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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

LAST SOCCER IN BLEIBURG

This was the last home game of the Season.
Bleiburg vs Spittal
In spite of superiority on the field, Bleiburg lost 3:2
What a shame. Our boys missed at least 5 excellent chances.
But, they also were not as dilligent as their opponents.


that made it 1:0 for Spittal



Here  is the very reason for our loss:
There are 8 Spittalers in front of Bleiburg's goal
and only 3 of our players decided to come back and defend.





Good keeper


Enthusiastic Spectators


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Art vs Art

Most people who know me, also know my taste in Art.
I dislike charlatans and therefore I dislike so-called Artists, who take a piece of canvass or paper, a brush and some paint, smear some paint with the brush on the canvass and then call it "Art".
Oh, I forgot, they almost always dream up a fabulous title, like "Imagination 1" or, "Deep Contemplation 6." or some such meaningless title. 
Every now and then I meet a true artist and I always like to see and show their work.
One such is "Monika" and here are just a few of her works.


Now, Monica does not call this painting 
"Devastation 17"
In fact, she calls it nothing. She just paints it and lets you look at it
and allows you to come up with your own words; if you need any.
and if the gentleness of her strokes and the balance of the painting as a whole
does not talk to you, then maybe you are deaf.


Can you see the whiff of smoke, which almost hesitatingly emanates from the chimney ?
The sun has just gone down, leaving a yellow-pink hew in the sky.
It's cold, nobody there;  the whole family safely snuggled up in their
"House in the Woods."
That's what I call it. Monica just shows it to you.


Just imagine: Monika paints a sunset.
In modern Art this is a No-No.
Even though, this sunset is beautiful.


Oh, horror of horrors: Monika paints a beautiful bunch of flowers.
I suppose she should have just slathered some different colour paints onto the middle of a canvass
and called it:
" ???"


Would somebody have called it "Poppies" ?




Funny, Funny, Funny

A man enters the doctor's office and says that he is really worried, since he is convinced that he is a moth.
"Well", says the doctor, "you have to visit the doctor across the hallway. He is a Psychiatrist".
"Sure", says the man, "but in your office the light was on".

Bertstravels
thinks this is really funny.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Not my own

Please  note that the posting below is not my own invention. I received it from a very funny lady in Toronto and embellished some a little.
Bertstravel 
is not a plagiator ...

The System, you and two cows !

SOCIALISM.
you have two cows:
The Government takes all the milk produced by one of them,  During collection and administration it spills 75% of the milk collected from you, gives you back 25% and proudly declares it "Social Progress".

COMMUNISM.
You have two cows,
The State takes both and gives you some milk, which in the process has curdled. If you say that you do not like curdled milk, you are sent to the Gulag for social re-education. If you say that you do not wish to be socially re-educated you are shot and the cows are given to a Party Official.: 

BUREAUCRATISM;
You have two cows, 
The State takes both, starts a file of vital statistics of both cows, forgets to feed one, milks the other and chemically analyses the milk and then throws it away, because you did no sign a document which you had never seen.

TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM
You have two cows
You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.

ROYAL BANK OF LICHTENSTEIN (VENTURE) CAPITALISM
You have two cows:
You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using Letters of Credit, opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a Tax Exemption for five cows.
The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company, secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed Company.
The annual report says the Company owns eight cows, with an option on one more.
You sell this option and with the proceeds you buy a Senator, leaving you with nine cows.
There is no Balance Sheet provided within this Annual Report.
The Public then buys your bull.

SURREALISM
You have two Giraffes:
The Government requires you to take harmonica lessons, before your are given a permit to clean their stable.

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows:
You sell one, water down the milk of the other, hire the biggest Ad Agency to tell the world that "Thin Milk" is great for your weight loss and general health.

A GREEK CORPORATION
You have two cows:
You borrow lots of Euros from the European Union to build barns, milking sheds, hay stores, abattoir, cheese unit and packing sheds.
At the end you still have two cows but the loan is forgiven.

A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows:
You go on strike, organise a riot and block roads, because you want three cows.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION.
You have two cows:
but you do not know where they are.  You decide to have lunch.

A SWISS CORPORATION
You have five thousand cows:
none of them belong to you and you charge the owners for storing them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows:
You have 300 people milking them. You claim that you have full employment and high bovine productivity.
You arrest the news man who reported the real situation.#

AN IRAQI CORPORATION.
Everyone says that you have lots of cows. You insist that you have none. They send an Inspection Team, who step into cow dung every step of their way, but they tell the world that you have no cows.

AN AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows
Business seems pretty good. You close the office and go for a few beers to celebrate .

Bertstravels
would be happy if he owned one cow.



Flowers....

Since nothing exciting has happened hereabouts, (although there would be lots to write about regarding the world of the Middle East),  I dug back into my picture library to show you some flowers:



The Turk's Hat Lilly,
growing in profusion in the Courtright Centre
and many other places.
I particularly like the beautiful balance of this flower,
as well as the slightly out of focus, supporting leaves below.

The "Blue Flag"
an Iris which likes to grow in wet, marshy soil.

"Calypso Orchid"
Just off Tobermory, at the Northern tip of
the Bruce Peninsula, there is the "Flower Pot Island"
In the middle, from the mouth of a narrow cave
 a lukewarm breeze blows steadily.
(All year long about the same temperature)
Therefore, in an area where Winter becomes pretty fierce
an Orchid grows, defying all expectations.

The "Lady Slipper"
another flower of the family of Orchids,
was found and photographed near Tobermory.
These two Orchids, the Calypso and the Lady Slipper
surely prove that Orchids do not only grow
in tropical areas.



Thursday, October 23, 2014

Canadian Song birds

"So where are you from ?" I asked Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac.
"From Toronto" one of them answered.
"So am I" I said, very happy to have met a co-patriot. And such a beautiful one at that.
"Where abouts in Toronto ?"
"Queen and Bathurst"
"Well just travel North on Bathurst till you get to Steeles and you might find me there"

Chit-Chat back and forth about 'Good Old TO'

Then it was time for them to return to the stage and continue a wonderful concert.
These two Canadian singers, appearing under the stage name of "Madison Violet", are on the "Austrian Leg" of their European tour. About 200 Concerts per year keeps them busy and invites them to enlarge their repertoire and improve their style constantly.

Their voices, in two tone harmony, sound like one. Their repertoire consists mostly of their own compositions with serious, but never maudlin, lyrics.

This duo of singers is most ably supported by Adrian Lawryshyn    ( b.&Voc) and Jeff Luciani, (dr & perc ) Those two stem from St. Catherines, Ont.

For me it was a special pleasure to listen to and meet four great Canadian artists.








The lighting ( what there was of it ) was partly fluorescent, partly incandescent and for effect, changed in colour from green to red, to blue, which did not make photography very easy.
In addition, the use of flash would have been disturbing to the artists and is threfore not practiced by

Bertstravels.


Monday, October 20, 2014

The "Extraordinary Synode" is over.

This "Extraordinary Synod", attended by about 190 Bishops and Cardinals is over and, as was to be expected and planned, issued no directive but simply, what one might call a "Discussion Paper".
To indicate how divided this Synod was, one only has to consider that in the final vote, only 3 out of 62 points reach an absolute majority.

Such comments as " Homosexuals have gifts and qualities which would be valuable for the Christian congregation" appeared in the half time report, but fell victim to the pressures of the conservative faction and disappeared in the final report.
So it seems that homosexuality in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church remains a Sin and remarried divorcees are still denied the "holy sacrament of communion".

It has become clear that not much has changed and I dare predict that after the final phase of the "Ordinary Synod" in October 2015, nothing much will then change either.
The presiding Cardinal of the German conference of Bishops, Cardinal Reinhard Marx summarized the Synod as follows: "We made two steps forward and one step back".
Please Mr. Marx, explain to me the "two steps forward" ? I rather think that you all were treading water. The Boston Globe commented that "for each Bishop who is kindly disposed toward reform, there is one who fears any change to existing tradition".

Cardinal Schönborn of Austria expressed his satisfaction concerning the final result: 
"I am satisfied, but not on all points." He lauds the "open climate and the improved method".
So, the climate and the method were great ? -- what about the result ?
During the up-coming Bishops' Conference in Vienna ( 3rd to 6th November), so the Cardinal announced, the themes of Marriage and Family will be discussed. Please note that there is no mention of the third issue of this just completed Synod: Sexuality. Guess for yourself why not.

What just happened is what usually happens when the Catholic Church gets together:
They talk a lot.


Bertstravels

Sunday, October 19, 2014

What an Autumn

It's 7PM and it has become dark ! No wonder. It is, after all the 19th day of October.
The day was filled with sunshine. I believe that the last 10 to 14 days have brought us nothing but blue skies and sun shine. Today, yesterday and the days before saw me in the pool.
While the water was not exactly warm, but at 14 - 15 degrees it was certainly tolerable. Outside, in the sun, and there was plenty of that, it was balmy. 

Last night we were in a small town in Slovenia, called Raune. They featured the "10th Slovenian Jazz Festival." An absolutely perfect Big Band: 5 reeds ( 1 baritone Sax, 2 Tenors and 2 Altos )
4 trombones, 4 trumpets and a rhythm section consisting of Piano, Bass, Guitar and Drums.
... three solo lady-singers... each of them absolutely a Jazz delight.. .. as Solo numbers they also featured a trumpeter, a clarinetist and a trombone player. That's in addition to the above numbered band.
What a delight to hear them play such standards as "Sophisticated Lady", "Blue Moon", "Satin Doll" and many other Duke Ellington, Count Basie and other wonderful melodies which brought home memories.  A big, full sound, throbbing rhythm and gentle melodic ballads.
I felt transported back into the 40s and 50s.
It was a delight.

An absolutely wonderful time was had by Christin and

Bertstravels.

A MOST INTERESTING REPORT...

... comes out of Baghdad:
So-called "Chemical Weapons" otherwise known as "Poison Gas", or "Weapons of Mass Destruction were found in the Chemical complex "Muthana", near Baghdad.
After the first Iraq war in 1991 this institution was closed by resolution of the U.N. and later allegedly used for the destruction of all Poison Gas weapons in the vast arsenal of Saddam Hussein.
Latest investigation, however, reveals that bunkers  within the Muthana complex were filled with "Sarin rockets", "Mustard Gas" filled artillery projectiles and substances required for the production of Cyanid and Zyklon B.

Now, do you remember in the year 2002, the United Nations, by resolution 1441 required Iraq to cooperate with  UN weapon inspectors, who were sent to this country for the express purpose of ascertaining that Iraq was no longer in possession of WMDs.
The Swedish diplomat, Hans Blix was appointed the head of  the "United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission".
When Saddam Hussein was "selective" regarding the sites to which he granted access to Blix and his inspectors (Yes, you may inspect this site and that site, but not those 6 sites) , Blix indeed warned Hussein to cease his "cat and mouse game" and threatened serious consequences if Iraq hindered or delayed the inspection process. Several months later, these "off limit" sites were opened up for inspection.
Does it take a great intellect to guess why Saddam successfully played for time on these selected sites?
As one would expect, Blix and his staff found nothing and, in fact, accused the US and the UK of dramatising the threat in order to strengthen the case for an invasion of Iraq.
Why would the US and the UK want to invade Iraq ?
Two reasons were stated:
1.)  To secure crude oil supply from this source, and 
2.) to prevent the cruel excesses perpetrated by Saddam Hussein upon his own people and upon his neighbours.
Of course, the accusation that the US wanted to secure its oil supply was the preferred stated reason.

The facts are: Iraq produces only 3.75 % of the world's oil production, while the US of A finds about 10% under its own soil, while Russia and Saudi Arabia together pump 26% of the world's production. This surely begs the question: Why would the USA start a costly war, when it could purchase all the oil it needs from Saudi Arabia and other countries, including Iraq? The USA expected that their involvement  in Iraq would cost about Sixty Billion US Dollars, The price per barrel of crude in the year 2003 amounted to approximately US$27.00.
Figure out for yourself how many barrels of crude could be bought for 60 Billion dollars.
In fact, the total cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars amounted to 2.2 Trillion US dollars.
Maybe there is something to the second point.
Let us examine Saddam Hussein's history in its relations with his own people and his neighbours:
Having become the unofficial leader of Iraq in the mid 1970s, he issued a decree in 1978 that anyone whose ideas were contrary to those of the leaders of the Baath Party, would be summarily executed.
His main targets were Shiite Muslims and ethnic Kurds. Although his own  religious group, the Sunnis were only about one third of the population, the other two thirds being made up of Shiites and Kurds.
Ultimately, Saddam was tried for 5 crimes against humanity:

1.) Reprisal against Dujail: As revenge for having his motorcade shot at by a group of militant opponents to his regime, Saddam had 140 fighting age men executed. Another 1,500 other towns people were rounded up and imprisoned. All houses of Dujail were bulldozed.

2.) Anfal Campaign. From March 1978 to May 1979 an effort to exterminate the Kurdish population in Northern Iraq was undertaken. 200,000 Iraqi soldiers attacked the area, rounded up the population (Kurds) and razed villages. Fighting-aged men were shot and buried in mass graves. Women, elderly and children were taken to relocation camps were many of them died.

3.) Chemical Weapons against Kurds. At the beginning of 1987 Iraq used Chemical Weapons against an estimated 40 Kurdish villages. In March of 1988 bombs filled with Mustard Gas and nerve agents were dropped upon the Village of Halabja, killing about 5000 persons

4.) Invasion of Kuwait. 2nd of August 1990 saw Iraq invade Kuwait, producing the six week long Persian Gulf War, during which the US pushed Saddam's troops out of Kuwait.

5.) In 1991 Shiites and Kurds rebelled against Saddam's regime. This rebellion was punished by the killing of thousands of "Marsh Arabs" and destruction of their villages. Ultimately the Iraqis build extensive drainage canals to divert the water from the marshes, thereby destroying the entire habitat of the people.

The above points do not include the eight year war, which was started by Iraq against Iran, during which various kinds of Chemical Weapons were being used by Iraq, producing thousands of victims.
It is estimated that Iran lost more than 50,000 casualties as a result of Iraq's use of Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Unfortunately it must be admitted, that many of the above atrocities were committed by Hussein initially with the  knowledge of the US and the EU

If Rome burnt while Nero fiddled, it must be stated that Iraq drowned in blood, while the World stood by and did nothing.

Earlier on we have listed two reasons for the invasion of Iraq by the USA. I believe that we have adequately discounted the first of the two. This leaves the second reason. Considering that the above listed attrocities commited by Hussein and his gang are but the tip of the iceberg, the second reason moves more and more into the realm of likelyhood.

Bertstravels.

The information for the above article was gleaned by searching the Internet, specifically Wikepedia but also other web sites.




Very funny:

A Veterinarian goes to see his doctor. The doctor asks: "Hallo, my friend, what ails you ?"
whereupon the Veterinarian, astonished, says: "Well, this way, it's easy."

Thursday, October 16, 2014

This is the end of Autumn ??

....more like Summer in all its glory.
It is Thursday, the 16th day of October.
Air temperature hovers around 23 C. in the sun.
Water temperature in our pool, about 16 C
What the h....  I've been swimming in Canoe Lake in March with Eric Sultmanis, the weekend after "the Ice had gone out" !!!

Eric would call to tell me: "Hey, Bert, the Ice has gone out yesterday ( say Wednesday ) !!!
On Saturday early morning I would hop in my car and drive the 250 km North from my house to Eric's, situated on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park.
Behind where Eric lived there was a dock from which we would jump into the Lake which featured a temperature of maybe 12 to 14 degrees C....   I do not remember the air temperature but I can assure you that it was no 23...
So we'd jump in, like kids, hollering: "Geronimoooooo"
almost turn in the air... hit the shockingly cold water and as quickly as we could swim back to the dock, climb out and wrap ourselves into a thick towel. 
A few minutes later, back in we went and this time stayed a little longer, getting almost used to the temperature. .. almost, I said..

During that time I was somewhere around 30...   now I am 82 and our swimming pool in the garden has to substitute for Canoe Lake...

Today, I did not holler: "Geronimoooo" and dive off the dock, but carefully climbed the pool ladder, swam a few length and returned to sanity a little later.

Christin took the pictures...

the swimming was done by

Bertstravels.









Don't kill the messenger ! Deal with the message!

It is indeed most difficult to understand why, each time I write about the Roman Catholic Church, specifically, or Christianity in general,  a storm of protest comes from certain quarters. 
None of them, unfortunately, address an issue I may have raised, present evidence or even argument to the contrary, but inevitably launch into a personal attack.
Are these persons so fanatical in their belief that they cannot deal with any criticism of their organisation?
So when I state, for instance, that it is reported that large numbers of the R.C. clergy cannot remain celibate, there is no admission, pleading that these Priests are, after all, humans, subject to human frailties - that they are a minuscule minority, etc. etc... a position I could readily understand and in part accept.
But such a statement from me is most often followed by an attack on my personal integrity, intelligence and bias. None of which has anything to do with what I said.
The issue is never discussed, because, I surmise, it is easier to attack the messenger, than to credibly deal with the message.

So, please do not call me a "heathen" or a "damned Atheist", but, if you like, call me an Agnostic.

Bertstravels
has no problem admitting this last description.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Soccer - for a change of pace -

It was a fascinating, tough game.
Bleiburg played against Feldkirchen. In the League standings, Feldkirchen is in 4th and Bleiburg in 8th place. So, one would think that Bleiburg was the under dog.
Under Dog ? Yes !  But a yapping, biting, barking under dog, who gave no quarters and fought bravely to the final whistle of a very good referee.
Early in the first half, Bleiburg scored a lovely goal and was leading the game 1:0 until the 75th minute, when Feldkirchen established the end result of 1:1

Here are a few pictures of this game:













Tuesday, October 14, 2014

OPEN; FREE AND BRAVE !

There was a report in yesterday's Newspaper concerning an interview with the German Cardinal Walter Kasper about the current "Special Synod of the Vatican". during which such questions as "Marriage, Family and Sexuality", all subjects about which a celibate Cardinal surely knows everything, are being debated.
When questioned about such issues as Homosexuality, Contraception, or the possibility of remarried, divorced persons receiving holy Communion, the Cardinal is reported to have said this:
"There is not yet a solution to the question, for instance, about remarried divorcees and the Eucharist.
What is New, however, is that the Synod fathers (Cardinal  members of the Synod) are very open, free and brave in their communications with each other."
This, of course, begs the questions: Were the Cardinals during previous Synods close-minded, fettered and cowardly?
 "This Openness", the Cardinal then continues,  "has just now started. The final document, I believe, will be a consensus of Questions rather than Answers."
Cardinal Kasper must surely be commended for his honesty, when, in a veiled way, he admits that he does not expect any changes to the existing posture of the Church in these matters as a result of this Synod.
For instance, it is now, and will likely remain forbidden by the Church to use a condom in Africa, although this use would surely help in stopping the spread of Aids in parts of this Continent.
The expected reply from the Catholic quarters will be that abstinence is always the best protection against venereal disease and also the only permissible contraceptive.
This surely is cynicism of the highest degree, when one considers that many, maybe most Catholic Clergy are unable to remain celibate, but it is suggested that a normal, virile African male should do so.
However, let us return to Cardinal Kasper and his "Special Synod":
The question is put to the Cardinal: "In this Synod the forces defending existing doctrine stand in rigid opposition to those who would like to deal with Reality.Is this the composition of the two camps? 
To this the Cardinal replies: "One must join these two ideas: Doctrine and Reality. Doctrine is not pored in concrete and is not carved in stone. The question of remarried divorcees receiving Holy Communion is truly a key theme. It turns on "Mercy", which is not to be confused with "Giving -In" in respect of the principles.
Please, Mr. Kasper, tell me this again: You suggest to show "Mercy" to remarried divorcees, but you will not "give in" regarding the "Principles" (Doctrine or Dogma) of your church.
If I understand this correctly: The Principle remains in force, but you will show Mercy to those who act against these Principles.
Do I have this right ? Yes? No?
This is, as usual, the two-faced, fork-tongued position taken by the Church when it finds itself in an unsolvable dilemma.
Let me remind you of another "unalterable" doctrine:
Unbaptised children cannot, by doctrine or dogma be admitted to heaven, since St. Augustine, in the 5th Century, wrote that "unfortunately", due to Original Sin they cannot enter heaven.
What an embarrassment for the Church, mired in an absurd position, amid a reasonably enlightened lay world.
How can the Catholic church justify its position vis a vis unbaptised children and their inevitable slide into Hell, where eternal pain and suffering awaits them ?
Not a Problem: In the 13th Century they simply invented a place called "Limbo" and Thomas Aquinas assured concerned Catholic  parents that infants would not suffer pain and be "reasonably happy" in Limbo. 
And so it stayed until the 21st Century, when, in 2005, thirty Catholic Theologians from all over the world gathered in the Vatican as members of the "International Theological Commission".
As Vincent Bugliosi in his brilliant book "The Divinity of Doubt" exclaims: 
"Can you imagine that ? Thirty grown men, with all types of doctorate degrees, wearing suits and ties, fly to Rome and engage in serious discussions about Limbo. - It's mind boggling.
Two years later, on the 20th April 2007, this panel issues a 41 page report titled:
"The Hope and Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised", in which they recommend to Pope Benedict XVI that the Catholic church should permit unbaptised children to go to heaven.
Isn't it absolutely audacious for the Catholic Church to assume for themselves the right to decide who goes where ? And how will they deal with the need to change a Dogma ?
The Dogma states: "Souls who depart this Life in a State of Original Sin are excluded from the beatific Vision of God.
And some maintain that this "exclusion" is tantamount to Hell.

Do we truly expect meaningful changes from this rigid institution?
Allow me a slight variation on a Biblical Quote:
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for the Roman Catholic church to change one iota of any of its existing Doctrines or its irrevocable Dogmas.

There would be so much more to say, but I shall quit while I am ahead.

so says 

Bertstravels.

.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Body and Soul

At around 428 BC a boy was borne into a Greek Patrician family and because he showed great intelligence early in life, he was sent to the finest school.
One of his teachers was Socrates and it was from this Greek Philosopher, that he, Plato, got the idea of the existence in Man of a Soul.
Along with Socrates, Plato postulates the existence of a three part soul..

1.) Appetitive : controlling Basic Instincts. ( plus others )
2.) Rational  : controlling the Want of Truth and Wisdom ( plus )
3.) Spirited  : controlling Self Preservation ( plus others )

Socrates and Plato simply decided that there must be a Soul, without, of course, being able to present any evidence for its existence. Looking at the logic need for the existence of an immortal soul, their arguments are also non-logical.
Opposite Forms, Plato finds, cannot exist within the same object: The same object cannot be large and small at the same time. Since the Soul comes to life because it is part of Life, it cannot also be part of Death. Therefore the Soul must be immortal.
Since, however, the concepts of 'large' and 'small' are concepts of comparison, an object may well be both. A warrior's shield may well be large when compared to a coin, but be thought of as very small when compared in size to the wheel of a chariot.
If a Soul comes to life at conception of human Life, why can it not also die at the end of human Life?

In any event, since neither Socrates, nor Plato, nor anybody else has succeeded in demonstrating the existence of a Soul either through evidence, nor through logical deduction, it is pointless to speculate upon its immortality.
Socrates concepted the existence of a Soul out of whole cloth and Plato simply bought into this supposition.

Now, we move about 1600 years into the future and the development of Christianity is in full swing.
St. Thomas, in 1311, ( Council of Vienne ) defines, as of faith, that the Rational Soul is one with the Appetitive and the Spirited Soul.
This three part Soul exists in the body and makes up human nature.

The study of the Soul has vexed many a Philosopher and Theologian. There are about as many interpretations as there are Philosophers.
Sometimes the differences are fundamental and sometimes they are insignificant.

On one thought Christianity is unanimous: The Soul is immortal. The Soul must be immortal, since if it were not, Christianity would have to close up shop.
Without an immortal Soul, there would be no Life after Death, there would be neither Heaven nor Hell, nor Purgatory.
The incontrovertible evidence is that the human BODY is NOT immortal. Therefore what is it which goes to Heaven or to Hell ?
The belief that on Judgement Day, the Resurrection of human flesh and blood rises to either place is so absurd that only very few fanatical Christians still believe in this phenomenon.

Now, I ask you  Is there such a thing as A SOUL ?
If there is, is it just the carrier of our conscience ?
Will it die when our body dies?
Or is it immortal, and at the instance of our death goes to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory ?

Or did Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and along with them, before and after, many other thinkers just come up with something out of their imagination, something for which they had absolutely no proof either through direct observation or through true logical deduction ?

I think they all were dreaming in technicolour.

Bertstravels





Wednesday, October 8, 2014

The Fox in Algonquin

Hiking along the abandoned railroad tracks I saw,out of the corner of my eye something light brown disappear into the bush.
For a moment I thought it was a fox. However, I abandoned this idea quickly. 
It was too close! One moment it was here, the next it was gone, like a brown lightning.
There was a little indentation in the bush, just off the track, which was just right for a short rest and a little noonday snack.
I sat there, quietly, munching on an apple and a slice of dark bread, when, suddenly this "brown lightning" stuck his head out from beneath a bush. And, lo and behold, it was a fox.
A light brown body, with black legs and white markings. 
We both just sat there, quietly looking at each other, not moving. After a good 10 minutes I decided to take a chance and very slowly I reached for my camera, and even more slowly raised it to eye level and took one shot. The fox disappeared back into the bush.
I was certain that he/she would come back and satisfy his curiosity.
I remained sitting as still as I could and in order to avoid any unnecessary movement I left the camera at eye level.

Suspicions confirmed: 

In less than five minutes he was back and curled up as if she intended to stay a while. During the next half hour I took at least 30 shots. 
What a pleasure this encounter was:



It was Autumn, along the Mizzy Lake Trail !...



....When all of a sudden this brown, bushy-tailed wonder came out from the underbrush.



...curiously we eyed each other...


Then she cautiously surveyed her surroundings,
...just to make sure ...


Then, convinced that I was no danger,
he settled down, curled up and with his shining brown eyes
stared  directly into my camera's lens.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Autumn Highlights


Misty Lake is encircled with coniferous trees, giving it a necklace of green.
Right behind a hill rises, covered with maple trees,and the occasional golden Willow.
At certain times, when the sun hits it at the right angle,
you'd swear that the entire hill was ablaze.





At the southern end of Algonquin, Highway 60 cuts through, past, amongst many other lakes,
 the 'Lake of Two Rivers'
In the early morning before the first winds have sprung up, the lake lies there, as smooth as a mirror
and the trees reflect perfectly in the still waters.



Along this Highway many lakes can be accessed by car to several well equipped camp sites.
Here is a truck on its way to Ottawa.
This corridor, however, is disdained by the "real" canoeists and campers, who seek the interior of Algonquin
reachable only by Canoe, with portages connecting many lakes.






Monday, October 6, 2014

Algonquin Autumn

A few years ago I, once again, spent a week in Algonquin Park and photographed the colours of Fall.
You can sit there and look at the many shades of Green and Gold and finally Red and marvel at the beauty of this colourful Season.
                 Instead of talking about it, let me show it to you.


The rock formations of the Canadian Shield
allow the growth of coniferous as well as deciduous trees
neatly rooted in small cracks in which the seeds found enough protection to sprout seedlings which send their roots out
 and finally encircle the rock.



The Mizzy Lake Trail leads in part along 
a long abandoned railroad track, 
with small ponds on either side.  
Now and then a colourful young maple tree,
just to add to the painter's or photographer's joy.


What more do you want ?


Saturday, October 4, 2014

The Turtle and the Duck

There are territorial disputes everywhere.
The Russians and the Ukraine argue over the Crimea
The Israelis and the Palestinians fight in the Gaza,
China argues with the Philippines,
there are, in fact, at the present time over 150 territorial disputes going on, mostly in Africa and Asia.

So why should there not be a territorial dispute in the middle of Algonquin Park ?


Turtle: "I would like to inform you, that you are illegally standing                on my log."

Duck: "This log has been in my family for centuries. My people                    have been standing AND SITTING on this log for                            generations.Therefore, I stand or, if I want to, sit on this log              legally.

Turtle: "If you do not vacate this log at once, I shall have to use                    force."


Duck: " Oh yeah ? You and whose Army ?"


Friday, October 3, 2014

In Algonquin Park, Ont. Canada

After a long, long paddle you reach the mouth of the "Hail Storm Creek Marsh".
About 10km from East to West and about 2km from North to South it extends in an easterly direction from the North end of Lake Opeongo. 
The peace and silence you can find there cannot be described, but must be experienced.
With camera in your lap you sit there and marvel at the beauty of nature. Not a stroke with the paddle. Just let the wind take you where it may. 
A Blue Heron standing still in the reeds, its beak straight up into the air, as if looking at the sky, perfectly camouflaged, at first glance, just another reed.
A family of Otter playing in a mud slide, seemingly chasing each other, giving forth a high pitched squeal, as if they were laughing.
The bush along the shore line opens quietly and the most magnificent Moose, you have ever seen wades up to its thighs and starts digging for Water Lilly roots. It is so intent upon feeding from the underwater riches that it never notices, or maybe it just does not care, that you are coming closer and closer.

Just a very small section of the almost
8000 square kilometers large Algonquin Park





 The remains of what must have been a huge tree
stands like a sentinel at the mouth of  Hail Storm Creek Marsh


Just before you enter the marsh,
 where the water is still deep enough for a Loon to fish, 
a parent offers a freshly caught fish to its chick.
The fish is obviously much too big for the chick,
 but pecking away at it, it gets the taste
 of what will be its almost exclusive sustenance.



Waterlillies abound in the relatively shallow waters of the Marsh.


A young frog takes a little rest on a Lilly frond.


A Water Lilly in all its splendour.



It is Spring time and this Bull Moose, after a long winter, 
feasts on the roots of Water Lillies.