Category Archives: Hysteria

Our 9/11?

December 7, 2011 By in Habeas Corpus, Habitudes, Hate, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

My, what a gross exaggeration. A handfull of neo-Nazi slobs go on a killing spree and a Berlin Politologe (political scientist) calls this Germany’s equivalent to the attacks of 9/11?

This surely must be a bad political scientist (as in bad science). But he’s not alone, of course. Germany’s contact to/with reality has never been all that steady, even in the best of times (like now), so none of this should be a surprise. It does make me wonder though about what would happen if something – how should I put it? – “real” were ever to happen here. I mean, if this is Germany’s 9/11, what would happen if a real 9/11 came along? Would everybody just pop into thin air or something? Nah, that would be impossible. Not even bad science can do that

“Das ist unser 9/11.”

American Conspiracy 101

December 6, 2011 By in Habitudes, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hypocrisy, Hysteria 2 Comments

Or should I call it AAA?

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's heaped on the pressure on Monday and Tuesday.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,801973,00.html

Being that Standard & Poor´s threatened downgrade of 15 out of 17 euro-zone countries (including Germany ITSELF) is “completely exaggerated,” “out of the clear blue sky” and an irresponsible threat that simply “can´t be a coincidence,” it must be another one of those sinister American conspiracies again (yawn).

http://www.focus.de/finanzen/news/staatsverschuldung/sundp-ankuendigung-dient-die-herabstufung-europas-den-amerikanern_aid_691438.html

Personally, I also believe that the Americans were the ones behind the US of A´s recent downgrade, too. But maybe that´s just me.

“Manchmal fällt es schwer, den Eindruck zu widerlegen, dass einige amerikanische Ratingagenturen und Fondsmanager gegen die Eurozone arbeiten.”

Merkozy Or Sarmerkel?

December 5, 2011 By in Heconomy, Helplessness, Hysteria Leave a comment

I´ll go with Merkozy. I mean just because he´s wearing the pants doesn´t mean that he´s wearing the pants, if you know what I´m saying (she always wears pants too).

http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/12/05/is-sarkozy-and-merkels-new-debt-prorposal-the-beginning-of-the-end-to-the-euro-crisis/?xid=gonewsedit

“Read my lips,” she said: “No euro bonds. And stop fidgeting when I speak to you.” http://www.zeit.de/wirtschaft/2011-12/schuldenkrise-merkel-sarkozy

“Germany and France are not going to pay the debts of other nations without being able to control the debt issues of other nations,” Sarkozy said–backtracking on France’s earlier position on both euro bond and greater ECB intervention in the crisis—as Merkel looked attentively on. “And we restate our previous position of confidence in an independent ECB, without any comment on (its actions) either positively, or negatively.”

8000 Jobs For A Better World

December 4, 2011 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

For a better dream world, I should say.

You know, for a better dream world without nuclear energy? Germany utility RWE plans to cut costs – and 8000 jobs – as it trys to come to grips with Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear power by 2022 – and then continue to import it´s nuclear power from France and others instead.

These 8000 jobs will just be the start of it, of course.  But aller Anfang ist schwer, as the Germans say: The first step is the hardest. It will get a lot easier firing folks once “the movement” gains movement, I mean progresses.

It’s Us Against Them

December 2, 2011 By in Habitudes, Health, Helplessness, Hi-tech, Hypochondria, Hypocrisy, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Us as in US, I mean.

German authorities are trying to limit what the American tech companies can do, but the Silicon Valley giants are fighting back (the key word is American here, folks).

Give the Germans what they want, I say. But what DO they want, anyway (this is one of my favorite German schizophrenia thangs).

It’s worth noting that Facebook and Google are actually quite popular in the country — the BBC reported in September that “a quarter of the German population are active Facebook users and Google has 95% of the country’s search market.”

Just In Case You Didn’t Know Who To Vote For

December 1, 2011 By in Habitudes, Helections, Hypocrisy, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments

Der Spiegel http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,800850,00.html (sorry, having trouble with the posting today) has put together a highly nuanced and in depth political analysis about US Republican presidential candidates. It is called “A Club of Liars, Demagogues and Ignoramuses.”

 Here are just a few of the more insightful insights:

The current crop of candidates have shown such a basic lack of knowledge that they make George W. Bush look like Einstein (so like they don’t like Einstein, or what?).

They lie. They cheat. They exaggerate. They bluster. They say one idiotic, ignorant, outrageous thing after another (good thing we have the Democrats as an alternative).

The US elections are a reality show after all, a pseudo-political counterpart to the Paris Hiltons, Kim Kardashians and all the “American Idol” and “X Factor” contestants littering today’s TV (I don’t get this but it sounds like it must be astute or something).

The Grand Old Party is ruining the entire country’s reputation (uh, what reputation are we talking about here anyway?).

…Which goes to show that this “movement” (the Tea Party), sponsored by Fox News, has never been interested in the actual business of governing or in the intelligence and intellect that it requires. They are only interested in marketing themselves, for ratings and dollars (if given the choice I’d take the ratings at the moment).

Americans have a short memory (this one sure does, I’ve forgotten your article already).

United We Fall, Divided We Stand

November 29, 2011 By in Heconomy, Helplessness, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Women and children first! No offense there, Nicolas.

It looks like Germany and France may have had enough of broke weeny Europeans (other than themselves) already and now appear to be planning a secret and very “exlusive stability pact” just for the crème de la crème of ze Europe. You know, for that handful of European countries that can still pay their debts, maybe. But don’t tell anybody yet. This is still a secret, like I said.

Deutschland und Frankreich sind nicht mehr gewillt, auf eine Einigung aller EU-Länder zu warten. Notfalls wären sie bereit, mit einigen Ländern voranzugehen und so innerhalb der Währungszone eine Art Klub der Super-Europäer zu gründen, deren Mitglieder sich strengen Sparauflagen unterwerfen.

Is It Really Over?

November 28, 2011 By in Habeas Corpus, Habitudes, Helections, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Finished? Endlich vorbei? Finito and all that? For real?

 Das Votum der Bürger in Baden-Württemberg ist eindeutig: Stuttgart 21 soll gebaut werden. Das führt zu Erleichterung einerseits, Ärger andererseits. Und Politikern, die sich die Sache schönreden.

I don´t have to hear about Stuttgart 21 demonstrators anymore? I don´t have to wonder anymore about why I´ve never understood how people can go ballistic about rebuilding a city´s freakin´train station underground as if it were some unspeakably important social issue? Honest? You´re not shitting me here? The war is finally over and Johnny can come marching home?

Well then let us all stand and sing together!

Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord;
he is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored;
he hath loosed the fateful lightning
of his terrible swift sword;
his truth is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

The Color Of Money

November 27, 2011 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helections, Home Cooking, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

We’re the Greens. You know, green like money (well it’s green back home)? And that’s what it’s going to cost you too, having voted for us like you did – and yet will (the Greens have become a Volkspartei or major party since Fukushima, remember?).

We only want to help you and we are only doing this for your own good, but in order to ecologically retrofit the German nation it will unfortunately be necessary for our subjects everywhere, green or not, to pay quite heavily through the nose.

It’s all about Umverteilung (redistribution – of other people’s money), as usual. And here at our party convention in Kiel we have come up with just a few of the ways with which this will soon be done:

The toll for trucks will be increased.
The company car privilege will be phased out.
Ecological taxation will be increased, loopholes will be closed.
The tax advantage for married couples will be phased out.
Reduced rate exceptions for the value added tax will be eliminated.
The top tax rate will be increased to 49% (beginning with 80,000 euros gross).
The flat rate withholding tax will be replaced with a progressive tax.
A capital levy on “the rich” will be introduced.
A capital tax will be introduced (replacing the capital levy on “the rich” after ten years).
A “financial market transaction tax” will be introduced.

Like we said, these are just a few modest suggestions for Vorspeise (an appetizer). Just wait until we are actually in power.

Qualität hat ihren Preis (everything comes at a price).

Viva la revolución verde!

Or Maybe It Does Stink (Our Debt)

November 23, 2011 By in Heconomy, Hurt Feelings, Hysteria Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

What, me worry?

The German debt agency was forced to retain almost half of a sale of 6 billion euros due to a shortage of bids by investors, sparking fears that Europe’s debt crisis is now even starting to threaten Berlin.

The German government is still resisting calls (from France and elsewhere) to allow the ECB to act more decisively.

“It is a complete and utter disaster,” one financial expert dude in London said. “And everybody has hurt feelings,” I replied. “And that’s the main thing.”

It’s starting to get ugly, folks, in other words. Uh, are we having a panic yet?

“The debt crisis is burrowing ever deeper, like a worm, and is now reaching Germany.”