[makeitsuckless]

Which is why Germany has one of the best infrastructures, both physical and electronic, in the Western world?

If there is such a thing as a most right stereotype, it's how the Silicon Valley worshiping non-Americans on HN deny the successes and strengths of their own country.

Germany is a, if not the leading country in industrial standardization, and especially in the current climate most of the world will prefer to follow Germany's lead over the politically and ideologically compromised American industry.

[npalli]

Large public works projects are a problem in Germany.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/disastrous-publ...

[frik]

The infrastructure is from another timeframe (pre-2000, often pre-1990) - like elsewhere. The roads, and telephone copper&fiber cables last a long time, with maintenance.

[emsy]

FWIW there is a prime time television show about unnecessary and failed public projects in Germany. Germany has worse Internet infrastructure than many, if not most, of its European neighbours. Merkel once famously said "Das Internet ist für uns alle Neuland" (The internet is new ground for all of us) and finally outed the government as antiquated. The achievements Germany made in industralization are fading away. Even basic infrastructures like streets are steadily rotting which was definitely not the case 10-20 years ago.

[chmod775]

The reason for his strong bias is that no news show in their right mind will tell you:

"Here's a list of stuff that is working perfectly fine..."

News are cherry-picking the few examples that DON'T work.