Sooo much money and nowhere to put it...

There is so much corruption in high places that one almost does not want to open the Morning Paper because there is bound to be another report of this government minister and that former high placed Civil Servant having helped himself to large sums of Euros out of tax payers money.
One case in particular fills the papers these days:
The late Premier of the Province of Carinthia had hired an accountant to advise him on the sale of a government owned bank. An Investment Bank (HSBC) had previously offered to handle this transaction for a fee of 3% of the eventual sales price.
"Will you do this for half" the Premier asked the CA, who quickly agreed to such a commission:
The Sale went through for about 800 Million Euros, and 12 million Euros became payable to the CA... "Will you take half of this?" asked the Premier and the CA, considering this an extraordinarily high fee, quickly agreed to accept 6 Million Euros. So into his account went payments of 4.5 million and 1.5 million Euros respectively.
If you look for any written reports, research material or opinions issued by the CA to the Premier, you won't find any.
It is said that the CA simply had a number of conversations with the Premier and his Deputy and during these conversations gave his opinion about a number of issues related to the sale of this Bank.. The potential buyer was already at the table ( was not found by the CA) and the CA never participated in any of the negotiations.
For doing very little work the CA collected a cool 6 Mio Euros.
During current investigations experts suggested that 200,000 Euros would be a maximum fee for the CA's involvement in this transaction.
There is quite a spread between 200 Gs and 6 Millions, isn't there? If my math is correct that's 3000%.
The question inevitably arises: Qui Bono ?  Who benefitted from this largess? Obviously the CA was a beneficiary of this fee. Is it reasonable to assume that the late Premier simply wanted to do a favour to a friend? (with Taxpayers' money) Or did he expect some of this money to find its way back to him or at least to his party? At this point nobody knows:
The CA swears up and down that he did not kick back any of the funds to anybody... We just have to take his word for it... 

...and now for a little rip off... (but not with taxpayers' funds)
There is a Company also operating in Austria, called "Nespresso" ( is it reasonable to assume that this is a subsiduary of Nestle, selling Espresso ? )
Well, this company, for its Vienna branch,  had a CEO, called Wolfgang W. who, as he testified at his trial, worked like a dog almost 24 hours a day to increase the sales of their product. Because he worked so hard, the sales increased by 50% and the money kept rolling in, so that finally nobody knew what to do with all that loot.
Wolfgang had a good idea: Knowing the weakness of his firm's accounting controlls, he formed a little company of his own whose only business it was to produce fake invoices and so Wolfi banked 2.7 million Euros into his own account, and for a little while Wolfi and his wife lived in grand style.
Well, as it happens so often, the mother firm conducted an audit and the jig was up.
At court he got off easily: Of the maximum penalty for a crime of this nature of 10 years he got only 4 years in jail. An Appeal is of course still possible and maybe, just maybe, Wolfi didn't do anything wrong.

Somebody give me cup o' coffee... quick
Bertstravels

Some more Non-Political postings

a Loon upon her nest.
Loons are great divers, good swimmers, efficient flyers.
But, due to the rear location of their legs, they are very
clumsy on land.

A Loon offering a freshly caught fish to its chick.
Although the fish is much too big for the chick,
it pecks away, gets a little bit here and there
and, most important, it gets the taste of the fish.

I read on the internet that the Fall Colours in Algonquin Park
are at or near their peak.
something like this???

Seven painted turtles sitting on some sticks
one fell off, then there were just six.
Six painted turtles, slow, but quite alive
one went for a swim
then there were just five
five painted turtles.......STOP IT ...

Just for a Change....

I've been writing all about Politicians and their inane utterances, and other "heavy" themes. So I thought it might be a nice switch to post a few pictures from my collection.
This most colourful "Saddlebill Stork" never stops looking for food. Slowly, step by careful step he makes his way through the shallow water. Here a fish, there a frog... there's always something to be had.
A truly heavy "Bull Moose" just accross from the Hailstorm Creek Marsh at the North End of Lake Opeongo in Algonquin Park, Ontario, keeps looking for his favourite food: Water Lilly roots.
In the same place, a Canada Goose, taking off, running as fast as she can atop the water, flapping her wings energetically until she finds enough lift to take off and then fly gracefully over the lake.
Finally: A Rose is a Rose is a Rose.... according to Gertrude Stein, or : A Rose by any other name still smells as sweet... according to the William, the Bard.
So there you have it: A little rest from dumb politicians....
Breath deeply
Bertstravels

For A Change

A "Saddle Bill Stork" forages in the Okawango Delta.

A mighty "Bull Moose" in Algonquin Park

A "Canada Goose" taking off.

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose.

This Tragic Comedy goes on....

Remember, some days ago I told you about Wolfgang Schneider (44) who, with a message on his T-shirt stood and watched a parade go by... and how some of the participants in the parade did not like the message, since it suggested that their leader should go to jail, as a judge, in fact, had found? (Appeal pending)... and how they attempted first to rip the T-shirt off Wolfgang's back, then called a policeman who urged Wolfgang to "move along"... and how Wolfgang suggested that since this was a public place he had a right to be there, which brought him a quick arrest by the cop who felt his authority challenged ?
Remember all of this ? Of course you do... it was, after all a little true story showing "Democracy in Action" in Austria... or, more like: "Democracy sound asleep".

Todays Newspaper reports and  I swear this is true and not a bad joke thought up by me:
Wolfgang received a "Strafmandat" ( similar to a traffic ticket ) which does not require a judge, but can be issued by the Police, from the Villach-Police Department, because of "Disturbance of Public Order, through particularly Recless Behaviour."
The amount on the ticket: Euro 69,28.
This is a strange amount, you say? Well, let me tell you: the actual penalty amounted to Euro 70.00, but 72 cents were deducted, because he was "improperly under arrest for 43 minutes."
Talk about accurate book-keeping being more important than the principle of the entire issue.

Wolfgang Schneider is now contemplating an appeal against this "Strafmandate" and thinks of hiring a lawyer.
Of course, as he is aware, touching the door handle into the lawyer's office will cost more than 69.28 Euros.

Hey, somebody has to care about democratic principles, don't they ?

Quick,  hand me a collection box.
Bertstravels

Enzian (blue) Almrausch (red) Edelweiss (white)

Recently I was hiking at about the half way mark
of the Hoch Obir.
This is one of the three famous alpine flowers:
The Enzian.
The other two are Almrausch and, of course,
The Edelweiss.

(there are many other flowers up there, but these
are the three always associated with The Alps.)

I really did not expect any better....

Guess what: Frau Fekter still is the Finance Minister of Austria.
She did not resign;
She was not fired;
She was 'ordered' to appologize.
"I appologize to anyone who may have been offended by my remarks."
Not: "I appologize for my remarks which were ill chosen and inappropriate...."
NO, I  appologize only to those who may have been offended by my remarks....
That may well mean, that she considers her remarks to have been appropriate, but that there may still be some persons who were offended by them.
And her Boss accepts this mealy-mouthed so-called appology.

Okay... I'll appologize to you later
Bertstravels

Here we go again....

I wrote yesterday about Frau Maria Fekter, Austria's illustrious Minister of Finance and her boorish behaviour, also displayed by a number of other European Ministers of Finance. Well, she has now offered the proof that she does not only lack the most fundamental diplomatic skills, but that she is also quite ignorant of History, not to say downright stupid.
Let me quickly paint the background of this latest "Fekterism": During the recent meeting of European Finance Ministers, during which she displayed her abysmal lack of Diplomacy, nay even of fundamental courtesy towards an invited guest, the conversation centered around taxation. Specifically "Taxation of the Rich". (This being an imagined cornerpost of Europe's recovery from its financial woes.)
I am not absolutely certain what Fekter wanted to say with this ( loosely translated ) statement:
            "...additionally in Europe we are building enormous 'enemy-images' against Banks and the Rich.
             We have done that once before against the Jews, meaning similar groups, and twice Wars
              broke out because of this."
Hey, Frau Fekter... how's that again? In Europe you hated the Jews but you actually hated the Banks and the Rich and that was the reason for WW I and WWII ? Therefore, your reasoning seems to go, no new Taxation on Financial Transactions or Wealth Taxation should be contemplated since this might lead to a new building of  "enemy-images".
Your confusion about Historical Facts as they are known is beyond belief . As far as I know neither of the two World Wars broke out because of hatred toward Banks and other Financial Institutions, epitomized by members of the Jewish community.
It is simply unforgivable for any member of the Austrian Government to connect the Holocaust with the current attempt by the European community to raise additional income.  It belittles what must be one of the most heinous crimes committed by Government sanction against any group of its citizens.

If after this demonstration of total ignorance this pathetic example of a politician does not herself resign, she must be fired from this or any other position in the Austrian Government.

Quick, hand her the 'pink slip'
Bertstravels

Berts Dictionary: "Fekterism": The Art of putting your foot in your mouth prior to putting your brain into gear.
                                              or: Saying out loud what comes to a non-existing mind.


        

Why did they invite him?

The 17 Finance Ministers of the European Union met in Poland recently. They invited  Mr. Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of Finance of the United States of America, specifically "to offer some advice on fixing Europe's sovereing debt and banking problems."
Mr. Geithner evidently is well aware that his own country has serious debt problems itself and therefore he kept his remarks to a few platitudes. He urged the E.U. to enlarge their bail-out fund, describing the US efforts to bolster the market in 2008, and to speak to their member states and the rest of the world with a united voice. He did not offer a fully developed plan and his remarks could in no way be interpreted as "preaching".
The Finance Minister of Austria, Mrs. Maria Fekter, however, had this to say after the meeting: "I had expected that, when he tells us how he sees the world, that he would listen to what we have to say."
The Belgian Finance Minister chimed right in, suggesting that "we Europeans do not need Advice from America."
So, one has to wonder: If they did not want to hear him speak, why did they invite him? Surely they did not ask him to come to their meeting and to keep his mouth shut, because "we Europeans have nothing to learn from the United States." Had they not invited him, he would obviously not have come and in his absence he would not have offended the Austrian and Belgian Finance Ministers, and probably 15 more.
I am certain that Mr. Geithner listened very attentively to everything said by all the Finance Ministers present, thusly fulfilling Frau Fekter's requirements.
Now one must ask again: Why in hell did they invite him?

Bertstravels

Up the HOCH OBIR

THIS TRULY IS LIVING IN SOLITUDE
incircled by almost threatening looking trees.

at the foot of thickly wooded foot hills
of the Steiner Alpen.

Once again, the Steiner Alpen.
Somewhere in this image there is the border between
Austria and Slovenia.

I'm never too sure where the Karawanken end
and the Steiner Alpen begin.
Just believe me that it's a beautiful area.

Really ????

This morning's news paper carries, as every Monday, a weather forecast for the week:
Guess what it predicts for tomorrow, Tuesday ??? This must be the most surprising development in all of weather prognostications:
"Tuesday there will be sunshine outside any cloud cover."
Who would have thought so? You mean to say there will be sunshine if there are no clouds?
Absolutely astonishing News.
I could go a step further:
Wednesday will be dry in non-rain areas.
While on Thursday, if there are no winds, calm weather will predominate.
On Friday the roads and the fields and the forests and the mountain slopes will be wet anywhere it rains.
The predictions for Saturday and Sunday are too astonishing to even contemplate.
I wonder whether Canada has the same unusual conditions?

come on, somebody hand me an umbrella.
Bertstravels.

There's my Hang Out...

In this deck chair I spend my afternoons...
many of them...
The temperatures, although it's already the 11th September
range between 25 and 33.
The water in the pool is 22, just the way I like it..
How much more could you wish for?

You just have to imagine me in this deck chair.
I know I could have used a tripod and a timer...
or I could have asked Christin to take a shot.
but I thought you might use your imagination
and just picture me in this chair.

Below:
That's as much as you are going to see of me:
"Me and my shadow"

Bleiburger Wiesenfest

"The "Bleiburger Wiesenfest"
or
The Bleiburg Festival of the Meadow

"A great time was had by all."

A Mini CNE
with as much fun.

An Old Friend is gone.

Leopold Schmirl
1932 - 2011

We just called him "Poldi"
He was a good friend.
From 1945 to 1951 we went to High School together.
We played on the same School Soccer team.
We played on the same School Handball team.
We studied Ancient Greek and Latin and Math. together!
When I travelled to Austria I often visited Poldi
and his lovely wife Inge in the small city of Altheim
where Poldi was the Post Master for many many years.
Poldi was one of those lovely people
who always had something good to say.
When I heard that he had left us
I cried.

R.I.P. Poldi.