1. Get out with you
“Arsch huh” is Kölsch, not the watery beer, but the dialect.
It's called: "Get your ass up."
Why am I explaining this to you?
On November 9, 1992, around 100,000 people gathered on Chlodwigplatz in Cologne to take a stand against right-wing violence. Of course, BAP and the Bläck Fööss played.
The motto: “Arsch huh, Zäng ussenander” (teeth apart).
A few months later, “Today die – tomorrow you!” followed in Frankfurt, a three-hour concert against the right, Grönemeyer, the Fantastischen Vier, 150,000 people came.
Because of the music, of course.
But probably also because of this feeling: together against Nazis.
We are the good.
And we are loud.
January 2024: The AfD is polling at more than 20 percent.
Its members shout “Germany for the Germans, foreigners out” in the disco and plan total “remigration”.
In Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, the party is considered to be right-wing extremist, and constitutional protection officers warn that it is a danger to democracy.
In the Bundestag, the Blues rely primarily on provocation: Beatrix von Storch, for example, leads the parliamentary mob statistics, 14 calls for order in one election period.
The traffic light therefore wants to enforce stricter rules and higher penalties in parliament.
My colleague Rasmus Buchsteiner wrote about it: "Specifically, in the event of a 'more than minor violation' of the order or dignity of the Bundestag, a fine of 1,500 euros should in future be imposed - so far it has been 1,000 euros," writes Rasmus.
Sounds good.
But that won't be enough.
More than 140 demonstrations against the AfD are planned in the coming days, from Hamburg to Castrop-Rauxel, you can find a collection of dates here.
Ass huh.
Read more here: The anti-AfD plan in parliament
2. Zero shot
Sometimes they only fire two shells, sometimes five, and on some days none at all.
In eastern Ukraine, where Kiev's artillery units and the Russian army face each other, Ukrainians are running out of ammunition.
The Russians, on the other hand, still have more than enough lethal missiles; they produce more of them than the West and are also supplied by North Korea and Iran.
Enlarge image
155 millimeter shells from an artillery unit near Zaporizhia
Photo: Kateryna Klochko / EPA
Particularly bitter for Ukraine: Now, of all times, supplies from the USA are stuttering - Democrats and Republicans are haggling in Congress over the new aid package.
This costs time and lives in Ukraine.
Anti-aircraft missiles such as Patriot, Nasams or Stinger will soon become scarce.
And the Europeans?
They are simply producing too little, explains my colleague Oliver Imhof: "The Ukrainians will have to go on the defensive in the next few months because of the lack of ammunition." Only when the Americans and Europeans deliver more again will Kiev's troops be able to dare to advance again.
“Next year,” Oliver writes to me.
Read more here: Shot empty
3. Let's talk about money
Salary negotiation with the boss, I'm excited.
“Sit down, Jens,” he says and opens a window.
"I need to ventilate for a moment, Claudia was just with me." He sits down opposite me, looking serious: "Imagine, she actually asked for 5,000 euros more." Gulp.
First: Claudia has a different name.
Second: The boss is now retired.
Third: I wanted 10,000 euros more.
At least.
And suddenly I felt like a fantasist.
If he can hardly breathe at 5000 euros...
Enlarge image
Students in the large lecture hall at the University of Cologne
Photo: Christoph Hardt / Panama Pictures / IMAGO
What a fox: Negotiation experts call it “anchoring.”
The first number dominates the debate.
If only I had said as soon as I came in: "Hello boss, sorry for the delay, there were ten thousand people in the elevator again." The first number is crucial, context doesn't matter.
Learn from my mistake.
Today's students expect an average gross annual salary of around 47,000 euros in their first job after graduation, according to a recent survey.
Around 400,000 students at more than 60 universities took part in “Fachkraft 2030”.
They have the highest expectations at the Technical University of Munich: 54,000 euros.
The least you hope for is 37,000 euros at the Humboldt University in Berlin.
In the so-called MINT subjects, i.e. those where construction and research takes place, students expect an average of 52,000 euros, while in language or media studies it is only 37,000 euros.
Incidentally, women expect to be paid 15 to 17 percent less than men.
Why?
Study leader Philipp Seegers is now trying to research this in more detail.
He suspects that women probably already anticipate the actual unequal treatment in the labor market.
And therefore demand significantly less.
To all Claudias: 10,000 is the new 5000.
Read here who overestimates their salary expectations the most.
What else is important today?
Significantly more employees in the public service - but not always in the important positions:
According to a study, significantly more people work in the public service than ten years ago.
Nevertheless, there are complaints about a lack of staff.
Researchers see reasons for this that are politically sensitive.
Researchers discover the oldest known black hole:
The discovery poses a mystery: Radiation from a 13 billion-year-old galaxy has revealed an extremely massive black hole.
It may devour matter much more quickly than comparable objects.
Pakistan attacks targets in Iran after Iranian missile attack:
According to the government in Islamabad, two children were killed by Iranian extremists in an air strike in Pakistan.
Now Pakistan is reacting – with missiles.
Japanese literary prize winner used ChatGPT:
Her book is set in the future and revolves around a high-rise prison in Tokyo.
Now Rie Kudan has received a prestigious Japanese literary prize for it - and admitted that she did not write it entirely on her own.
EU bans cash payments over 10,000 euros:
The EU Parliament and the member states have agreed on stricter regulations against money laundering.
Cash payments are being limited and luxury retailers and some football clubs are being monitored more closely.
My favorite puns today: white things
Black-red-smooth, black-red-cold, ice-cold country, blooming in the glow of this smoothness, freezing wins: yesterday my colleague Oliver Trenkamp wrote here about puns about black ice - and called on you to email better ideas.
Here is a selection:
Frost generation,
Frost in translation,
Germany on thin ice,
All wheels stand still when the winter snow wants it,
Take a slice of snow for yourself,
That knocks you off your feet,
Scatter beautiful sparks of the gods.
You can read more about the cold and the weather here: Calm winter weather expected for the weekend
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
Amouranth's huge business with closeness and naked skin:
Probably no erotic model is currently as successful as Amouranth.
The Texan reportedly earned $45 million from OnlyFans alone.
She became known through Twitch – how does her controversial business model work?
How food companies are increasing their prices more and more brazenly:
Confectionery, finished products and drinks with dramatic price increases: Consumers can choose the “deceptive package of the year”.
For SPIEGEL, the Hamburg consumer advice center evaluated how manufacturers cheat.
Fight against fake poopers:
In many places around the world, cities and municipalities use DNA comparison to determine which dogs orphaned poop came from - and ask the owner to pay.
In Germany, feces investigators fail to protect data.
How to recognize errors in the utility bill:
Some people also call it the “second rent”: A lot of money goes into the apartment’s operating costs, and tenants should check the bill carefully.
How to do this correctly and what traps there are.
He didn't last six months:
Jordan Henderson announced in the fall that he wanted to advance football in Saudi Arabia.
Now he is returning to Europe and giving up a lot of money.
Is this the beginning of the end for the Saudi Arabian football project?
Which is less important today
Photo:
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Time traveler:
So, part 1: Muscle animal and ex-politician
Arnold Schwarzenegger
, 76, did not declare his luxury watch (worth: probably 20,000 euros, at least Schwarzenegger says) at Munich airport.
The “Audemars Piguet” was intended for auction.
"He cooperated at all times, even though it was an incompetent investigation, a total comedy full of errors, which would make a very funny police film," said the "Terminator" star about his Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative.
Now, part 2, the customs department reports, somewhat huffily: "The case is now going to the responsible penalty and fine office in Augsburg." Smells a lot like a trilogy, if you ask me.
Mini concave mirror
You can find the entire concave mirror here.
Cartoon of the day
And tonight?
Running
: Jogging is the Caesar Salad of sports, it's always possible, but it tends to be boring.
Our sports team has therefore researched alternatives in our editorial team: What do you do to keep yourself fit?
What came out of the call reads like a dictionary of foreign words, but much more entertaining: Forró, Deuserband, cyclocross - I had no idea.
Now I know how my boss exercises his muscles while watching "Bad Lieutenant" or "Barbie."
Are you curious now?
Then, please, read, enjoy yourself and do it again this evening.
A lovely evening.
Heartfelt
Your Jens Radü, head of duty