German Of The Day: Abhängigkeit

That means dependency.

In this case, being dependent on China.

Germany planning to ban Huawei, ZTE from parts of 5G networks.

There is no evidence that China is spying with the help of the telecom equipment suppliers’ technology. Nevertheless, they are to be banned from the 5-G network – for fear of dependencies.

Expert At Losing Bets Waxes Poetic On Gambling

If the Germans don’t know about losing energy bets, nobody does. Old Vlad better listen up.

Putin has gambled away gas leverage, says German vice-chancellor – Robert Habeck says ‘half of our eggs were in the basket of Putin’ but Germany is now recovering capacity.

Vladimir Putin has gambled away his gas leverage over Europe, Germany’s vice-chancellor has claimed as he sounded a note of cautious optimism over his country’s energy supplies during a visit to Norway.

German Of The Day: Selbstzufriedenheit

That means complacency or smugness.

A long and highly valued German state of mind.

I still recall the sardonic, patronizing response I received in the German Chancellery around 2010, when I tried to warn my interlocutors about the danger of Russian hybrid warfare tactics—the cocktail of disinformation, economic coercion, subversion, espionage, and threats of force that Russia uses against its neighbors. “You are not seriously saying that Russia would conduct these operations against the Federal Republic of Germany?” my hosts asked, incredulously.

“Duh, yes,” I replied.

Scholz publicly hankers for a return to Europe’s “pre-war peace order,” suggesting that the lessons of 2022 have yet to sink in.

No Wa-Way

Wa-Way. As in Huawei. It’s the German way.

Germany is (still) a Huawei hotspot in Europe – Europe’s largest economy Germany hasn’t kicked its habit of using Chinese kit for its 5G telecoms networks yet.

A new study analyzing Huawei’s market share in Europe estimates that Germany relies on Chinese technology for 59 percent of its 5G networks. Other key markets including Italy and the Netherlands are also among eight countries where over half of 5G networks run on Chinese equipment.

Try To Remember…

The kind of December
When gas was there and temps so mellow…

Nobody said “saving the planet” would be easy.

Snow covers Germany amid gas crunch – As Germany experienced its coldest December in a decade, the government implored residents to exercise restraint on turning up the heat.

“Germany is still very, very far from having its gas needs totally covered for the next two years. Because of this, in spite of the cold, I implore you to exercise restraint with gas use.”

German Of The Day: Blackout

That means blackout.

Blackout risk – Germany’s gas storage facilities are 94 percent full, but the level is steadily declining in view of the cold weather.

“Everyone is preparing for it…” He pleads for a factual discussion without scaremongering, but warns against possible acts of sabotage – and explains what emergency supplies citizens should stock up on in case of an emergency.

A Massive Energy Cost Rise?

But where did this massive rise in energy costs come from? Who is responsible?

I know. We’ll ask the government to help us!

1 in 10 Germans had not yet heated by November despite cold weather: Survey – Germans have significantly changed their heating habits due to massive rise in energy costs, research finds.

German Of The Day: Energiepreis-Stoppschild

That means energy price stop sign.

This is a brilliant new German invention (both the word and the concept) meaning that energy providers must first explain why they will be raising prices before going ahead and raising them anyway. Thanks German government (the ones who created this energy crisis in Germany in the first place), German citizens are most certainly saying, we wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly at night without you.

Germany to force energy providers to justify future price hikes – The German government plans to allow energy providers to raise prices next year only if objectively justified, the economy ministry said on Saturday, denying a media report that Berlin planned a ban on all energy price hikes for consumers.

Alternatives Needed

Like a good alternative reality. Anybody got one handy?

After taking the latest concrete step to make Germany more dependent on China, the German government reminds everyone that Germany should stive to be less dependent on China.

Germany must be more trade independent from China, minister says -news portal – Germany’s Economy Minister Robert Habeck wants to make the German economy more independent from China by focusing on alternative furture markets.

Because The Harsh Realities Of Life Keep Raising Their Ugly Little Heads?

Like the cold of winter? Unaffordable energy bills? Renewable energy pipe dreams that will never succeed? You know. Stuff like that? That’s why.

Why can’t Germany break up with nuclear energy? – Germany has spent 25 years flipflopping on nuclear power. An energy crunch caused by the war in Ukraine is the latest reason to reconsider the technology.

“Really, I think of myself as against nuclear energy, but I have to admit that you see the situation a bit differently now.”