Latest news with #Swabia
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
German police are investigating a €0.15 water butt theft – and I fear they're on the right side of history
Here's a silly season story for you: a 51-year-old woman in the German town of Spaichingen in Swabia is under criminal investigation on suspicion of filling watering cans from her neighbour's water butt. The total estimated value of the purloined water: €0.15. It's wonderfully daft. She allegedly hid behind a bin to evade detection and, according to reports, the police declared, with Solomonic gravity: 'Once it is in the barrel, [the water] no longer belongs to the heavens.' Who knows what motivated this nano-crime: a moment of midlife madness? Some kind of grudge? But water is metered in Germany so there might a kind of extreme parsimony at work (Swabian housewives are legendarily thrifty, apparently). Extreme frugality can be quite funny. Not the kind motivated by financial hardship, which is as unfunny as it gets (and deepening and widening in the UK, with 'Dickensian levels' of child poverty being reported by the children's commissioner). But the other kind – the Uncle Scrooge variety, where people choose the teabag-redunking, loo-roll-square-counting life – is presented as an entertaining personality type, the kind you might see spotlighted on a Channel 5 show (perhaps set in Yorkshire; after all, my people aren't famous for their largesse). It's probably too late to pitch Channel 5, though, because 'Extreme Cheapskates' – a US import – already exists. I watched a bit, while thinking about the Swabian butt theft, and some of these people are, to put it mildly, exceptionally dedicated to thrift. There's a woman who flosses with her own hair (it must be freakishly strong, what does she use on it?) and keeps chewed gum in the freezer to reuse multiple days, another – apparently a millionaire! – who pees in jars to keep her water bills down, and a man who does the washing up and warms soup in his hot tub. Other so-called cheapskate tricks, though, seem perfectly reasonable. Using roadkill for its fur sounds sensible (it's dead anyway), as does reusing bathwater or keeping jeans in the freezer instead of washing them. Over time, I have started to find frugality more appealing myself, albeit inconsistently: I will place a leftover half potato on a saucer in the fridge with a reverence usually reserved for holy relics, but spend £4 on a basic cake I could make for pennies. But I certainly get more and more pleasure from minor domestic acts of meanness: I hoard and reuse plastic food bags and boxes eternally (microplastics be damned; I'm sure something else will kill me first) and redunk teabags, though purely for my own consumption and mostly camomile, which tastes of nothing in the first place, so no harm done. I even dunk myself in my husband's bathwater occasionally. Does that sound weird and gross? Maybe, maybe not – there's a spectrum, from last days of Rome profligacy to making lasagne in the dishwasher (another Extreme Cheapskate trick), and we are mostly somewhere in the middle. The extremely frugal by choice, though, measuring out their lives in coffee spoons pinched from the work canteen, are mostly seen as comical, silly and slightly sad. We have internalised an idea that lavishness is life-affirming – live a little, use the good bath oil, as Nora Ephron said (impossible: I'll die with the good bath oil dusty and unopened, taking a grim last satisfaction at having saved it). But isn't the opposite true? Aren't the real sad weirdos the ones throwing yacht foam parties and sending Katy Perry into space? Appreciating every drop and crumb and being careful can be life-affirming, and life- (on Earth, in the wider sense) prolonging. We're not facing the kind of horror we are seeing in Gaza, but this summer, UK farmers are sounding alarm bells at the prospect of poor harvests and the difficulties they are facing feeding livestock, and I have just read a bleak French news story about the effect of extreme heat on poultry farms (apparently 750,000 chickens died there as a result of 2023's less dramatic heatwaves; worse is predicted this year). Nicking your neighbour's water isn't OK (and disturbingly end of days), and I'm not up for hair flossing – I don't even have hair to floss with. But when natural resources are becoming scarcer, a 'scarcity mindset' starts to make a lot of sense and the extremely frugal might have the last laugh. Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stuttgart find Konstantelias alternative at Celta Vigo
After VfB Stuttgart's preferred target Giannis Konstantelias extended his contract at PAOK, the Swabians are looking for an alternative. The Swabians have held several meetings in recent days to conduct re-evaluations, as per journalist Denis Bayer's report. One name has since caught their attention in the form of Williot Swedberg from La Liga outfit RC Celta Vigo. Still just 21-years-old, Swedberg can play as both a winger and as well as an attacking midfielder in a central channel. Known for his technical ability and strong passing, he chipped in with 4 goals and 5 assists in 32 league games last season. The former Hammarby club man is valued at €5million by and his contract in Galicia runs until 2027.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nick Woltemade 'unsettled' by Bayern interest as Stuttgart stand firm
Bayern Munich have decided not to submit a third offer for VfB Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade, despite continued internal support for the 23-year-old's signing, according to SPORTBILD. Following internal talks at Säbener Straße, Bayern's hierarchy agreed to remain patient in their pursuit and are currently unwilling to improve their latest bid for the Germany international. However, the Bundesliga champions remain open to discussions — but only if Stuttgart initiate direct talks, something the Swabians are so far refusing to do. Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle and sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth are reportedly standing firm and have no intention of opening negotiations at this stage, viewing Woltemade as a key part of their plans for the 2025/26 campaign. The situation is creating frustration for the player himself. SPORTBILD reports that Woltemade is visibly unsettled at Stuttgart's training camp in Tegernsee. Though he continues to train professionally, he has made it clear to club officials that he wishes to join Bayern and has repeatedly asked the Stuttgart leadership to sit down with their Bavarian counterparts. Bayern remain encouraged by the player's stance and still believe a deal can be done before the transfer window closes. Internally, there is a sense that Woltemade's persistent desire to leave could ultimately sway Stuttgart's position. The saga now appears to hinge on whether Stuttgart are willing to re-engage in talks — and whether Bayern are prepared to wait until the final weeks of the window to test their resolve. 📸 Christian Bruna - 2025 Getty Images
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stuttgart win race to sign Ingolstadt striker Deniz Zeitler
Kicker reports that Stuttgart have outpaced regional rivals Hoffenheim in the race to acquire young attacking prospect Deniz Zeitler. The 18-year-old scored eight goals and registered five assists for 3. Liga outfit FC Ingolstadt 04 last season. Kicker notes that Stuttgart aren't preparing to introduce Zeitler to the Bundesliga right away. The young talent will continue to hone his skills with the VfB reserves in the German third division. Stuttgart have done well to pick up developmental prospects this summer, most notably winning the race to bring promising youth international Noah Darvich back to Germany. Kicker reports that the Württemberger are also interested in 17-year-old Egyptian talent Belal Ateya of Al-Ahly. VfB II could inherit another youngster for a relatively modest price. Advertisement Zeitler should arrive in Swabia for around €1m whilst Ateya is expected to cost around €500,000. Stuttgart – who have thus far only made one big money signing this summer – are also expected to complete more substantial transactions for Greek attacker Giannis Konstantelias and Serbian winger Lazar Jovanovic in the coming days. Attempts to acquire Casper Jander from FC Nürnberg are still proving problematic. GGFN | Peter Weis
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stuttgart firm on keeping Woltemade despite reported Bayern agreement
VfB Stuttgart have been taken by surprise by reports suggesting their star striker Nick Woltemade has agreed personal terms on a move to Bayern Munich, according to Bild. The German tabloid claims Stuttgart are 'upset' that Bayern held talks with Woltemade behind the scenes while the Swabians were simultaneously trying to extend the player's contract. Advertisement In an interview with Bild, Stuttgart's director of sport, Fabian Wohlgemuth, made it clear once again that the player is not for sale. 'The fact that others have noticed his development and that reports of interest from other clubs appear almost daily changes nothing about the fact that Nick's journey with us is far from over,' Wohlgemuth emphasized. 'We are firmly planning with Nick and want to benefit from his sporting qualities next year as well. There is no alternative plan,' he added. With Woltemade contracted to the club until 2028 without a release clause, Stuttgart are in a strong negotiating position. Recently, it was reported that it would take an offer of at least €60 million to make them reconsider their stance.
