German of the day: 320 km/h

That means 199 mph.

A speeding motorist driving at 199 mph on Germany’s Autobahn is fined more than $1,000 – A motorist was clocked driving at more than 320 kph (199 mph) on the Autobahn west of Berlin, a record high at more than 124 mph above the speed limit, German police said.

The speedster, who was not identified, was caught while racing along the A2 highway near Burg on July 28.

The driver was handed a fine of 900 euros ($1,043), stripped of two points from his driver’s license and banned from driving for three months, the Magdeburg police office said Tuesday.

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

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?

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

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

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.

There’s a loneliness epidemic among young people?

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.'”

Drawing swastikas on ballots is always a serious mistake in Germany…

If only he had used a little more imagination and drawn one of these instead.

He’d be in the clear.

German politician steps down over swastika on ballot – The German state of Baden-Württemberg’s deputy speaker stepped down after admitting he drew a swastika on a ballot beside an AfD lawmaker’s name. Daniel Born said he had made a “serious mistake” during a vote.

German of the day: Schattenwirtschaft

That means shadow or underground economy.

It’s a Volkssport (national pastime) here. Over-taxed Germans get even with the government any and every chance they get. See Schwarzarbeit.

German shadow economy booms amid high taxes and state aid – While Germany’s economy falters, the country is experiencing a rise in undeclared work. What role do taxes and generous state aid for the poor play in the surge?

German of the day: Klima-Disinformation

That means climate disinformation.

The consequences of green climate disinformation – Whether it’s heat, drought or global warming, the loudest warnings about climate change are preventing effective solutions…

The EU had proposed being able to buy three percent of its CO₂ reduction outside the continent from 2036, for example by planting forests in Africa… Green lobbyists, on the other hand, want all of this money to be spent on climate protection in this country (Germany). The case is exemplary: those who are particularly vehement in their warnings about climate change are opposed to pragmatic solutions.

German of the day: Trittbrettfahrer

That means freeloader.

Or free rider, if you prefer.

Germany’s Merz tells BBC Europe was free-riding on US – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accepted US accusations that Europe was doing too little to fund its own defence and security, but now believes they are on the same page.

“We know we have to do more on our own and we have been free-riders in the past,” he told the BBC’s Today Programme, “they’re asking us to do more and we are doing more.”