Tag Archives: German

German Of The Day: Schrumpfen

June 28, 2023 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means to shrink.

You know. As in the Sick Man of Europe? The Incredible Shrinking (or was it Sinking) Country?

German Economy Shrinks Faster Than Expected – It’s a rare thing to happen, but Germany now looks like the sick man of Europe, a phrase previously often used to describe Britain.

The health of the business sector dropped significantly in June, according to recent data. The Ifo Business Climate index for Germany, which measures the health of the commercial sector, registered 88.5 in June, down from 91.5 in May. Higher numbers show economic strength, whereas lower ones show a weakening of the economy.

Speaking of sinking…

Forget Manhattan

June 26, 2023 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

First we take Sonneberg. Then we take Berlin.

When conservative parties no longer have the courage to be conservative parties (thanks again, Angela Merkel), where will many of their voters go?

German far-right party wins its first county leadership post, rising in polls – Victory of AfD’s candidate in rural Sonneberg area reflects rising popularity of anti-immigration party.

They sentenced me to 20 years of boredom
For trying to change the system from within
I’m coming now, I’m coming to reward them
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

The Germans Can’t Talk About Biden

June 22, 2023 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Even they can see what’s happening in US-Amerika right now and are in the deepest, strategic denial. So they gladly talk about (as in down) Trump instead. Or “Trump’s America.” That Evergreen (German for perennial hit) is always a guaranteed feel-good.

A Road Trip through Trump’s America – Former U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking another term in the White House. A trip through Republican-controlled states reveals just how radically America has already changed. Can the country survive a second Trump tenure?

Is America on the verge of a split? Or, even worse, a civil war? The question may sound rather hysterical, but the longer you travel through the country, the more pressing it becomes…

German Of The Day: “Unter Sich”

June 16, 2023 By in Hard Facts Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

That means among each other. Like, you know, “Americans among each other?”

American tourist killed, another injured in attack near Germany’s Neuschwanstein castle, police say – Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for the castle in Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.”

An American tourist was killed and another was injured when they were attacked by an American man they met near the famous Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany, authorities said Thursday…

The man then “physically attacked” the younger woman, police said. When the other woman tried to intervene, the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. He then apparently attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before also pushing her down the slope. Both women fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), according to police.

German Of The Day: Deprimiert

June 9, 2023 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means depressed.

German bosses are depressed – And dissatisfied with the government.

We are at a dangerous point,” worries Arndt Kirchhoff, boss of the employers’ association in North Rhine-Westphalia and one of three brothers who run Kirchhoff, a maker of car components. Germany recently slipped into a technical recession. Many companies are investing abroad rather than at home. Chinese consumers are importing less after the lifting of pandemic restrictions than German manufacturers had been hoping. And Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russian invaders is injecting uncertainty into Germany’s backyard.

The Real Reason Why Germans Won’t Stop Speeding?

June 8, 2023 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Like, duh. Because they like it.

This ain’t rocket science or anything.

The real reason Germans won’t stop speeding – If Germany would implement a speed limit on its highways, it could reduce millions of tons of carbon emissions each year. Most other rich industrial countries already have one. What’s behind this German love of speeding?

I’ve Seen German Men Do Lots Of Weird Things

June 5, 2023 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

But I’ve never seen one try to sit in one of these.

I’m calling fake news on this one.

Men shouldn’t stand to pee, but sit like Germans do, urologist says – A senior urologist claims that men should not urinate standing up but should instead sit down. Here, the Germans might have the right idea.

PS: Personally, I’ve heard nothing but disdain for men who sit when they piss, but maybe that’s just the questionable crowd I hang around with. See “sit pisser:” Sitzpisser = Sitzpinkler = Turnbeutelvergesser = Warmduscher = Nullschecker = Regenschirmmitdabeihaber…

German Of The Day: Umarmung

May 26, 2023 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Humor Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

That means hug.

Frankfurt: A driver joined the convoy of Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his private car without authorization and hugged him after getting out without bodyguards intervening in time.

This incident raises significant questions.

Question number one: Why would you want to hug that guy? Question number two: Nope. That’s it, actually. I don’t have any other questions.

A Gift From Putin’s Russia?

May 22, 2023 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Gift being German for poison.

German police said they are investigating the possible poisoning of two Russian exiles who attended a conference in Berlin at the end of April, organised by Russian Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Berlin police told Reuters “a file had been opened” after German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, citing Russian investigative media group Agentstvo, said two women reported symptoms that suggested possible poisoning.

German Of The Day: Vetternwirtschaft

May 21, 2023 By in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means cronyism, nepotism.

Those two are as thick as Green thieves. Or they were, at least.

Germany’s star Robert Habeck brought down to earth by cronyism and boilers – Vice-chancellor’s unpopularity contrasts with the adulation he enjoyed for many years.

The Green economy minister and vice-chancellor faced the darkest day in his 17 months in office on Wednesday when he was forced to sack one of his closest aides over a widening nepotism scandal.