Toadfish Monastery

The latter warning can occasionally be found even on bags of actual nuts

Btw, for some time the age of criminal responsibility was higher over here than the minimum age for becoming federal chancellor. So, how does one treat e.g. wars of aggression in criminal law relating to young offenders? (Angriffskrieg nach Jugendstrafrecht zu ahnden?)

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Let me see if I'm understanding correctly, are you saying that if a CEO is younger than -say- 40 he is not criminally liable for the decisions he takes?

Last _{for bankers the age is 199} Post

Originally the minimum age for becoming (German) chancellor was the same as the voting age (lowered to 18) but full criminal responsible (I think) 3 years above that (the former voting age).

The minimum age of 40 for the chancellorship was introduced only later. Until then only Bundepräsident had a minimum age above legal adulthood.

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Which begs the question: how often do white collar criminals get what they so richly deserve in Germany?

Last _{in the States they receive a tax cut and a pat in the back} Post

Depends on what 'richly deserves' means. Boiling in oil, trampling by elephants and ritual disemboweling got a bit out of fashion.
A few prominent tax evaders got to jail in recent times but the real big fish tend to be out of range of German courts but not because the courts are as corrupt as in the US or the guys can afford more expensive lawyers. My esitmate is that in Germany the bad guys are usually a bit less blatant in violation of the law because they are content with the money the can get by at least overtly legal means. Compared to the US our top earners are at best medium fish and get probably laughed at by their US colleagues for their lack of infinite greed true ambition.
For a long time the two richest guys in Germany (the Albrecht brothers) were known for their personal stinginess, e.g. wearing cheaper and older clothes than their average employee. And one old boss at Siemens was known to personally walk from office to office  turning the radiators down before leaving in the evening.

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I seriously doubt German bankers are very different from their British or American brethren.

Last _{and boiling in oil is way too fast for them} Post

Opportunity makes thieves.
No need to be a billionaire in Germany. Those that think they need to be went for the most part abroad.
I would say that the non-Anglosaxon European bankers are (on average) less into short term enrichment and prefer a more sustainable model that still earns them as much as they can reasonably desire but carries less risk. Not much to do with morals I'd say. The mentality of 'I have to have more than the other guy even if I do not acatually need any more money' is stronger in the Anglosaxon world than the German (I might even include Austria in that but that's borderline).

Last _{slightly less bad but moving in the wrong direction} Post

Anglosaxons need more and more money to build loads of castles and have a grand house in each country in the world, and a few yachts based in different parts of the world, never mind going to the casino in Monte Carlo or wherever. I can't see how they could ever have enough money for their needs (wants). Then they complain they are too poor to buy a Faberge egg. It is always a good idea to  look at things from the other persons perspective. I shouldn't need to explain why rich people need more money.

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Who needs an original of those eggs. For a true noveau riche an improved new one should be far superior.

Last _{why go as a cheap as a mere tsar?} Post

Which came first? The original or the new one?

Last _{illogical joke factory} Post

I think that depends on whether the universe is cyclical or linear

Last _{nothing new under the supernova} Post

If the universe is even real.

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In case of doubt there is always the inner universe

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIP41E4B-bI

The one in Orion's belt?

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Wasn't the cat from Cheshire?

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