German of the day: Dunkelflaute

That means the “dark duldrums.”

It’s dark here all the time these days, in other words. And there’s not much wind either. “Renewables” don’t seem to like that for some reason.

A weather phenomenon dubbed ‘Dunkelflaute’ is causing havoc in Germany and pushing energy prices to 2-decade highs – A weather phenomenon dubbed “Dunkelflaute” that causes chilly, low-wind conditions is sweeping across Europe and causing fresh havoc to Germany’s embattled economy, where energy prices have risen to a two-decade high.

A Dunkelflaute, translated as “dark doldrums” or “dark wind lull,” is the bain of renewables companies, with an extended period of low wind and cloudy weather hurting their ability to generate electricity from either wind or solar.

We must destroy the economy in order to save the economy

It’s the economic science, stupid.

German union boss urges Berlin to scrap borrowing cap to safeguard economy – IG Metall chair Christiane Benner addresses thousands of VW workers striking over planned closure of several plants.

The head of Germany’s most powerful trade union has called on Berlin to drop its cap on new borrowing to safeguard the future of Europe’s largest economy.

IG Metall chair Christiane Benner said the country should follow the example of the US and China, which are heavily supporting their domestic industries, meaning the borrowing limit had to “stop — immediately, not after the elections”.

“I have already spoken to the future US president at length on the phone…”

“And we are also in direct contact with his advisers on security policy.”

Germany aims to align with Trump?” Has anybody told the Germans yet?

Germany aims to align with Trump to end ‘merciless’ Ukraine war – Chancellor Olaf Scholz ruled out supplying Kyiv with long-range missiles but stressed the country’s sovereignty should be guaranteed.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expects he’ll find alignment with president-elect Donald Trump on how to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, playing down concerns a shift in US leadership risks splitting Kyiv’s biggest backers.

Tis the season to “reflect growing diversity”

Berlin’s Christmas markets have been reflecting this for years.

Berlin’s traditional Christmas markets reflect city’s growing diversity – The smells of mulled wine, roasted almonds and hot bratwurst are wafting through the air across the German capital again, as the city’s more than 100 Christmas markets are opening their doors this week. But the annual tradition that Germans have cherished since the Middle Ages — and successfully exported to much of the Western world — has become a pretty diverse affair, at least in Berlin.

Well, if there was ever any doubt…

You must NEVER relax the debt brake, Germany.

Relax Germany’s debt brake, says Angela Merkel – Former chancellor’s memoirs back reform of borrowing cap that she introduced into constitution.

Former chancellor Angela Merkel has called for Germany to relax its “debt brake”, in a sign of the growing political pressure to overhaul a borrowing cap that many economists say is too inflexible. 

Merkel, who served as chancellor between 2005 and 2021 and introduced the debt brake into Germany’s constitution, made the proposal for change in her autobiography Freedom: Memories 1954-2021.

There’s an app for that

For the bunker nearest you.

Germany draws up list of bunkers amid Russia tensions – App planned for public to find emergency shelter in places including underground train stations and car parks…

A digital directory of bunkers and emergency shelters will be drawn up so people can find them quickly using a planned phone app. People would also be encouraged to create protective shelters in their homes by converting basements and garages, the spokesperson told a press briefing.

The hostage collection process has begun!

You’ve got to have chips to play sabotage poker.

Russia arrests German citizen on sabotage charges – The Russian Federal Security Service said a German man was involved in organizing an explosion in Kaliningrad and had returned to Russia “to organize acts of sabotage…”

Russian authorities have repeatedly arrested foreign citizens on hotly disputed charges, including in several incidents that Western governments have denounced as false or trumped-up cases.

Sabotage?

Really?

Germany suspects sabotage behind severed undersea cables – German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea looks like an act of sabotage and a “hybrid action”, without knowing who is to blame.

A 1,170km (730-mile) telecommunications cable between Finland and Germany was severed in the early hours of Monday, while a 218km internet link between Lithuania and Sweden’s Gotland Island stopped working on Sunday.

The incidents came at a time of heightened tension with Russia and Pistorius said “nobody believes that these cables were cut accidentally”.

Maybe this will help me keep my job…

I know. I’ll call Vladimir Putin and ask him to stop the war and pull out of Ukraine.

That’s never been tried before.

Zelensky accuses German chancellor of opening ‘Pandora’s box’ with Putin…

Facing a snap election on Feb. 23, Scholz’s Social Democrats are coming under pressure from Russia-friendly populist parties on both sides of the political spectrum that argue the government has not deployed enough diplomacy to end the war, according to Reuters.

The Trump Effect

It’s more than just getting rid of your pronouns.

German poll shows approval for more defense spending as NATO steels itself for Trump 2.0 – A majority of Germans support significant defense spending increases, an outlook that coincides with the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House and an anticipated pressure campaign on allied militaries to step up, a new public opinion survey found.

In September, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius proposed pushing the amount of spending dedicated to the military from 2% of gross domestic product to between 3 and 3.5%.

In a new poll released Monday by the Koerber-Stiftung Institute, 50% of respondents supported Pistorius’ idea, while a further 15% said even more should be spent on German defense.