HH_Sailor

Nöö, It was actually a faulty FI. The electrician tested different sockets in the house. Wiring OK but FI had given up the ghost.   Was replaced and tested. Now a lot safer!   

Placebo:   Our teachers used to get those kids who were likely to be sick, to sit on a folded newspaper. A tale was told, insulation, no connections to the bus usw.    Bus was puke free every time.  

    I'd say legally there is nothing to stop an employer firing a 50 or even 60 year old. There is however a legally binding payoff (Abfindung) which increases with age and years of service : 50 yrs old and 15 years on the job = Abfindung 15 months pay. 55 yrs old and  15 years on the job = Abfindung 18 months pay See link (German)   On the other hand, my multinational had a very thick Tarif book covering all simple employees. (some could choose to be AT - out of Tarif ; others not covered were the "Leitendeangestellter"  -- high managers)   The Tarif did cover firing the older employees. Possible - but very long notice period.  

Saw one of those double deckers in a danish museum recently. Brought out the Reg Varney in me... Family looked on somewhat puzzled.

  The Good Life Reggie Perrin IT Crowd On the Buses 

  Same as many German adults then.  

    perfect summary !

  Outsourcing comes in waves....  My company offered retraining and jobs internally - or a cash lump to go immediately. or a while it was a terrific idea and as more companies tried it, it snowballed. Only the bravest companies actually backpedalled when it went pearshaped.   The (voluntary) age scheme at my firm put me on ca. 85% netto income at 55. Still paid me but sent me home at 59. (yes, employed and paid but on leave!)  Finally out of work (but qualify for state pension at 63). This is called "Altersteilzeit"  No longer a formal employment law but still available in many firms today.   But as you're 24, who knows what'll be on offer in 40yrs time   

IT in Germany has a great future. But whether you can have a job as a programmer in IT in Germany in the future is a different question.   In the UK I programmed ICs in modems and control systems. Moving to Germany some 30yrs ago, I ended up learning about databases and SAP  systems. 10 yrs of that (and the company outsourcing their programmers) lead me to change again - this time as a (technical) project manager.   Germany has good laws to look after the workers (eg maternity leave before/after the childbirth;  time off for either/both parents in the first 3yrs after childbirth).   I didn't see any sexism in my work experience. Women working as managers or techies were treated as equals and their work was indistiguishable from their male colleagues.   True, the large companies didn't have 50% female board members, but that was slowly changing.   Large companies often have incentives to shed the over 55s.  Employees in my multinational looked forward to early retirement as they knew it was coming and had planned their personal situations accordingly.    It will all depend on you (changing) circumstances  eg :  Single, no kids --- happy to travel and relocate. Stable relationship-- do I really want to only be together at the weekends ? Should there be kids around --  likely only exceptional travel.   Sorry, but I don't see it as black/white...   . 

    Change the law to buy a favour

30th June is the new March 29th / April 12th.   Brexit: UK asks EU for further extension until 30 June

Bits of plastic telephones in the shape of the cat Garfield have been washing up on the Normandy shores since the 1980's   Now their source has been found - a container lost in a storm and found in a cave where access is only possible at extreme low tide.   BBC source : Garfield phones beach mystery finally solved after 35 years

Odd enough ?     Full story on the BBC   (apparently not an April Fool story!)

Local newspaper (Segeberger Zeitung) :    Landesregierung in Kiel announces a rebate card for speeding offences. If you get 9 tickets in the following 12 months, they'll give you a 10th ticket for free...