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bopinion · 12 hours
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2024 / 12
Aperçu of the Week:
"When two people are together, they are not two but six: what each one is, what each one thinks he or she is, and what each one thinks the other is."
(Antonio Guterres, United Nations secretary general and humanist)
Bad News of the Week:
Ever since I became a father, there has been nothing worse for me than violence against children. Especially sexual violence, because the most primitive instincts can cause lasting damage to the soul and have a huge impact on a young person's entire development. It breaks my heart. I'm a peace-loving person, but I couldn't guarantee anything if a child molester, a baseball bat and I were in the same room. Fortunately, there is a legal system that consistently prosecutes such criminals and ensures that they can no longer harm anyone by imposing prison sentences and subsequent preventive detention. But really?
A shocking current example: a children's and youth soccer coach has committed 488 sexual assaults on minors over the years. In addition, 153 documented rapes. And has now been sentenced to 7.5 years in prison by the Munich Regional Court. Unfortunately, this is no macabre joke. That's just two and a half weeks in prison per rape. The victims will have to suffer for the rest of their lives. What's more, no subsequent preventive detention was ordered, so at the age of 54, the 47-year-old is likely to be let loose on children and young people again - and there will be more victims since he's apparently a serial asshole. The reason is simple but perfidious: preventive detention would have required serious abuse of "wards". This offense was not fulfilled because soccer training takes place in leisure time - and the victims were not entrusted to the perpetrator "for the supervision of their lives". I'm at a loss for words. And I have to think of the baseball bat again.
The problem is the legislation, which ultimately provides the framework within which a judge can decide. In this context, a headline six weeks ago was also absurd: "Cabinet partially reverses tougher penalties (against child abuse)". Excuse me? The background is pragmatic. This was preceded by a tightening of the penalties, which meant that even parents' groups who wanted to warn each other were targeted by investigators. They had to investigate because there could be "incriminating material" on parents' smartphones. This wasted valuable resources that were then not available against the real criminals.
So not only do we need a legal framework that enables the police and judiciary to take effective action against these pieces of shit. But also a sense of proportion and common sense. Innocent parents must not be the target of unnecessary state measures, but the criminals must be prosecuted harshly and uncompromisingly. And they must be punished harshly and uncompromisingly. The current penalties are not enough. Impressive deterrence looks different.
Good News of the Week:
Yes, soccer is a god in Germany. That's why it has hurt so many Germans in recent years that we seemed to have been expelled from paradise. At the FIFA World Cup almost two years ago, we were knocked out in the preliminary round. It was hardly any consolation that Italy - four-time world champions like Germany - couldn't even take part. We wouldn't be at the European Championships this summer if we didn't happen to be the hosts.
The position of national coach is therefore an ejector seat. First Jogi Löw had to leave after 15 years in charge. Then Hansi Flick, who had won the six cups with FC Bayern in one single year shortly beforehand, so surprisingly that there wasn't even a successor. That successor has now been Julian Nagelsmann for just under six months, the second-youngest national team coach of all time at 36. And it didn't start well. For example, with a 0:2 loss in an international match against - tadaa: Austria.
To be fair, however, it has to be said that Nagelsmann had to make do with what he found. With zero preparation time and a team that can only train together for a few days a year, it's hard to expect big changes overnight. Then last week (during the international break, when the Bundesliga is suspended) there was finally a proper training camp. And than results.
On Saturday, the team faced France, the reigning runners-up in the world championship with a top team in which superstar Kylian Mbappé stands out. Anything but Austria. And we won 2:0. A practically new team was on the pitch - in addition to returnee and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, six players were in the squad for the first time ever - with an unprecedented enthusiasm for the game. There is already talk of them being the "secret favorites" for the upcoming European Championship. We're certainly not there yet. But we now know that we can leave the valley of tears behind us.
Addendum: yesterday we also won against our traditional soccer arch nemesis, the Netherlands.
Personal happy moment of the week:
I get home from Munich at the same time almost every Wednesday. And I take the bike from the station. This week, for the first time this year, I was accompanied by the chirping of birds. The days are getting longer, nature is waking up from its winter slumber, spring is beginning. Beautiful.
I couldn't care less...
...about the Bavarian state government's action against "gendered language". Minister President Markus Söder has always been consistently against inclusive language, so it doesn't help that it is now officially banned, for example for schoolboys*girls. Gendered words in school essays are now to be underlined in red, but not considered a mistake. Don't we have real problems that the government could take care of? Columnist Samira El Ouassil sums it up in Der Spiegel: "Darth Söder in the starlet wars". Yes, because it's as ridiculous as it sounds.
It's fine with me...
...that the liberalization of cannabis in Germany is imminent. Criminalizing this drug makes no sense as long as alcohol is practically freely available. Every day, children and women experience violence from drunks. I find it hard to imagine that being caused by stoned people.
As I write this...
...once again I don't know if I'm just surprised or even shocked by Americans: According to a scientific study by several universities, eight percent of Americans now say they are willing to use violence to get their political opinions across. This means that there are almost 26 million people in the USA who would be prepared to take part in a revolution or civil war if they saw a political benefit in doing so. Phew...
Post Scriptum
As you go for a walk, you notice more and more empty stores. Even in well established locations. At the same time, Germany's largest department store chain is insolvent for the fourth time. According to the Federal Statistical Office, department stores have lost a third of their price-adjusted sales over the past 20 years. In the same period, sales in mail order and online retail increased by 170.1 percent. Consumer habits have changed fundamentally thanks to the internet, parcel services and the coronavirus pandemic. The city center concept needs to be completely rethought. After all, social life is not only defined by shopping and restaurants. It also includes galleries, doctors' surgeries, supermarkets, libraries and nurseries. Almost twenty years ago, my daughter went to a nursery that was still a grocery store when I was a child. Perhaps that was already a glimpse into the future.
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bopinion · 8 days
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2024 / 11
Aperçu of the Week:
"Evil will fail and the wonderful future will come."
(Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the "deceased" Kremlin critic and Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny)
Bad News of the Week:
The AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany) is a right-wing party. So why should it come as a surprise that it also has right-wing extremist contacts? After all, the line between right-wing populism and right-wing radicalism is blurred. Nevertheless, it came as a shock (hopefully not just to me) that the AfD parliamentary group in our parliament, the German Bundestag, employs more than 100 right-wing extremists.
Yes, that's right: far-right enemies of the constitution work in our legislature, the heart of democracy. You need to know that every member of parliament has the right to a staff. In their respective constituency and in Berlin. To support their work in plenary and in the committees to which they belong. Parliamentarians are hardly limited in their choice of staff, except by the budget.
There are currently 78 members of the Bundestag (out of a total of 735) from the AfD. And they grant right-wing extremists unhindered access to sensitive information, to legislation, to the resources of the democracy they are fighting against. And not even in secret. They are officially active in right-wing extremist organizations. Among them are activists from the "Identitarian Movement", ideological masterminds from the "New Right" and several neo-Nazis.
That can't really be true. This is a Trojan horse with which our democracy is being hijacked by parasites. It is about time for regulations and background checks for the employment of Bundestag staff. No suburban bowling club would accept members on its board who want to abolish recreational sports and, above all, balls. Democratic institutions and especially constitutional bodies need ways to protect themselves from enemies of the constitution within their own ranks. And quickly.
Good News of the Week:
Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders sees "no more chance of being head of government". In the election last November, his right-wing party PVV (Partij voor de Vrijheid / Party for the Freedom) surprisingly emerged as the strongest parliamentary group. The cheap campaign slogans "Less asylum and immigration" and "Putting the Dutch first" resonated better with voters than expected.
With this tailwind, Wilders wanted to form a coalition at the head of which he would stand. He wanted to convince the conservative VVD party of long-time Prime Minister Mark Rutte as well as the New Social Contract party and the farmers' party BBB - and now had to realize that he would not succeed.
The result is a stalemate in the "Second Chamber of the States General" of the Dutch parliament. With 17 (!) parties sharing the 150 seats, this will remain the case. Another coalition with a parliamentary majority is virtually impossible. An independent "expert government" is now possible, but this is likely to head primarily towards early elections.
Is that a good thing? No. But it is certainly better than Wilders' participation in government. As a reminder, here are the key points of his political "program": All immigration should be stopped. Payments to the European Union should be significantly reduced. The accession of new members should be prevented. Islam should be rejected across the board. Arms deliveries to Ukraine should be halted. Et cetera. Thank you very much. Europe really doesn't need someone who not only names Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán as his role models, but also seeks to surpass their views.
Personal happy moment of the week:
At the weekend, dear friends and we were faced with a dilemma. After visiting an arts exhibition, we wanted to watch a movie together at their place in the evening. The problem was the language. Because neither my (Canadian) wife's German nor our hosts' English is good enough to follow a complex plot with pleasure. In the end, the solution was a silent movie - the Charlie Chaplin classic "City Lights" from 1931. It worked wonderfully. And it's simply great fun to see how this grand master of old-school cinema uses simple means to ensure a good laugh. Great. I still have three Chaplin films lying around within my dusty DVDs. And I'm already looking forward to watching them.
I couldn't care less...
...that Elon Musk stopped the large-scale talk show "Don Lemon Show" on X - the most expensive hobby in the world - at the last second. Like a rocket exploding on take-off, but perhaps that's a nasty comparison. Why? Because, as a guest on the first episode, he didn't like Don Lemon's questions. It's nothing new that Musk is rather thin-skinned. And has a somewhat idiosyncratic interpretation of "radical free speech" and "without censorship". I would still like a Tesla.
It's fine with me...
...that digital marketplaces like Apple's AppStore or Google's Play App Store for Android, which ultimately also provide the infrastructure and quality assurance, take a 30% distribution margin. Roughly speaking, that's half of stationary retail and less than online stores. Where does this "everything should be free online" attitude come from?
As I write this...
...I discover the music of a colleague. Until he had to bite the bullet of lowly work reasons, he made electronic music at an astonishingly high level. It's pretty timeless and good for chilling out to. My compliments, Marcus!
Post Scriptum
As planned, Vladimir Putin was confirmed in office as Russian president for another six years. No, the election was anything but constitutional, free, independent, fair and neutral. Nevertheless, I consider the 87% to be embellished, but not completely falsified. After all, the majority of the population only has access to state-controlled media. And they present Putin - surprise! - as a strong leader and successful defender of the country against the rest of the world. Who people are happy to support on his mission for Mother Russia. See also the approval of the Ukraine war. Excuse me, the "special military operation against a fascist regime in Kiev". Information is (would be) key. Oh boy...
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bopinion · 8 days
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Personal travel bans
Russia - because I can't keep my mouth shut about Putin. And that wouldn't sit well with me over there.
Afghanistan - because I couldn't overlook the discrimination against women. And I didn't want to.
Saudi Arabia - because I despise their system. Even if it is against Iran.
Iran - because I despise their system. Even if it is against Saudi Arabia.
North Corea - because I couldn't get in. And even if I could, I couldn't get out afterwards.
Nigeria - because it's way too dangerous. But I wouldn't actually want to travel to the country.
Syria - ditto. Although I would really like to travel to the country.
China - because my attitude towards those in power would not earn me enough "social points" to be able to move around freely.
United Arab Emirates - because it's all fake.
Antarctica - because I like it warm and cozy.
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bopinion · 14 days
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2024 / 10
Aperçu of the Week:
"When will conservatives understand that climate protection is conservative because it preserves. When will liberals understand that climate protection is liberal because it secures freedoms and when will social democrats understand that climate protection is social because it protects the weakest in society the most?"
(Ingwar Perowanowitsch - German activist, blogger and political journalist)
Bad News of the Week:
Thousands of Russians are not letting the arbitrary arrests by the police stop them from publicly mourning opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who (it has to be said exactly like this) was killed by the Kremlin. Flowers are piling up at his grave in the Borisovskoye cemetery in the south-east of Moscow and no one is afraid to show their tears. A different face of Russia can be seen here. Vladimir Putin has created a classic martyr who was prepared to go to his death for his belief in the cause.
A second critic with reach has now also been taken out of the game: the former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, who is also widely known in the West, has found himself on a list of "terrorists and extremists" for a few days now. He has already been listed as a "foreign agent". This shot could also backfire, and here too a great deal of solidarity can be expected from better-informed and more critical sections of the Russian population. But will it do any good? No.
As there are only puppets of the power apparatus on the committee responsible, there is no real alternative to Putin in the presidential elections due to take place in the next few days. This will be just as much an alibi event as the last elections. Which won't even bother the majority of the electorate. After all, outside the metropolitan areas, this majority consumes almost exclusively state-controlled media. And they get what they want: a strong man at the top who knows what's going on.
One insight from this is the same as that gained from the ever more firmly cemented status of Xi Jinping in China, who, like Putin, wields almost dictatorial power without any checks and balances, let alone a corrective: Democracy begins above all with information. Only if independent media observe and comment on political events can voters form an informed opinion. And then press for these opinions to be heard and acted upon. In the form of a genuine opportunity to vote - the keyword is "people's representatives". Unfortunately, more and more nations are further away from this ideal as ever. In a world that could actually be more enlightened than ever before in its history. But people are obviously too comfortable for that. And probably also too stupid.
Good News of the Week:
It was "Super Tuesday" already a few days ago. And it went like expected. As did the following pre-elections. Two guys who are too old were elected by a massive margin. Because this nation simply hasn't managed to build worthy successors - neither the Republicans nor the Democrats. While the former will indeed euphorically nominate a notorious liar and cheat for the most powerful office in the world, the latter seem to simply resign themselves to their fate: if an incumbent seeks re-election, they concede it to him. Even if his approval ratings are subterranean and his physical capacity is at least questionable.
Let's be clear: if the majority goes to Donald Trump in November - and it will probably go to him if the numbers are to be believed - the Democrats should not complain about it. Because they are to blame. There is only one politician who is currently in an even worse position than Joe Biden. And that is Kamala Harris. She is not yet officially running mate. But since it has never seemed so likely that a vice-president would have to take the helm during a term of office, these two are a duo infernale. A team that nobody wants. Even if that may seem unfair or unjustified.
Donald Trump and Viktor Orbán have just met as autocrats in Mar-a-Lago. Trump publicly admires the fact that Orban is a dictator. What he says happens, "he's the boss". And Orbán hails Trump as the "president of peace", with whom there would be neither the Ukraine nor the Gaza war. Par ordre du mufti. A clear rejection of democracy. Which Biden takes to the extreme by stylizing the upcoming election as a decision for or against democracy. And he is right.
The situation is frightening for us Europeans. We look across the Atlantic with the morbid fascination of a car crash that is clearly on the horizon. And which can no longer be prevented. The whole world was surprised by Trump's last election victory, including himself. I remember exactly how I heard about Trump's 2016 election victory on the radio in the morning and thought that I must still be dreaming. In a way, I was right, because Trump was and is a nightmare.
And that makes Super Tuesday good news in the context of its negative circumstances. Because now we know pretty much exactly what we are in for at the beginning of next year. The whole world will suffer from Trump's ignorant "America First" attitude - politically, economically, in terms of security policy and also morally. But we have been warned, we know it. And we can now prepare ourselves for at least nine months of serious damage for the cooperative US-European axis. And the US democratic establishment is to blame. This swamp should have been drained.
Personal happy moment of the week:
For our stay in Montréal with the children in late summer, we got a great loft in a great neighborhood. Having never booked anything on AirBnB before, the host didn't want us at first - he'd had bad experiences with newcomers who were apparently also being rated on this platform. My wife then had two arguments that convinced him that we wouldn't mess up his loft: she was traveling with Germans, the tidiest people in the world. And she was the daughter of a policeman. That worked.
I couldn't care less...
...that Boeing can't get out of a maelstrom of technical defects and quality deficiencies. As a European, I prefer Airbus anyway.
It's fine with me...
...that Jon Stewart is back as host of The Daily Show. For all his humor - and how that guy always makes me laugh - he's actually a sharp-tongued political commentator and investigative journalist who uses the stylistic device of satire to put a non-partisan finger in every wound he finds. Very good.
As I write this...
...I'm listening to songs by Bob Geldof & The Boomtown Rats. Because I realized that although I can really relate to "Tell me why I don't like Mondays", I don't know anything else by these musicians. It's just dawned on me why... Which doesn't change the fact that I think Live Aid and Band Aid ("Do they know it's Christmas?") were and still are great.
Post Scriptum
The strikes on German public transport continue. Just recently there were no trains for two days and the airports also had to close for two days because of the ground staff. Now, in the following week, there will not only be a strike by Lufthansa on-board staff, but so-called "wave strikes" will also begin on the railroads. These are announced at most 24 hours in advance so that it is - on purpose! - difficult to prepare for them. So the necessary "mobility turnaround" will certainly not happen. Why do we increasingly have the feeling that these labor disputes are being carried out on the backs of the passengers?
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bopinion · 22 days
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2024 / 09
Aperçu of the Week:
"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."
(Siddhārtha Gautama, Indian wisdom teacher and founder of religion)
Bad News of the Week:
Various military scandals are currently rocking Germany. On the one hand, Russian (state) media have published a recording of a confidential conversation between senior air force officers that has been intercepted. And at a sensitive time. It concerns Taurus cruise missiles, which Ukraine desperately wants and which the German government, in particular Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is refusing. His official reason: German personnel were needed on site to ensure the weapon's functionality and, above all, its target settings. And Germany would therefore be a "direct participant in the war". This is precisely what the air force contradicts in this conversation, which was intended to coordinate a briefing on this topic for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Was Scholz just misinformed or did he deliberately give a false reason and hope that nobody would find out? The former would be amateurish, the latter an unworthy political spectacle - and both are out of the question. The fact that the Federal Chancellor also revealed in the same context that the US and British military were already active in Ukraine is just as questionable and raises the same questions. Scholz is often accused of communicating too little. In these cases, less would have been more.
The circumstances of this confidential conversation are also alarming. It appears that the conversation was actually a WebEx meeting to which an unknown (apparently Russian) participant had dialed in. Just like that. And nobody noticed. I was fully aware that cyber espionage is dominated by the Russians. And that Germany is lagging behind in pretty much every aspect of digitalization. But the fact that it seems to be so easy to obtain secret military information should really only be a bad joke. It will be interesting to see what other recordings of confidential conversations the Kremlin still has in the drawer. And when and with what ulterior motives they will be released to the (western) public.
And on the other hand, in the last few days, an investigative team has brought to light an arms deal that fell through ten years ago. In a deal worth billions, the German armaments company Rheinmetall would have built state-of-the-art combat training centers in Russia to train Russian soldiers. Excuse me? You need to know that no German arms manufacturer is allowed to deliver abroad (outside NATO) without the approval of the German government. This has always been a source of debate in the case of Leopard II tanks for Saudi Arabia, for example. And the conservative-liberal coalition in power at the time (yes: Angela Merkel) had actually approved the Russia deal. Excuse me? When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Sigmar Gabriel, the then Social Democrat Minister of Economic Affairs, fortunately pulled the ripcord. Whereupon Rheinmetall actually wanted to sue the federal government for lost profits. Since then, the issue has been on ice.
Both scandals show one thing very clearly: Defense is not a normal business and weapons are not just any export goods. This goes hand in hand with an immense responsibility. After all, human lives are at stake - protecting the lives of one's own population and killing (at least) the soldiers of another population. Apparently, not everyone involved is aware of this fundamental importance. Otherwise they would not treat it so lightly.
Good News of the Week:
Addison Mitchell McConnell Jr. ("Junior" - really?) will be history. Finally. In the dawn of his political career, the 82-year-old turtle from Capitol hill has shown astonishing wisdom of age - for example, "There is no doubt, none, that former President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the storming of the Capitol" - but that does not change the overall balance of his political life's work. Which, from a European perspective, is questionable to say the least.
In my memory, the long-time leader of the Republican caucus in the US Senate stands for one thing above all: rejection. Holding China accountable for human rights violations? Rejected. Allowing the Democrats' social programs? Rejected. Reappoint judges if you can't nominate them yourself (over 1,000 times!)? Rejected. Not only favor the super-rich in tax reforms? Rejected. And so on...
So now Mitch McConnell has announced that he "only" wants to be a simple senator after the next presidential election. Well. Anyone remember his cognitive failures in several press conferences when he simply freezed? Like his Democratic opponent Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (who is two years older), McConnell is an argument for the urgent need for an age limit for full-time politicians. But that argument obviously doesn't apply to the top job either...
PS: The above criticism of Donald Jessica Trump came just minutes after the Republican caucus under his leadership acquitted him in his second impeachment trial precisely because of the storming of the Capitol. So much for consistency. But never mind: he's gone. And that's good.
Personal happy moment of the week:
My daughter has a student job in addition to her studies in political science and communications and her involvement in the student organization. The money for the 37th pair of sneakers has to come from somewhere. She currently works in the political department of a leading social media agency. She had doubts at first. Whether she would be able to meet the requirements. And whether the job would meet her expectations. Both seem to be working out. At the weekend, she was praised for her performance by both her agency and its clients. As if she wasn't just an inexperienced young student who didn't need to be taken seriously. But a fully-fledged contributor in the department. Her contract was also extended. Including a pay rise - just one euro, but it's all about the symbolism. After her social year in a kindergarten, this is the second time she has scored points in a job. That makes a clean 100%. And a very proud dad.
I couldn't care less...
...that there will be strikes on our national rail company again. Company co-determination in all its glory - but the behavior of this union (of train drivers) seems increasingly unprofessional. And anything but solution-oriented.
It's fine with me...
...that when setting hashtags, the first suggestion for Donald is still Duck - and not Trump.
As I write this...
...I still have to empty half the cellar. Because one of the many difficult-to-understand regulations in Germany apparently requires a gas meter to be replaced every eight years. And it's in the worst possible place in our house. Thank you, bureaucracy!
Post Scriptum
Even if AfD & Co. don't want to admit it in their general xenophobia, the German labor market would no longer be able to function without immigrants and their children. According to the Federal Statistical Office, for example, nothing would work in cleaning professions with 60%, in gastronomy with 46% or in construction with 38% of the workforce having foreign roots.
The fact that the general proportion on the labor market is then only just under 25% is explained by the dominance of these - with the exception of medical professions - rather low-skilled occupations. For example, the proportion of apprenticeships is only 11%. The proportion is even lower for government occupations. Here, citizens with a migration background still play a very small role, with less than 6% in the police and judiciary.
Demographic change and the imminent retirement of the baby boomers are exacerbating the situation on the labor market. The shortage of skilled workers is already seen as a key risk for Germany as a business location. Society also has a role to play here. After all, together with the difficult German language and excessive bureaucracy, the widespread lack of a welcoming culture is the main reason why very few people consider Germany to be an attractive destination.
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bopinion · 22 days
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Breaking News
+++ Ramadan newest trend for loosing weight +++
+++ USA: Blizzards in California proove that global warming doesn't exist +++
+++ Huthi rebels secretly financed by air cargo industry +++
+++ Study reveals that having a brain doesn't qualify for being intelligent +++
+++ Donald Trump names Kamala Harris as running mate +++
+++ Taliban declare that women are as good as men +++
+++ French actor Gérard Depardieu admits to being a sexual offender "by nature" +++
+++ Kremlin: Presidential elections will be free, democratic and independent +++
+++ Spaceships replace yachts as billionaires favorite toy +++
+++ What?! Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity?! +++
+++ Just kidding ...
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bopinion · 29 days
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2024 / 08
Aperçu of the Week:
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
(Nelson Mandela)
Bad News of the Week:
Saturday marked the second anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine. One of the macabre highlights was that the mother of political activist Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny was allowed to receive the body of her son, who died under still unexplained circumstances in a prison camp in Kharp, Siberia. Perhaps his death (after all, he was by far the most prominent opposition figure in Russia) is most emblematic of Vladimir Putin's self-image, which simply does not tolerate any contradiction. He is the all-powerful tsar who alone knows what is good for his people - even outside Russia's borders.
That very Saturday, we were invited to dinner with friends. Our hostess comes from Ukraine. There are - of course - Russian traces in her family memory too. After all, she spent her childhood as an Ukrainian in the Soviet Union. Back then, she would have liked to do sports and loved dancing. She was not allowed to do either. She wasn't good enough to be promoted by the system as a cadre. And she wasn't supposed to do it just for fun. When the children of a society are not allowed to pursue their childhood interests, it shows the ignorance of a system towards its citizens - who only count as high achievers, not as people.
I was most impressed by the story of her grandmother. She was "relocalized" from western Ukraine to the Urals under Joseph Stalin. Without being asked, she had to leave overnight with her six children, leaving all her belongings behind, her husband was separated, officially considered "missing" and declared dead a few years later. Josef Vissarionovich Stalin ruled the country with a heavy and cruel hand - from 1927 until his death in 1953. Countless people died under his dictatorship, the figures range from 7 to 60 million. Both are incredible numbers. He strategically uprooted the lives of many more people, as there was to be no sense of (national or personal) identity in the Soviet Union. Like for our friend's grandmother, who was deported over 3,000 kilometers with her children.
It is well known that Putin considers the collapse of the Soviet Union to be the greatest misfortune in human history. From this point of view, his wars in Chechnya, Georgia and now Ukraine are only logical. In the "good old days", the Soviet Union covered almost a seventh of the planet's land mass. And it was the only system, before China today, that dared to challenge US supremacy in the world, see for example the Cuban Missile Crisis. The end of the Cold War, which among other things enabled Germany to reunify, may seem like a great liberation to us in the West. In the Russian self-image, however, things may be different. Despite all the atrocities, Stalin was extremely popular in the Soviet Union and his death was sincerely mourned, our friend told us. Perhaps Putin did not "hijack" the country, but is an expression of a human longing for authoritarian leadership. Which would also explain Viktor Orbán, Recep Erdogan and a whole series of African despots. And in their world, there is no room for dissent or questioning their power. Anyone who dares to do so will pay dearly for it. Like Navalny.
But perhaps that's not really bad news - after all, who is really surprised by this prime example of the nefariousness of Putin's regime?
Good News of the Week:
Not so long ago, NATO was declared "brain dead" (French President Emmanuel Macron) and "obsolete" (US President Donald Trump). And then came the Ukraine war. Suddenly, everything happened in quick succession: Sweden and Finland were or are being admitted to NATO, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is postponing his retirement, Germany is setting up a "special fund" of 100 billion to modernize its military, various troop units are being deployed to the Baltic countries, the arms industry is ramping up production everywhere, more and more members are targeting 2% of their gross domestic product for defence spending, the largest manoeuvre in the history of the defence alliance is being carried out, some of Russia's neighbors would rather apply for membership today than tomorrow ... In short: NATO suddenly seems to be alive and kicking.
Why? Quite simply because it is needed. At least Article 5, i.e. the duty to provide assistance in the event of defense, has become extremely attractive in view of the new threat situation. As a kind of life insurance against the new Russian danger. I don't understand why this should be new, as it has been on the cards for long enough. All the hope that "But Putin won't really..." was rather naive. Democratic values are being called into question and the security situation in Europe is unstable. In this respect, it is good that there is a solidarity between the states that have learned from past wars. And who have therefore clearly positioned themselves as a defense alliance.
But perhaps that's not really good news - after all, who can feel comfortable in the face of security policy uncertainties?
Personal happy moment of the week:
I met my wife 36 years ago. In French Canada. We both have family there. We will see them again in late summer. Because we're finally making it back across the Atlantic. We made the initial plans at the weekend and booked the flights. The anticipation is a happy moment that will last a long time. Nice. Very nice.
I couldn't care less...
...about the latest battle in which PeTA is currently engaged. The rebels for animal rights (PeTA = People for the ethical treatment of animals), as justified as their mission is, sometimes overshoot the mark. But this time you could almost take it for a media hoax: they no longer want animal figures on carousels. Because "the use of artificial animals can create the wrong image for people." What's next? A campaign against zodiac signs? Or that horses should no longer be abused in chess?
It's fine with me...
...that FC Bayern is terminating the contract with its coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of this soccer season. After Paris St. Germain and Chelsea FC, he has simply not delivered (enough) in Munich either. Besides, a coach is easier to replace than an entire team.
As I write this...
...I'm listening to "50s Rock" - a tip from my daughter. Because this music (Elvis, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers...) would simply put you in a good mood. Works for me.
Post Scriptum
Germany is not doing well economically. The country that achieved the "economic miracle" after the Second World War, mastered the reunification with his east part, was instrumental in overcoming the euro crisis and has always been the largest net contributor to the European Union, is groaning. Too much bureaucracy, too little digitalization, too high labour costs, too little space, collapsing exports, too high tax burden, dilapidated infrastructure, too high energy costs, a lack of innovative strength, too slow regulation, too much pandemic, too much inflation, too much war...
This more than unfavorable mixture of factors has been felt for some time and with increasing intensity, and now we have it in writing. The latest economic report presented last week by Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck states in short that Germany is expensive, bureaucratic and slow. Habeck therefore sees "cause for concern". Fortunately, he blames this not only on external factors (historically low global trade, loss of purchasing power or high interest rates), but also on home-grown problems: Due to the many disputes, the government has lost confidence, he says.
Now defense spending is set to increase significantly, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is already publicly considering freezing social spending, the investment backlog would like to be resolved and then there's this annoying climate change that nobody takes seriously enough. I had the luxury of growing up in a world where things basically seemed to be on the up. But apparently only seemed to be. Now I fear that my children will have to pay a price for this.
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bopinion · 1 month
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2024 / 07
Aperçu of the Week:
"Time isn't the main thing. It#s the only thing."
(Miles Davis, American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer - and among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of music)
Bad News of the Week:
Sometimes things get rough in the political business. Sometimes you get pelted with eggs, as the unification chancellor Helmut Kohl once did in the East. Or with a bag of paint, as happened to Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. Or even end up in a wheelchair like Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble, who was stabbed. However, all these incidents - as tragic as they are - are isolated cases. In which an individual perpetrator, often with a psychological problem that was not diagnosed in time, commits an individual act. It is certainly not possible to speak of a systemic problem. This seems to be changing in Germany.
The increasing aggression against the Greens is becoming more and more frightening. The platform of this party has always had a tendency to polarize. After all, they want to achieve fundamental change. And unlike The Left, which also wants this, they are regularly involved in governments. And stand out more in the context of the otherwise dominant "Keep it up..." - keyword "prohibition party". Of course you can be against it, comment on it on social media, take it to the streets and demonstrate. But please do so in a civilized manner, as it has to be in a democratic society.
Unfortunately, this discourse has not been civilized in recent weeks. It started when the Green Minister for Economic Affairs, Robert Habeck, was prevented from leaving a car ferry by angry farmers. There was a scuffle with the police, and the public prosecutor's office is now investigating on charges of coercion. And now a Green Party rally - on the traditional "Political Ash Wednesday" - had to be canceled at the last minute. Again because of angry farmers blocking roads. This time, several police officers were injured, cars were demolished and fires were lit. Even Interior Minister Nancy Faeser from the rival Social Democrats considers this to be unacceptable, calling it a "brutalization and poisoning of the discourse". She is quite simply right.
Good News of the Week:
Once a year, the Munich Security Conference MSC, the world's most important security policy meeting, takes place in Munich. It is characterized not only by the official conference programme, but also by the various meetings that take place behind the scenes. One pleasing example: Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war for years. Under the mediation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, both heads of government have now met in Munich. And then actually announced that they wanted to resolve their conflicts peacefully.
The primary topic was, of course, the Gaza war with a tendency towards a full-size Middle East conflict. The tone towards Israel is becoming harsher. At the MSC, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called for a Palestinian state to end the "vicious circle". And is even receiving support from China: this is the only way to achieve peaceful coexistence in the region, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was also present. It is fitting that French President Emmanuel Macron announced after a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II in Paris a few days ago that he does not want to close his mind to the recognition of a Palestinian state: "We owe this to the Palestinians, whose expectations have been trampled on for too long."
Naturally, the Ukraine war was also in focus. President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for further support at the security conference. There is a lack of long-range weapons. Kremlin leader Putin must not succeed in turning the next few years into a catastrophe. And the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who has just died in a Siberian prison camp in an as yet unexplained manner, is a victim of Vladimir Putin, just like Ukraine, says Selensky. Shortly beforehand, he had signed a security agreement with Germany, which provides the most military aid to Ukraine after the USA.
Other remarkable things also happened in Munich. For example, US Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed that the USA is firmly rooted in NATO. Out of responsibility, but also out of self-interest. Donald Trump's current statements on the subject obviously make this statement seem necessary. "Take him at his word, take him seriously. He means what he says," said former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was also present in Munich.
And finally, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned: "What happens today in Ukraine could happen tomorrow in Taiwan." China's Foreign Minister Wang nonchalantly replied that "Taiwan (remains) part of Chinese territory and the Taiwan issue (is) an internal Chinese matter." Overall, I find it gratifying that even in these times, people are still talking. You get the impression that diplomacy and negotiations are not yet at an end.
Personal happy moment of the week and other categories...
I'm sorry: this week (which piece was published quite late anyway) left me no time to deal with "lighter topics". Next week!
Post Scriptum
It has become apparent: Donald Jessica Trump has been convicted of fraud in court in New York City. The fine amounts to a total of 463.9 million dollars. Many assume that he does not have this in cash. And therefore has to take out a loan or borrow against real estate. Curiously, this fits in with the proceedings - because they were about how Trump manipulated property values in order to obtain cheaper loans. This will now work neither for this personal loan, which he now needs, nor for future deals. That undoubtedly hurts him.
Another decision by Judge Arthur Engoron will hurt him even more. He not only stripped Trump of the management of his own company, but also banned him from doing business in the state of New York for three years, Donald Jr. and Eric for two years and the top managers Weisselberg and McConney for life. In short: the entire top management of the Trump Organization no longer has any say. Engoron transferred their supervision to retired judge Barbara Jones, who thus effectively became Trump's superior.
In Europe, we can only shake our heads at how a legally convicted fraudster and sexual offender can stay in the political business. In Germany, for example, several top politicians have already had to give up their careers because of incorrect citations in their doctoral theses. "He's been a fraud his whole life," commented author Tony Schwartz, who ghostwrote Trump's manifesto "The Art of the Deal". "Today it's just become official." Now it just needs to have a deterrent effect on his voter base. Dreaming will probably still be allowed...
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bopinion · 1 month
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2024 / 06
Aperçu of the Week:
"The goal constantly recedes before us. Satisfaction is in the effort, not the achievement. Total effort is total success."
(Mohandas Karamchand "Mahatma" Gandhi - Indian lawyer, publicist, moral teacher, ascetic and pacifist who became the spiritual and political leader of the Indian independence movement)
Bad News of the Week:
Germany is once again the "sick man of Europe", writes the political magazine Cicero in a newsletter. This goes back to a term coined by the economics professor and President of the ifo Institute for Economic Research Hans Werner Sinn in 2003. He was referring to an ossified state that is unable to change as quickly as required by changing conditions. And which is therefore threatened by stagnation, which in view of the general dynamics effectively means a step backwards. As a result, economic and welfare state reforms took place with "Agenda 2010" under the Social Democratic Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, which, according to Sinn's metaphor, brought about a "recovery" of the "sick" economy.
Is it that time again? Does Germany need therapy for more flexibility? If you were to ask Brussels at the moment, the answer would probably be yes. Because the European Union has every reason to think that Germany is rigid, stagnant and backward-looking. And this is due to the Liberals, the Free Democrats in Germany (FDP). The smallest partner in the coalition currently in power at federal level (with the Social Democrats and the Greens) is standing on the brakes and clinging to the past. So much for the "progressive coalition" label that they pinned on themselves after the 2021 election.
There were already dark omens. From the outset, FDP Transport Minister Volker Wissing had shown little ambition to achieve the climate protection targets in his area of responsibility. He was stingy towards rail and public transport and doggedly defended the stupid concept of e-fuels, as he wanted to be "open to technology". It was therefore no wonder that Germany opposed the fade-out on combustion engines for trucks and buses at the last minute at EU level - because if not all coalition partners go along, Germany has to officially abstain, which in effect is like a rejection.
And this was not an outlier. Barely a week earlier, exactly the same thing happened. It was about a supply chain law (important for environmental protection and against child labor, among other things) that had already been negotiated at length and in detail, and was originally even a German idea. Here, too, the FDP suddenly thought that this would demand too much of its favorite clientele, i.e. the economy. Conclusion: the party wants to protect neither nature as a whole nor individual beings, but the market and share prices. The impression is slowly growing in the EU that Germany can no longer be relied upon. Its decisions are just as erratic as Hungary's. Ouch.
Remarkably, it is the FDP party leader and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner of all people who is now stating that "Germany (is) not the sick man of Europe, but out of shape". His party repeatedly complains that it is unable to distinguish itself sufficiently within the coalition. This would be the reason why the FDP remains stable below 5% in current election forecasts - in other words, it would be kicked out of the Bundestag at the next election. I would therefore almost wish them to dissolve the coalition and call early elections in which they would lose. The only problem is that the conservatives from the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) would then come to power. And against them, with their current downright reactionary party leader Friedrich Merz, even the FDP looks modern and contemporary. Dilemma.
Good News of the Week:
After Giorgia Meloni of the Fratelli d'Italia in Italy, a right-wing populist has also won the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands: Geert Wilders from the Partij voor de Vrijheid (PVV / Party for Freedom). He has been a member of parliament in the so-called Second Chamber of the States General since 1998. For years, the blonde avenging angel has been making a name for himself as a flawless right-winger, especially against everything that is not blonde - commonly known as immigrants. He is so outspoken that the Dutch public prosecutor's office has even initiated legal proceedings against him for incitement to hatred. And the British Home Office imposed an entry ban on him and then actually (no joke!) had him arrested when he traveled to London anyway.
Now Wilders and his PVV have won an unexpectedly strong increase in votes in the parliamentary elections at the end of last November, becoming the strongest parliamentary group with 23%. Many political observers put this down to the fact that, on the one hand, his unusually gentle demeanor made him appear more electable than before. On the other hand, there is also a general shift to the right in the Netherlands, which likes to focus on supposed immigration problems - Wilders' apparent core competence.
Meloni actually managed to form a majority coalition with the Lega Nord and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and become head of state. Fortunately, Geert Wilders does not have this in common with her. Last week, negotiations to this end collapsed. Although three other right-wing parties have even made it into parliament. It is now completely open what will happen next. Will Wilders try to form a minority government? Can other parties form a majority against him? In any case, it is good news that this sleazy populist is at least not finding it easy to translate his growing popularity into actual political power.
Personal happy moment of the week:
On Sunday evening, three generations of our family were at a demonstration to manifest. Fridays for Future had postponed its actual topic and, supported by many other interest groups from society, invited people to the "Sea of Lights for Democracy" on the Theresienwiese in Munich. Up to 300,000 people came together for a serious reason where the Oktoberfest usually takes place and the focus is on fun. And they loudly opposed right-wing ideas that are gaining ground with the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany): "Fight back and resist - against fascism in our country".
"Happy" is perhaps not the right term for my feelings at this moment. "Satisfied" is probably more accurate. Satisfied that not only the usual suspects from the young, the left and the woken were there. But also conservatives, families, senior citizens, traditionalists... - simply everyone. United in the feeling that sometimes you have to stand up for things that should actually be self-evident. For values. Because they are valuable. Never again is now!
I couldn't care less...
...that the British monarch Charles III is suffering from cancer. Every day, hundreds of his fellow countrymen receive the same diagnosis. And no one is calling for sympathy, let alone taking them up in prayers. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would do better to reorganize the kingdom's ailing healthcare system than to use the publicity-boosting tear-jerker. Because unlike ordinary people, the Canadian head of state (yes, he still officially is) doesn't have to worry about excellent medical care.
It's fine with me...
...that the term "race" remains in our constitution. In the coalition agreement of the federal government, it was agreed to remove the term from Article 3 of the Basic Law. Article 3 states: "No one may be disadvantaged or favored because of their gender, their origin, their race, their language, their homeland and origin, their faith, their religious or political views." Opponents of this wording fear that the word "race" alone is racist. Supporters see problems in finding a legally equivalent substitute formulation. I think that everyone knows what is meant.
Post Scriptum
The Appeals Court has ruled: Donald Jessica Trump cannot invoke presidential immunity. His lawyers had argued that he was protected against prosecution in office - even for his role in storming the Capitol to prevent the appointment of his successor Joe Biden. Now he can be investigated and impeachment has become a possibility. Unfortunately, this will achieve nothing. Because the next legal step will inevitably lead to the Supreme Court. Which was largely appointed by him. At the very least, he can then expect the proceedings to be delayed until after the election in early November. And then, as we know, Trump intends to appoint a loyal MAGA head to the Department of Justice who, like him, sees the whole process as a partisan political "smear campaign" - and will simply have the proceedings dropped.
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bopinion · 1 month
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Personal achievements
I kept my New Year's resolutions on New Year's Day - and then these other 365 days began.
I successfully filled the tank of the coffee machine - but the water bottle was also right next to it.
I did some exercise today - if the eight-minute bike ride to the train station meets that requirement.
I found the car in the parking lot again - it helped that the lights were flashing.
I didn't oversleep - but my alarm clock is also extremely shrill and loud.
I cooked - but didn't have to think of a recipe, go shopping or do the dishes.
I finally found restful sleep - being overtired and red wine helped.
I have two matching socks on - but they were also in the drawer as a pair.
I managed to go to the toilet at night without any accidents, without glasses and without light - but I've lived here for eight years.
I achieved satisfaction with my performance - but I also apparently made it easy for myself.
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bopinion · 2 months
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2024 / 05
Aperçu of the week:
"Remember, democracy never lasts. It soon wastes, exhausts and kills itself. There never was a democracy that did not commit suicide."
(John Adams, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America and its second president from 1797 to 1801)
Bad news of the week:
The war in Gaza threatens to escalate. In response to a drone attack on a US base, the US has bombed pro-Iranian militia positions in Syria and Iraq. More than 85 targets were hit, according to the US military. And Joe Biden made it clear that more military action would follow. It will not be long before Iran retaliates.
The attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on merchant ships in the Red Sea will not stop either. Nor will Israel's military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon. So will there be the feared conflagration in the region? That will depend on the Pentagon and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Between these two powers are the oppressed peoples of Syria and Iraq. They are as innocent of escalation as the absolute majority of Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the situation of the civilian population in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has announced that the Israeli offensive will reach Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip. What the million of internally displaced people thought was a safe zone. And which, as German Foreign Minister Baerbock aptly put it, "cannot disappear into thin air". For Egypt will continue to keep its border closed.
The parallel negotiations for a cease-fire and the release of the hostages, in which Israel and Egypt as well as Qatar - the seat of the political leadership of Hamas - and the USA are involved, have also come to a standstill. According to media reports, there is no compromise in sight. The majority of Western politicians tirelessly remind us that only a two-state solution can permanently ensure the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine. Rarely has a theory been so far from its practical implementation.
Good news of the week:
While hundreds of thousands of citizens continue to take to the streets against the right and for democracy, the party landscape is also arming itself against the shift to the right. The last general debate in the Bundestag was hardly about the actual item on the agenda, the 2024 budget, but about clearly distancing themselves from the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany) - in rare unity among the so-called established parties across the political spectrum.
These parties are also preparing for the right-wing to remain present in parliament - like the Rassemblement National in France, for example. Currently, the aim is to strengthen the protection of the Federal Constitutional Court. The governing traffic light coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals wants to protect the guardians of the constitution more strongly against possible attempts to remove their power.
Following the experiences of the Weimar Republic and National Socialism in the Third Reich, the authors of the Basic Law built various safeguards into the constitution. These include the "eternity clause", which states that the supporting pillars of the constitution (human dignity, democracy, constitutional state, federal state) may not be changed at all.
The Federal Constitutional Court was also created as a new supervisory body. If the powers of this supervisory body were to be curtailed, the fundamental guarantees could be undermined. The examples of Hungary, Poland and Israel show that right-wing populist governments in particular are trying to disempower the constitutional courts. In order to remove their political actions from any control.
In concrete terms, the core tasks of the Constitutional Court - such as deciding on constitutional complaints or mediating between state bodies - cannot be changed by a simple majority, but many organizational issues can. Since, for example, the election of judges is not regulated in the Basic Law (under the protection of the two-thirds majority), but "only" in a simple law, the legislature could also change key parameters in its favor with a simple majority.
No majority government in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany has ever dared to do this. Because all parties have always felt committed to democratic principles. Until now. It has already been shown several times in the USA that the appointment of judges can be misused for partisan political purposes. A blocking minority would also suffice for a complete blockade here. And the increasing likelihood of this is no longer a dystopia. In this respect, it is a good sign that the largest parliamentary group in the Bundestag - the current opposition conservatives - have also shown themselves to be open to strengthening the independence of the Constitutional Court.
Personal happy moment of the week:
I cleaned the windows. Which I rarely do. And I still prefer to do it myself, because nobody can please me anyway. It's not just the result that makes me happy, but also the positive reactions - from my wife and yes: even from neighbors. Let's see if I learn from it this time and do it more often in the future. After all, I like to be praised from time to time.
I couldn't care less...
...that Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early, mild spring on Groundhog Day. His accuracy is statistically just 40%. I can do the same when I flip a coin. My result: Phil is right. Let's see.
It's fine with me...
...that Taylor Swift's otherwise elusive socio-cultural impact could have a positive effect. According to a Newsweek poll, 30% of 18- to 35-year-olds in the US would follow a proposition from Swift in this November's presidential election - that's more than 13 million votes. No wonder the Republicans are already outdoing each other with conspiracy theories of her being a "Democratic secret weapon". After all, the pop star has already shown a tendency towards Joe Biden in the past, but above all against Donald Trump.
As I write this...
...I am already waiting for next weekend. A little anxious, as the two main sporting events will probably pass by me. Firstly, the top match in the German Bundesliga. Between "my" Munich-based FC Bayern, who strangely enough is only in second place at the moment, and Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Bayer who? Exactly!), who are unbeaten at the top so far this season. And it's only on pay TV, for which I would first have to find a suitably equipped sports bar nearby. Secondly, Superbowl LVIII in Las Vegas between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. This will be broadcast on German free TV, but in the middle of the night in our time zone. From Sunday to Monday. I'm just too old for that. And I console myself with the fact that, in my opinion, Usher lacks the format for the halftime show. Which I will of course still watch on YouTube.
Post Scriptum
It's the fourth anniversary of Brexit. At the end of the last decade, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland left the European Union. Former Prime Minister David Cameron had actually wanted to get backing for Europe through a referendum. The shot backfired and the rest is history: "taking back control" did not work out as the Brexiteers around Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage had hoped. Since then, the island kingdom has been in a political and economic crisis. Without gloating, it can be said that liberal cooperation works obviously better than protectionist isolation.
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bopinion · 2 months
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I'm just wondering...
...where the Water is in Earth, Wind & Fire?
...why ancient Greece kept its wisdom to itself?
...where the b-sides can be found on playlists?
...how the immune response to right-wing extremism can be better stimulated?
...why the functioning of a door is apparently so difficult to understand?
...why there is a difference between "just wanting to" and "just doing it"?
...why we seem to be more interested in foreign planets than our own?
...why my teenager has to smell like teen spirit?
...why 2024 can't be boringly normal?
...why it has to be my fault?
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bopinion · 2 months
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2024 / 04
Aperçu of the Week:
"It's supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it."
(Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan in "A League of Their Own" 1992)
Bad News of the Week:
"The long march of cultural Marxism through our institutions has come to pass. The federal government is a behemoth, weaponized against American citizens and conservative values, with freedom and liberty under siege as never before." Is this a statement of a lunatic holed up in the basement waiting for the social apocalypse? No, it comes from Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation. And it is the foreword to "Mandate for Leadership" of the "Project 2025 - Presidential Transition Project" - in effect Donald Jessica Trump's government program.
The almost 900-page paper outlines a takeover of power that has probably never before been prepared in such detail and, above all, publicly. It is intended to be the blueprint for the actions of a new conservative government. Which will be quite radical. Of course, this is not official, but the personal intertwining of this party-political think tank, the institutional MAGA heads and Trump's slowly crystallizing shadow cabinet alone makes you sit up and take notice.
Here are just three examples that should make every upright Democrat angry: The USA should withdraw from the World Health Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund - because global elites contradict US sovereignty and only cost money unnecessarily. The "war on fossil fuels" should finally be ended - because these are "not an environmental problem, but the blood of the economic cycle". The country's external borders are to be "sealed", especially trade with China is to be stopped - because undermining the country's industrial base has to be stopped.
However, the core of "Project 2025" is the personnel policy. Project leader Paul Dans writes "Our goal is to create an army of tested, trained and prepared conservatives who will set about dismantling the administrative state from day one". And Dans is not just anyone: during Trump's first term in office, he was jointly responsible for personnel policy in the White House.
For Trump, the years in the White House were above all a story of betrayal, as he describes it today. By bureaucrats and RINOs ("Republican in name only") who refused to give him the unconditional allegiance he expected. This time he will purge all leadership positions in all institutions of members of the establishment and the Deep State. He has learned that he must also control the bureaucracy. And he will leave his mark on the USA for years to come.
With the arch-conservative dominance he has created in the Supreme Court, Trump himself has set the benchmark for this. He has also reorganized the EPA (Environment Protection Agency), pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran, imposed punitive tariffs on China and Europe, withdrawn US troops from Syria, courted Vladimir Putin and left the Paris Climate Agreement.
Trump has achieved all of this against stubborn resistance. The "adults in the room", officials who remained in bureaucratic positions, prevented him from doing even more, such as leaving NATO or denying entry to Muslims across the border. He sees that as a mistake - one he would certainly not repeat. I don't like Nikki Haley. Neither programmatically nor personally. But she would be the lesser of two evils. After all, she doesn't want to lay the cornerstones of the Western community of values to waste. After all.
Good News of the Week:
There could be positive movement in the Gaza war. According to a report in the "New York Times", which cites US government circles, an agreement between Israel and Hamas could be imminent. According to the report, it's about the release of hostages and a ceasefire. Discussions on a corresponding draft were to begin in Paris on Sunday.
The draft had been drawn up by US negotiators on the basis of proposals from Israel and the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas. The two-stage deal envisages Hamas releasing more than 100 hostages in return for Israel ceasing its military operations in the Gaza Strip for around two months. This is linked to the hope that a lasting solution can be brokered in the meantime.
I take a critical view of the somewhat sparse composition of the consultations: in addition to the USA, which are chaired by CIA chief William Burns, only representatives of Israel, Egypt and Qatar are taking part. They are also only sending the second guard in terms of personnel. After all, Joe Biden would have discussed the talks with the heads of state of Egypt and Qatar in advance. And in the evening, Israel's first statement was that although there was a "considerable gap", the talks were constructive. So fingers crossed.
Perhaps this will happen just in time before the feared conflagration in the eternal Middle East conflict occurs. From the Houthi rebels to the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iranian regime - which has just achieved a breakthrough in the development of missile technology - to Russia and China, many are just waiting for the USA to withdraw from the region even further than it did under Obama. And the way is clear to attack Israel as a "western bridgehead".
Personal happy moment of the week:
My 15-year-old son cooked. For the first time, not according to personal taste (although his lasagna is legendary) or a hot tip from a TikTok video. But according to a recipe. And it worked: when I got home, dinner was ready, the table was set, nothing had gone wrong and even the mess in the kitchen was kept within pleasant limits. Very nice. Please do this once a week now. Thank you.
I couldn't care less...
...that there will soon no longer be a shortage of teachers at German elementary school. Because if you take a closer look at this Bertelsmann study, you will learn why: the coming low-birth cohorts will simply need fewer teachers. Great solution, you incompetent education policy!
It's fine with me...
...that the French capital is fighting back against the farmers' protests. I live in a farming village myself and have the greatest respect for this profession. Nevertheless, I lack a little understanding for their unwillingness to move a little in the face of changing conditions too. When I look at the budget distribution in the EU (I don't know the French budget), there is no group that is subsidized more. If whoever, wherever, whenever starts to introduce real costs, I will be there enthusiastically - because that is the real problem.
As I write this...
...I am driving home from an annual company event in Baden-Württemberg. Where employees from different locations meet, who otherwise usually only know each other by phone or from online meetings. This time, too, there was an interesting exchange, excellent food and a good mood. It was just a shame that I had to miss a friend's 50th birthday, which was taking place at the same time. One negative highlight of the evening was completely unexpected: an armed hostage situation occurred a few houses away from us, but it ended well. It was probably just random luck that the perpetrator hadn't chosen the location we were in. Phew...
Post Scriptum
At the European Party Conference, the Social Democratic SPD sent its lead candidate Katarina Barley into the upcoming elections with a tailwind. The Vice-President of the European Parliament received 98.7% of the vote and a fairly clear program for Europe and against the right. What is astonishing is the prominent role that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to play in the election campaign, as his poll ratings are in the basement. The argument in his favor is simple - and true: he has proven himself to be a convinced European and achieved quite something in the two years of his government so far. I hope that the European elections will focus precisely on this. And that it is not misused as a wave of protest against the traffic light coalition. Because Germany needs Europe at least as much as Europe needs Germany.
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bopinion · 2 months
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Inconvenient truths
Everyone makes mistakes
Windows have to be cleaned sometimes
Ignorance is more contagious than insight
Complaining doesn't help
100% only exists under laboratory conditions
I'm getting old - and stubborn with age
At least outside the family it's every man for himself
Women snore too
Nothing really takes care of itself
Al Gore's films are unfortunately true: we only have this one planet.
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bopinion · 2 months
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2024 / 03
Aperçu of the Week:
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts."
(Winston Chrchill, former multi- & prime minister of Great Britain, historian and Nobel Prize winner for literature)
Bad News of the Week:
NATO is launching a maneuver in the next days. With 90,000 soldiers, "Steadfast Defender" is the largest since the end of the Cold War. What is being simulated - seriously, according to the official announcement! - is the defense "against an attack by Russia on NATO territory". Ooph... That's how far we've come now. Or again.
At the same time, the Ukrainian government is planning a massive increase in the conscription of its men. Hundred thousands additional soldiers are to go to war. With no combat experience, hardly any training and a faltering supply of equipment. This also acknowledges what observers have long assumed: that Vladimir Putin is relying on a protracted war of attrition. Unfortunately, from a strategic point of view, he is right.
In contrast to Russia's well-oiled arms industry, the West's military support for Ukraine is decreasing. The most important supplier, the USA, in particular, no longer has a budget at its disposal due to the refusal of a group of arch-conservative Republicans. A group that absurdly calls itself the "freedom caucus" - which apparently does not apply to support for a country that has been innocently attacked and is ultimately defending its freedom.
A colleague told me about his assessment that the election of Donald Jessica Trump at the end of November this year would probably have its good side too. After all, he would strike a deal with Putin on the price he would be willing to pay for an agreement and, of course ("America first"), stop all support for Ukraine at the same time. Which would then have no choice but to hand over Crimea, the Donbas and the territories in between to Russia. Phew...
Good News of the Week:
People are standing up. In sub-zero temperatures, millions of Germans are actually gathering on streets and squares to stand up against right-wing extremists and for democracy. The motto is "Never again is now!". Many are attending a demonstration for the first time, bringing children with them, having painted posters - democracy at work. I have been waiting a long time for the silent majority to finally stop being silent in the face of rising poll figures for the right-wing AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany) - currently at 22%.
The trigger was a subversive meeting of right-wing extremists who discussed strategies to deport all non-Germans, to put it simply. Uncovered by investigative journalists. I learned the word "demigration" in the process. Don't get me started on how valuable the so-called guest workers (mainly Turks) were for the German economic miracle back in the 1960s. That care for the elderly in this country would collapse without Eastern Europeans. Or that neither commercial kitchens would be able to survive without Filipinos nor IT departments without Indians. That immigration is necessary to maintain prosperity in our ageing society. And that integration fails more often due to a lack of willingness to accept immigrants than a lack of adaptability of those.
We are all human beings. A species that only exists because it has perfected the principle of cooperation. When one person goes hunting, another has to take care of the fire. Today we call that specialization. Or when was the last time you milked a cow, tilled a field, forged a shovel or prepared a medicine? Exactly. Morally, this becomes a community of solidarity in which not only does everyone do what they do best for everyone else, but the strong also stand up for the weak. You simply can't be blind in the right eye.
It is fitting that last week the Bundestag decided to amend the legislation on citizenship for immigrants. Against the votes of the conservative CDU/CSU and - surprise! - the AfD. In short: it will be easier and quicker than before. Above all because dual citizenship will be possible. It is important to know that in Germany, out of a population of 84 million, at least 12 million do not have a German passport. And are therefore not allowed to vote, for example. This door is now open. For a good 1.5 million Turks. And my wife. I have a strong suspicion that the radical right-wing AfD will not score any points with these citizens with their degenerate values.
Personal happy moment of the week:
We got rid of a monster. Eight years ago, I took over a yucca palm from a friend that was getting too big for his home. And I had a good place for it. And then only problems. The stubborn thing grew in all the wrong directions, attracted vermin and for years dripped a sticky secretion that ruined the sofas next to it, rendered a lamp useless, smeared a window and disfigured a speaker on the surround sound system. Now I've finally got round to getting rid of it. Which was difficult, because I had no room for it. It's now on the patio and dying, because it's still January in the northern hemisphere.
But I got over myself. And then for hours - there were four! - of scrubbing and cleaning to remove the incredibly dirty, sticky corner that had formed behind the sofas over the years. I managed it. And now I enjoy my first espresso in a clean living room every morning. I'm just not allowed to look out of the window to see the slow death of a living thing. Doesn't help.
I couldn't care less...
...that the train drivers' union has announced another complete rail strike. This time for a whole six days, starting last night. Workers' rights with all due respect, but if you no longer show any willingness to negotiate and the action becomes an end in itself, you are taking the population hostage. And you lose all understanding, not to mention sympathy.
It's fine with me...
...that we've had quite a mild winter this year. Because now I can take the bike to get to the station. And I don't feel guilty when my neighbors get up earlier than me to clear snow from our shared yard. And I'm happy about lower heating costs. Nice, actually. If it weren't for the human-induced climate change, what causes this mild winter. Which makes me shiver again.
As I write this...
...I listen to the first live album of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Wow, what a joy these guys bring to the stage. The Boss really knows how to work a crowd. Nice.
Post Scriptum
Gaza is still hell on earth. Unfortunately, that's all I can say at this moment. When are the next elections in Israel again?
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bopinion · 2 months
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2024 / 02
Aperçu of the Week:
"Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn."
(Orson Welles, multi-mastermind)
Bad News of the Week:
The AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany) is a far-right party. Surprise! Voting for this association of right-wing populists without any well thought-out political program or even considering it should be out of the question for anyone who thinks about it for even five seconds. Because who would actually vote for Nazis? That's the problem: many people who are dissatisfied with current politics tend to vote for what they see as a protest against those in power. This is acceptable with Die Linke (The Left), for example, which is currently being thrown out of all parliaments. At least they firmly anchored on democratic ground.
The AfD is not. According to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, it is "definitely right-wing extremist" in several state associations, especially in the east of the Federal Republic of Germany, where several state elections are due in 2024. And yet it leads the election forecasts - by a wide margin. What's going on? Do many voters really think no further than cheap election campaign slogans such as "Germany first"? (Does this sound familiar to some US-Americans?). As if we really have no bigger problems than the widespread lack of understanding that transsexuals also deserve civil rights?
A few days ago, investigative journalists found out that there was a far-right meeting in Potsdam near Berlin. On the agenda was the topic of "remigration". The core concern: People who are not "bio-German" through and through should have their lives in Germany made so miserable that they (have to) leave the country voluntarily or, if necessary, by force. You could also call it expulsion. In addition to the usual suspects, it was noticeable that several politicians from the AfD, who also hold leadership positions, took part. Surprise!
This adds fuel to the fire of the party ban issue. This has been under discussion for some time. In theory, the Federal Constitutional Court can ban a party that poses a threat to democracy due to its positions and scope. In my gut, this is a clear-cut case, but not in my head. On the one hand, the hurdles are high and can be overcome with legal subtleties - for example, anyone who wins a seat in a democratic parliament in a democratic election and formally complies with the democratic statutes there must be a democrat. And secondly, failure would reinforce the victim myth of being disadvantaged or even excluded by the establishment.
In addition - as difficult as it is for me to say - there is also a fundamental question here. Namely that of legitimacy. Can we (according to current surveys) deny 22% of the population who want to be politically represented by the AfD the right to be represented by it in parliament? Vox populi vox bovi (the voice of the people is the voice of oxen), as the Latin says. I always say that the basic problem with democracy is that it does not demand any qualifications from the sovereign (i.e. the people who vote). This is precisely why the recipe of convincing voters programmatically is doomed to failure. After all, this would also require potential AfD voters to engage objectively with the topic of politics. Which they obviously don't do. Otherwise they would not vote for the AfD. Except for those who really want to consciously vote for who despise democracy, divide society and marginalize people. In short: Nazis. But that's certainly not 22%.
Good News of the Week:
Taiwan has voted - or the "Republic of China", as the de facto state (Wikipedia can't be wrong) is called. And it's democracy. And its independence. The incumbent Vice President Lai Ching-te - better known as William Lai - of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has won the election as the successor to President Tsai Ing-wen, who is no longer running in accordance with the constitution. With the clearly defined goal of preserving the autonomy of the island republic as irreversibly as possible.
This is remarkable in that the People's Republic of China on the other side of the Taiwan Strait has not been sparing with intimidation recently. Not only with a strict one-China diction, but also militarily. Hardly a day goes by without a Chinese fighter plane or warship entering Taiwanese territory. Similarly, Hou You-yi from the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party literally stood for election as the programmatic opposite. And was unable to prevail.
The democratic world congratulates the winner. And Beijing is fuming with rage that this would send the "wrong signals to the separatist movement" in Taiwan. Movement? No, this is a democratically legitimized executive that is now entering its third term in office. The clearest criticism is of course directed at the USA, although the latter cautiously stated in its statement that it was looking forward to further development of cooperation in line with the "one-China policy". Beijing even speaks of the "first red line", which must not be crossed under any circumstances.
It is good to see that these foreseeable reactions from the red giant have neither deterred the people of Taiwan from voting according to their wishes nor the democratic nations of the world from recognizing this positively. The Chinese regime would be well advised to see this as more than just a symbolic gesture.
I couldn't care less...
...that at the Ukraine summit in Davos, the Swiss foreign minister defined his goal as getting Russia "to the negotiating table". The traditional neutrality of the Swiss people is honored. But on the one hand, Vladimir Putin has no interest in negotiations - especially when he thinks he is on the road to victory. And on the other hand, there are cases in which you cannot actually remain neutral, but should take a clear position for one side. The war in Ukraine is undoubtedly one of these cases.
It's fine with me...
...that the so-called "Citizens' Council" in Germany has presented its results for the first time. Randomly selected citizens met several times to try out a form of direct political co-determination. The resolutions are not binding and the topics were about something as uncritical as nutrition (e.g. free lunches at schools and better explanatory labeling of ingredients), but I think the basic idea is a good one. Go on please.
As I write this...
...Germany mourns the death of Franz Beckenbauer. Emperor, shining light, the man who gave soccer a new elegance. The first sportsman who was also a pop star - "No one can separate good friends". And a businessman. World champion as a player (1974) and as team manager (1990). President of FC Bayern and FIFA official - including corruption. Along with Pelé and Diego Maradona, one of the big three in 20th century soccer. A Munich native through and through, even if Salzburg and New York City were also his home. The whole country bows down to a legend.
Post Scriptum
"The duel of the old men" is the title of Der Spiegel's analysis of the upcoming election campaign for the US presidency between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The intro already states that most Americans would like Joe Biden, 81, and Donald Trump, 77, to retire. And the question is asked why the most powerful democracy in the world is not able to produce other candidates? Unfortunately, there is no conclusive answer. The status quo remains: a shaky but capable political professional whose performance is significantly better than his low approval ratings reflect. And a notorious liar who manages to give himself an aura of the little man, fighting as a messiah against an evil system. And makes no secret of the fact that he would demolish democracy. It should actually be clear which of the two old men is the lesser of two evils. In fact.
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bopinion · 2 months
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Rules that should be laws
You don't need New Year's resolutions to become better.
Don't snore.
Let the thinking to the horses - they've got the bigger heads.
Don't waste your time, rewinding is impossible.
Warning signs are there for a reason.
Don't do the same fault more than... let's say: three times.
Trust gets you killed, love gets you hurt and being real gets you hated (Johnny Cash).
Feel the rhythm - for starters: of your heartbeat.
Don't forget where you come from. And where you want to go.
Behave!
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