HH_Sailor

Well, it come home to roost now, doesn't it...         The rest

We had a guy round recently for a consultation around PV on the roof.   He noted that the utility needs to agree on your supplying them with electricty. Also that many utilities (he works the north of Germany), are very slow to answer and approve these "Einspeisung" contracts. The contract apparently needs to be in place before the PV goes online. Else the utility won't accept it (can even refuse it).   I read in the thread above, that some just get the meter to run backwards and thats "enough".   Is that legal in Germany ? Got a link anyone, please  ?   Batteries (yes -  €10k for Akku and control boxes) are for the non summer days. Allows you to use the PV more effectively spring and autumn.   However, learning to switch on stuff during the day and not at night may prove to be just as effective (eg baking, washing machine)   When I find the web site again I'll post it. Some graphics with slider controls for size of PV vs. battery size vs consumption vs cost effectivity.   For me too - it's about the environment - so I  won't be adding batteries.     Some companies are offering a "cloud" solution where they accept your power (no cost) and give it back when needed.    Obviously not "free" but at least a new slant on the topic.      

  But is the truth really worse than this ?       The rest - via g-translate

  To join the local Mietverein you'll need to browse the national body and go to the link  where local help exists.  (See "Ihr Mietverein vor Ort"  and type in your PLZ)   There they explain how to join. For me (Kiel) it would be €25 joining fee and €120 a year  

Did he really spend time in a "campaign speech" to describe walking down the ramp ?   No wonder the other team packed it into an ad for their guy...    

With compulsory child education and compulsory health care, I'm not so sure what you mean by 'off the grid'.   Even villages in the Schwarzwald have electricity and very irregular (rare) outages.      

  No Prob - JC was/still is one of my favorites - caught his show live many a time.   I studied in the '70s up the M6 from B'ham in Stafford - just haven't heard the accent for a while.   What about Picadilly Radio - James Stannage - back then ? Lots of Carrot, Mike Harding, Bob Williamson with Kippers for Tea...      

Kipper tie...   Highly specialised humour. Need all my accent antennae reseting for that one  

Current regulations are listed here   Auswaertiges-amt.de regularly updates the info, but as it stands today (17.June 2020) travellers from the US cannot enter the EU. This ban is in place across the EU until end of June.   Can only suggest regularly checking on the current regs.   Access is obviously easier if the US (or any non EU country covered by these regs) gets the number of infections / deaths due to CoVid19 reduced and managed.   I wouldn't expect the regs to change until this happens.   There are enough examples of people not being allowed to visit their dying close relatives or even their funerals due to this virus (inside Germany or across the EU)   Not an answer I imagine you wanted - but we're all affected in some  way. 

I know the card has been blocked.   For anyone reading this thread in the future :  In Germany, there is a hotline to allowing you block any (German?) bank card or credit card (and more). 016 016   There is a website about it :    https://www.sperr-notruf.de/           sperr-notruf.de using G-Translate   End of Public Service Announcement    PS Have you added this to your smartphone's contact list yet? With card numbers as further info?

  Was going to put this in good news. But here is better 

  Lindsey Graham saying Trump bad - Biden good. Is this a spoof or have the GOP woken up ?      

Hey look ---- Medicare works.... Wasn't it supposed to be like this ?       Now all that needs to happen is the "rich" get bills like this and find even they can't pay, and more "poor" people get their insurances to pay up and the US gets magically into a  position where having a social contract is not seen as the same as communism.   I won't hold my breath though...   Full story 

I don't live in a city and the local shops are limited in what they supply. Amazon fills the gap. That said, I'll buy from the shops if possible (even asking them to order) to support them.   If the local retailer goes, the High Street dies. Without an active High St. the town slowly dies. (Becomes a graveyard at night)    I'm lucky (I know) that I can afford to act like this. But keeping local jobs, local shops is part of "politics begins at home".   I don't want to follow @MikeMelga (q.v.) and assume that Amazon will take over and do my little bit to keep local traders alive.   Yes, Amazon are opening a warehouse distribution centre on the  Autobahn junction for our town.   It'll be huge and employ a hundred or so low paid people. It'll give  Hamburg a 3 hour order-to-deliver some stock but fill our streets with white vans. Bet there won't be that much Gewerbesteuer after all.   Can't stop all progress...   EDIT:  I think I heard the argument, that as a distribution centre does not make have turnover (Umsatz) then it won't be paying local tax (Gewerbesteuer). But I can wait until the local newsrag picks that one up.  

You can come to my rally in Tulsa, but don't blame me if you get Covid...         Seems like a reasonable offer /sarcasm off