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.