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Monday, December 23, 2019

Will they ever learn?

I haven't written about the Catholics in quite a while.
The whole thing is simply too stupid to worry about.
But here I am again: This time with two issues:
Pope Franciscus spoke to members of the "Civil Service" of the Vatican and said that, in order for the Church to stay relevant in an ever deeper secularized world, it must reform.
Quoting the late Arch-Bishop of Milan he said: "The Church has stopped developing 200 years ago. Why does it not move?  Are we afraid?"
Dear Franciscus: I believe that the Church has developed backwards during the last 2000 years.
Start with the teachings of the man Jesus Christ and follow the development of his institution over the next two hundred  Centuries and you will have to admit that the whole movement went downhill from then onward. Until today where it is the most contradictory, most deceitful movement extant.

The second issue worthy of a line or two: 
Very recently, after the then governing Bishop Schwartz was moved to another position, ( that's what the Catholics are great at: a Criminal is not punished. He is just transferred to another post ) his successor, Archbishop Josef Marketz suggested that he would be in favor of abolishing the Celibate, and actually allow Priests to marry. In an interview he allowed that it would be easier for a Priest to work in his constituency, if he knew what Every Day Life was all about.
Now my imagination is clicking in: 
Joe gets a call from Rome... from the Franciscus himself, who tells Joe that this is a no-go. ... and who does he think he is, saying things like this in public.? The common folk might agree with it and where would we be then? Now you back out of this mess you got yourself into... and make it fast. You hear?"
The very next day the new Bishop told "Kathpress" that he was of course in favor of the Celibate, since the "unmarried state of Catholic Priests was the format of life chosen by Jesus Christ and the Priest would be free for his service to the people."

Now this is a quick change. quicker than you can find in a Vaudeville performance.
Today: No Celibate! Tomorrow: Yes, of course Celibate.
And these jokers aren't even ashamed of themselves.

Bertstravels
thinks it's funny

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Tonc Feinig plus Six


MUSIC FROM THE SOUTH.

We, that's Christin and I, drove to Villach yesterday, in order to listen to Tonc Feinig  on the Piano, Daniel Nösig - trumpet, Wolfgang Puschnik - Alto Sax, Michael Erian - Tenor Sax, Marius Vavti on the Slide Trombone, David Dolliner on  bass and, last but not least, Klemens Markl on drums.
If you want to hear the best of the best on their respective instruments, this was the place to be.
What a Concert in the so-called "Kulturhofkeller. A real basement dive, suggesting what a Jazz-dive must have been like in the early days of Jazz.
The place was jammed to overflowing and, I guarantee you, there wasn't one of the crowd who was not swinging in their soul.
The lighting was dim, as befits such a place, very conducive to Music, but not to photography without a flash. 
My camera goes up to 6400 ISO, and I hand-held at 50 shutter-speed.
The images below are the best I could do.
Well, why were you not there? You could have not only seen this band but, far more important, you could have heard one of the greatest Septets not only here in "the South of Carinthia", but anywhere.





Tonc` Feinig
One of the finest on the keyboards, anywhere !





Marius Vavti
You cannot get much smoother on the Slide.
In the background, David Dolliner on the Bass





Wolfgang Puschnik
On the Alto Sax.
In years from an earlier generation, but in Music: Very Much Today, if not Tomorrow.



Klemens Marktl
The MASTER OF PERCUSSION:


What can I tell you about 
Daniel Nösig?
Silver notes tumble out of his horn, in an almost breath-taking cascade.




David Dolliner
A young man who turns the Rhythm instrument into the 6th presenter of Melody.

Now, aren't you sorry that you did not go to Villach, last night.
Just as well you didn't. You would not have gotten a seat.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Two Great Ones

Two of the absolutely Great Ones on their respective instruments.
There is Tonc Feinig on the keyboards and his percussionist, 
Klausi Lippitsch.
Unfortunately you can't hear them on my Blog, so you will have to buy the CD.
It's fabulous at twice the price.
It is unusually exciting music.




Tonc (say: Tontsch) Feinig on the Keyboard, and vocal.
Clearly and without doubt, one of the very best.


Klausi Lippitsch
a percussionist "par excellance."


Saturday, December 7, 2019

7th December 1941

On this day, in 1941, the Japanese Navy, Air Service did the biggest favor to England and to the rest of Europe, when they bombed in a sneak attack,  part of the U.S. Pacific fleet, anchored in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
The following day, Germany declared war on the U.S.A.
As an obvious direct consequence the isolationist mood of the people of America changed dramatically, allowing President Roosevelt to actively assist Great Britain in its struggle against Nazi Germany. The overpowering might of production and its military strength ultimately enabled the United States of America together with its allied forces to defeat the most brutal dictatorship Europe had ever known.
So lets all give a heartfelt "Thank You" to the Japanese for their ill-considered, cowardly attack on Pearl Harbor. 

Bertstravels


What a Pun !!!

A man sat in his boat in the middle of a lake.
He wanted to have a leisurely smoke and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. 
To his dismay he discovered that he had neither matches nor a cigarette lighter.
How was he going to have a smoke? He thought a while, then the answer to his problem hit him:
He pulled one cigarette from the pack and threw it over board.
This way the whole boat became one cigarette lighter.

Bertstravels
just loves puns.