure, as his “inaudible” stance over the brewing crisis on the Ukrainian border is failing to impress not just Russia-hawks abroad but also more ambivalent voters at home.

Scholz, whose liberal-left “traffic light” coalition was sworn in less than two months ago, has been criticised by Kyiv and other east-central European capitals for sticking to his country’s restrictive stance on weapons export to crisis regions and looking slow to spell out the potential sanctions that could be triggered by a Russian invasion into Ukraine.

German State Broadcasters Take Russian State Broadcaster Off The Air

February 3, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Higher Education, Hurt Feelings, Hypocrisy Tags: Big Brother, German, Germans, Germany, Media, Propaganda, RT TV, Russia, State TV, TV Leave a comment

They have enough state broadcasting to do on their own as it is, thank you.

The Russian state broadcasters will retaliate by taking the German state broadcaster off the air, of course. Oh why oh why can’t we learn to state broadcast together in peace?

Russia to target German media in response to German ban on RT TV – Russia will retaliate against Germany for banning the German-language service of Russian broadcaster RT, and the response will impact German media accredited in Russia and internet “intermediaries”, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

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.

The Wonders Never Cease

January 27, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: Allies, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, USA Leave a comment

Us (as in U.S.) wondering about the Germans, the Germans wondering about us, etc. It’s a vicious circle or something.

There’s nothing to wonder about when it comes to Germany, if you ask me. But you’re not. So there. Have it your way. I won’t tell you.

Is Germany A Reliable U.S. Ally? Berlin Still Wonders the Same About Washington.

No, We’re Not Sending Any Helmuts

January 26, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hypocrisy Tags: Germany, Helmets, Russia, Ukraine 1 Comment

I said, we’re sending helmets. Click.

Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko pans German aid, ‘speechless’ at offer of helmets to Ukraine – The mayor of Ukraine’s capital city, former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, pulled no punches against the German government Wednesday after Berlin committed to supplying Ukraine with 5,000 military helmets in the face of a potential Russian invasion.

“The behavior of the German government leaves me speechless,” Klitschko, who was elected mayor of Kiev in 2014, told German tabloid Bild, according to Reuters. “The defense ministry apparently hasn’t realized that we are confronted with perfectly equipped Russian forces that can start another invasion of Ukraine at any time.”

“What kind of support will Germany send next?” Klitschko added. “Pillows?”

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.

Vlad Putin Is Shaking In His Boots

January 21, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness Tags: Annalena Baerbock, Germany, Russia, Ukraine Leave a comment

Or valenki. Or whatever it is he’s wearing right now.

Germany is threatening Russia with dialogue again. That’s what moral superpowers do.

Annalena Baerbock: the German minister staring down Russia over Ukraine – New foreign minister won critics’ respect after meeting with Sergei Lavrov, but has work cut out in push for diplomacy.

German Of The Day: Peinlich

January 20, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness Tags: Dementia, Democrats, German, Joe Biden, Language, Press Conferences, Senility 1 Comment

That means embarrassing or embarrassingly.

Here’s an example: Peinlich stolpert Biden durch seine Pressekonferenz. Meaning: Biden stumbles embarrassingly through his press conference.

A year after his inauguration, the U.S. president is glossing over his mediocre record. On the eve of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, of all times, he makes a serious verbal mistake.

Observing Hermann

“Was interessiert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?”

Category Archives: Helplessness