Small title correction: it’s 1902 and 2015, not 2025.

Germany has some 3700 km of land borders, more than the US’ border with Mexico. German politicians and media have not been honest about the funding and personnel that would be required to seriously control immigration.

FYI, lichess.org offers the same functionality (arguably better) for free. It’s a crowd-funded, open-source non-profit, free of any ads or trackers.

Technically, there’s a two-week period during which he or others can try to be elected by absolute majority (316 of 630 votes). After that, the requirements would be lowered to simple majority.

So Merz may still be elected in a second vote. If he fails again, we will likely see a snap election, with the extremist right AfD gaining even more.

A big danger about a second vote could be the AfD voting for Merz for troll reasons. They’ve done this kind of thing before in the state parliament of Thuringia. If Merz got, say, 461 votes in a second vote, it would be obvious that he got the majority not from SPD + Union but by the votes of the AfD. This would trigger massive debates about whether the coalition partners should go ahead with government formation or not.

Another possibility is that of a different coalition forming, either Union + SPD + Greens (so including the Greens in the current planned coalition), or Union + AfD. While I could see the former happening in some scenarios (though probably with a different candidate from the Union), I think the latter will not occur at this point in time, as too many Union members and voters are still strictly opposed to cooperating with the AfD. (But I think it is a realistic scenario in future elections.)

Actual beta male

Yes, but mostly PoC so far, from what I read.

My friends are going there in June. They had booked the trip before Trump was even elected They have little kids and look as Aryan as it gets so they should be fine. But honestly in their place I would still seriously consider cancelling.

I honestly, literally believe that Trump still doesn’t know what a tariff is.

Very nicely put. This describes my own faith almost to a T.

I’m convinced these events will permanently change the role of the US in the world. I checked all of Germany’s major newspapers (progressive and conservative) and they all agree that Europe can’t rely on the US anymore and will have to fend for itself and/or find new partners. I don’t doubt it’s the same in other major European countries. This might well be the start of the end of US hegemony. I sure hope that whatever new world order we move into isn’t worse than the one we had, and that the changes go over without additional war.

I know the main thing here is Vance and Trump backstabbing and bullying Zelenskyy, but I just want to point out that Trump repeatedly talked about “raw earth” instead of “rare earths”. We’re truly fucked.

There was, 8 years ago. But the second best time is right now.

Agreed.

Well, for now they’re being deported to Guantanamo Bay. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will then also be deported to their home countries. I could very well see the Trump administration keep thousands of people there indefinitely and have them do slave labor (which is legal in the US).

Who says they’re planning to send them anywhere?

A new colour (visible to humans).

I had this cake for the first time yesterday and it was absolutely fantastic (and there’s some leftovers I will gobble up tonight)!

Many of them are neo-nazis and/or right-wing extremists. A comparison with the GOP is difficult but I’d say they’re similar in their hatred of non-white people and their disdain for liberal democracy.

Schnittke’s Choir Concerto.

Wait, even as a child? Where are you from if I may ask?