March 1998
American Sportsbar, Loveable Bug, Rising Tide, New teeth - no money, Church vs. Jane Doe
Kick Back For Kickoff
Facing Super Bowl withdrawal and Winter Olympics deprivation? Help is on the way for the TV-viewing couch potato crowd. How about an ice-cold Sam Adams beer, a basket of Buffalo chicken wings, fried mozarella sticks or veggies and dip while watching your favorite game on one of 20 TVs or big screen video? Say no more. Heaven for sports fans now has a name: Champions.
Decorated with sports memorabilia, such as football jerseys and boxing gloves, the American sports bar made its Munich debut in February at the Marriott Hotel, and has been a crowd pleaser from the start. In addition to the best from Eurosport and Deutsches Sport Fernsehen, pay-TV Premiere is also on the roster. Restaurant manager Harvey Morris promises lots of special events to keep regulars coming back.
"Whether it's an all-you-can eat buffet or all-night coverage of a heavyweight fight with breakfast in the early hours, we're flexible in giving our customers what they want." Morris also notes that the restaurant will be coming up with new Mexican/American specialties regularly. Champions is located in the Marriott Hotel, Berliner Str. 93,(U6 Nordfriedhof).
Not Smoke-free
A bill banning smoking on public transportation, in public buildings and in the workplace was struck down in the federal parliament (Bundestag) in early February. Opponents insisted that smokers and nonsmokers could reach consensus without regulation. One small consolation for nonsmokers is that the German airline Lufthansa is implementing a smoking ban on all of its flights, effective immediately.
Loveable Bug
The Volkswagen Käfer is celebrating a comeback. Redesigned for the 21st century, the slimmed-down throwback to one of the world's best-selling cars should delight the hearts of Beetle buffs. Introduced at the Detroit auto show in January, the new design offers the retro-styling of the old bug with the amenities of a modern sports car.
The most noticeable change is the engine: in contrast to the old rear-engined automobile, buyers have an option of a turbo diesel engine, five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The new Beetle will be available in the U.S. in March and in Germany in the fall. Should you be bitten by the nostalgia bug, take a look at Beetle history in the exhibition "
Käfer: der Erfolgswagen," through March 15 at the Lokschuppen in Rosenheim.
Rising Tide
More than 4.8 million people are out of work in Germany and unemployment just keeps rising. To call attention to their plight, the country's jobless held protest marches in 250 cities in February. Economists predict that the number of unemployed will soon reach five million. One positive note is that Munich has the lowest unemployment rate of all major German cities.
Oouch! New teeth, no money
Two important changes have taken effect in the way that Krankenkassen, the public health insurance, pay for tooth replacement. Previously, one's insurance paid up to 55 percent of the cost of crowns and bridges. Now insurers pay only a fixed sum, regardless of the treatment's actual cost.
The second change is that dentists will bill patients directly for the entire treatment cost, and patients will get their fixed-payment reimbursements from the insurance. Up to now, the insurance paid its share directly to the dentist, and the patient paid the difference.
To avoid painful (financial) surprises, patients should ask the dentist to provide an estimate, and have it approved by the Kasse, before getting their teeth replaced.
Church vs. Jane Doe
In January, Pope John Paul II wrote to Germany's bishops criticizing Catholic church services that provide consultation affidavits (Beratungs-scheine) to pregnant women.
According to German abortion law, a woman seeking termination of pregnancy must first prove that she has received pro-life information about finances and assistance available to mother and child. State or church-run social services provide the consultation. The Pope criticized that, by issuing affidavits, the Church services were enabling abortion rather than prohibiting it.
Germany's bishops have agreed to follow the Pope's directive. Catholic church services will continue to offer counseling, but will stop supplying affidavits as soon as practicable, probably by the end of this year.
Taxes, Ballots and Passports
A representative of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service will be at the U.S. consulate in Munich for a short time only, to help American citizens with income tax returns. She will see taxpayers at the consulate on a first-come, first-serve basis from 8:00 to 11:00 and from 13:30 to 16:00 on March 26, 27, 30, 31 and during morning hours only on April 1.
The U.S. consulate does not provide assistance in preparing tax returns, but does supply forms and publications. All income must be reported to the IRS even if it is earned or received in a foreign country, paid in foreign currency or subject to foreign tax.
Voter registration forms are also available at the consulate for Americans who wish to register to vote in U.S. elections. Citizens should submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) this year to request ballots for the November 1998 elections.
As of February, passport prices have been finalized: for adults $60, renewals $40 (erroneously listed as $15 in MF 1/98), replacements $40; passports for children $80 (including report of a birth abroad).
