PICTURE POST- Farmers Arriving!

I took this photo in the small Hungarian village of Tiloy.This is a family of farmers arriving for an afternoon of fun at the Village festival.

(A) - House Flies - They are small black and dirty - and we hate them - But, they are interesting, too!

House Flies!

They are small, black and everyone hates them. They share our homes and eat all they can get! They are the House Fly.

But, these little miracles of nature have another side, too. They are good at surviving. House flies can fly at 11 kilometres an hour, and with their 6000 little eyes they can see danger coming and fly out the way. And, there's more! In their 34 day lifespan, house flies can lay more than 400 eggs.

But, not everyone hates them. House flies are perfect for lunch and are loved by spiders and birds.

And little Susie? She keeps a house fly under her bed in a box, and its name is Erich!

Vocabulary

danger – Gefahr

fly (fly/flew/flown) – fliegen

hate – (hate/hated/hated) – hassen

house fly – Stubenfliege

lifespan - Lebenszeit

miracle – Wunder

share (share/shared/shared) – teilen

surviving – überlebenys

Questions

Why do you hate house flies?

How fast can house flies fly?

How many eyes have house flies got?

What do house flies eat for lunch?

How many eggs do house flies lay?

Where does Susie keep Erich?

For how long can a house fly live?

(C) - The Natural Chain - Darwin wasn't the only person who had an idea!

For full audio/visual  article PLEASE CLICK HERE -  

The Natural Chain - Some logical thoughts and a simple explanation!

by Nigel A JAMES

It is a fairly accepted fact that Charles Darwin was correct when he wrote On the Origin of the Species. And, I, too, like most people, agree with that which he wrote. That is to say, with most of it. There were just one or two minor things that I wasn't happy with and one of them was that man is at the top of the evolutionary pile! Man is more than that. Man is more than himself!

It is a fact that everything on this earth shares exactly the same origin, and, everything that exists does so because of one incredible coincidence. All of us, and everything else, too, has not only to thank the big bang for being here, but also that which preceded it. All of us, with no exception at all, have been on our way here since that first fiery moment of long, long ago (and possibly before it, too). And, the fact that we are here right now has only to do with our position in the chain of the being! But, people are unlike anything else on this planet. We are special.

And we are special because of our status! Every other being, be it animal, vegetable or mineral is simply a passive link in the natural chain. We, on the other hand, are able to decide upon the next link, and it doesn't have to be a son or a daughter. It can even be a ship or a plane or a train! Because we are part of nature, then everything which we create is also a part of nature, and, our creations and inventions will then assume their role as part of the natural chain. And airplanes are the perfect example.

The first plane which was able to actually fly was a very simple machine, and, it flew for just a few meters. But, once out of the box, it had to become more. This invention of man sucked more and more people into its being until it became what it is today. It has, if you so wish, decided the fate of millions of people. And in more than one way! Planes can do much. They can take us on holiday, they can rescue us, and, unfortunately, they can kill us. Just look at fighters and bombers. So, this of course means that all of the horrible bombs which they drop, because they are only possible because of planes which we built, are also a part of the natural chain! And, of course, when we bomb people we injure them, and then (if there are any survivors!) we need medicine.

And medicine, too, is also part of the natural chain! Sometimes good, and sometimes absurd! We can terminate life with it, abortions are perfect examples, and we can cure. Meaning, then, that our power over life and death is also a part of the natural chain.

But, much of that which we created was intangible, too. And, at the top of the list was religion. And, like most abstracts, it not only caused great hardship, but moments of joy and pure beauty as well. But, of course the big question still remains: did we create God, or, did he create us? The choice, again, is all ours. Again it is simple! God exists because we want him to.

And, so, where does this leave the future? It leaves it in the same place as the past before we arrived! Before we were born we were happy! We had no idea of life or this world or anything else. Nothing existed. And the same will be again when we leave! Nothing will exist – and we will be happy again! And that, too, is part of the natural chain!

(B+) The Toorington Bells - Barbara Lawrence and Style and Smile - A story with a story!

Please click here for full AUDIO/VISUAL page.

Toorington Bells – Barbara Lawrence 

Style and Smile

Barbara Lawrence is the lady in Toorington whose job it is to make people look nice. And, sometimes even exceptional. Barbara Lawrence is the owner of Style and Smile - Toorington's own little hairdresser's shop. And, business is great at Style and Smile. Barbara Lawrence and her team of hard working girls really know what they're doing. They've won lots of good prizes. Style and Smile is very well known.

But, of course, women don't only go to Style and Smile for a perm and a cut, they go for the gossip as well. And, Barbara and her girls do all that they can to encourage this art of light entertainment. They know when to say yes, no, oh dear!, what a shame, deary me, and “well I never – who'd have believed it” – and many more phrases as well. And, Barbara Lawrence and her team always promise to keep every thing secret. But, as everyone knows, women only confide in their 10 closet friends – meaning – everyone in Toorington knows everyone's secrets.

But, there's one thing in Toorington that its women have never forgotten. It's all about Barbara. And, it's the one thing that Barbara Lawrence would love to forget. And, it happened a long time ago.

Style and Smile had only been going for just six very short months at the time. And, because Sally, Barbara's assistant, was ill, Barbara was doing all the work on her own. And, being a Friday, Style and Smile was busy. In fact, very, very busy. And, Barbara had two chairs on the go, and waiting her turn was Raechel Hall of the Toorington Arms.

And, then the story began. The lady in the left chair was in for a perm and to have her hair dyed. Red was her choice. And, the lady in the right chair was in for the same, excepting, her hair was going to become blue. So far so good. And, the gossip and the afternoon tea were flowing and everyone was having great fun. And, Barbara Lawrence finished the ladies, and whilst they were sitting under the old fashioned dryers Raechel Hall had her hair done. Nothing much – just a bit shorter. No change of colour. For her, her natural white was just fine.

And, then came the shock.

And, it was a very big shock! The lady on the left had become blue, and the lady on the right had become red! Barbara had mixed up the colours. There was silence. No one knew what to say. But, not for too long. It was Raechel Hall who found the right words. With great exclamation, Raechel Hall told the two ladies how fantastic they looked. And, Barbara Lawrence agreed. And soon, the two ladies started agreeing as well. And so, Barbara Lawrence made a nice cup of tea and the gossip and the fun started flowing again. There were three customers with three different colours, red, white, and blue - 3 great British colours. And, of course, there was Barbara Lawrence and she was relieved. And, this was a mistake she only made once.

Barbara Lawrence is the lady in Toorington whose job it is to make people look nice. And, one day she did something different. Red not blue and blue instead of red. But, this time no prizes. And, the ladies of Toorington have never forgotten. But, Style and Smile is still smiling. The ladies of Toorington know just how lucky they are!

Barbara Lawrence. She and her girls are Style and Smile.

Vocabulary

confide – vertrauen

deary me - Oh weh!

exceptional – außergewöhnlich

exclamation – mit großen Aufruf

gossip – Tratsch

hair dyed – Haar gefärbt

light entertainment – leichte Unterhaltung

oh dear – Oh Weh

on the go – in betrieb

perm – Dauer Welle

relieved - erleichtert

well I never, who'd have believed it – unglaublich

well known – sehr bekannt

what a shame – wie schade

..

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PICTURE POST - At a Wedding in Riga - I took this photo in Riga in 2014.

Two little children.  Brother and sister?  They were watching the bide and groom.  I couldn't resist this picture.

(A) - Cockroaches - Man's Little Best Friends - They have been with us for ever!

 Please click here for full AUDIO/VISUAL page

Cockroaches by Nigel A JAMES

Cockroaches are not very fussy. They eat all that they can find. And, their favourite dishes are unwashed plates that have been left overnight  in the sink. For them, there's nothing more delicious than food that is rotten!

And, the place they love best is under the fridge. It is warm, it is quiet, and it's not far from food! For them it's fantastic!

So, what about your kitchen? Just look behind the fridge if you dare! There might be very many little cockroaches there!

And, what about little Jenny? She lives in London and her cockroaches live in  the pocket of a coat in her cupboard.  They are friendly and easy to keep. They can look after themselves. And Jenny doesn't have to take them for walks. They go out on their own every night! What could be better?

Vocabulary

choosy – wählerisch

considerate – rücksichtsvoll

cockroaches – Kakerlaken

dare – wage (dare/dared/dared)

delicious – schmackhaft

dish – Gericht

favourite dish – Lieblings Gericht

fridge - Kühlschrank

fussy – heikel

in common – gemeinsam

might be – vielleicht sein

nocturnal – nachtaktive

overnight – übernacht

rotten – verdorben

sink – Abwasch

unwashed plates – schmutzige Tellern

Questions

What do cockroaches eat?

Why don't people like cockroaches?

Why do cockroaches like living behind fridges?

What is the best place to find food in a kitchen?

Why is it not good to leave dirty dishes in the sink?

Who is the fussiest person you know?

When did you last look behind your fridge?

Where do Jenny's cockroaches live?

Karli Breeber is a very good friend!

Please CLICK HERE for link to Karli Brieber 

                           Karli Brieber is a Friend of Diarikom!

 

KARLI  BRIEBER - ACCOUNTANCY - TAX ADVISER - BOOK KEEPING AND MORE!
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR LINK

(C) - Suffer the Little Children - Corinne Maier saw little children in a very unusual way!

Please click here for full text!

Suffer the Little Children! A book by Corinne Maier

You may need to adjust the volume!

In 2009, I read an interview in the Wiener Zeitung – an Austrian paper. Corinne Maier, the provocative French Author and psychoanalyst, said that childhood was a disaster. And her then latest book, No Kids – 40 Reasons for Not Having Any managed to shock the entire French nation.

This book was too much for the normally very cool French and feelings were high. Having children, said Corinne Maier, was just about the worst and most stupid thing that anyone could possibly do!

Children were boring and dull and with them you were never free to do what you wanted. And, school holidays were the worst. They were restricted to mindless time-killing things. Kids loved zoos and Disney World. Both, as Corinne Maier believed, were as bad as the plague. And, as for museums - or any other kind of culture – forget it!

Then, of course, there was Christmas. This was the one time in the year when people could prove what good parents they actually were. All that was needed was a very good present. The rule was, and still is, if the kids are happy - then the parents are happy as well!

Corinne Maier found nothing good to say about children. She described them as leeches, killjoys, future losers, boring, and squealing Gremlins. All of which naturally meant that she, too had been all of these things when she was a child! And being a child was something she hated and the reason was simple.

Corinne Maier was born in Geneva which really makes her Swiss – not French, a fact which she blamed for her very boring childhood! She hated school, she had no real friends, and, her father was an unexciting businessman, and her mother a tiresome housewife! So what sort of person is Corinne Maier now?

Surprisingly, Corinne Maier is, despite her very own 40 good reasons for being the opposite, a mother! She has 2 children which she had because she was scared of being alone, and life, because of them, is a battle. She has to get them up in the morning, she has to feed and cloth them, she has to make sure that their homework is done, and, because they take all of her time, she can’t be herself.

And this is her problem. Childhood, she says, is not paradise, and children are nothing other than objects which are owned and controlled by their parents. Utopia is being grown-up – because it is then that one can do what one wants. And, as far as Corinne Maier is concerned, if you really want to bring up a parasite, then you're better off with a gigolo.

All very strong words. In short, Corinne Maier is everything that she never wanted to be. Maybe she was just scared of herself. Or, is the answer much simpler? Could it be that she simply hates life? A good question. But judging by the number of people who bought and read her book to the end, she must be a very good writer!

Corinne Maier, a writer who wrote about a subject she hates. But, does she hate all the money it made her? Children normally cost very much money, but Corinne Maier was clever! Her children not only made her a fortune, but shocked the French nation as well! And, that's a very hard thing to do! Au revoir Madame Maier!

Language Assistance – English – German

*(No kids. 40 Gründe, Keine Kinder zu haben)

*Suffer – an old English word for allow/let - erlauben/lassen. Its modern meaning is (in German) leiden.

boring – langweilig

childhood – Kindheit

despite – trotzdem

disgust – Empörung

feelings – Gefühle

future loser – zukünftiger Verliere

important – wichtig

leeches – Klette

mindless – gedankenlos

most stupid – dümmste

opposite – Gegenteil

owned – own(s)/ besaßen.

parents – Eltern

plague – Pest

prove – beweisen

provocative – herausfordern

purchased – kaufte

rubbish – Mist

squealing gremlin – Kreischende Gremlin

tiresome – lästig

trail – Spur.

unexciting – langweilig

worst – Schlimmste.

(B+) - Beate Droppelmann and Rita Aschiller - They have a great little theatre - and all in the palms of their hands!

For full /AUDIO/VISUAL  page - please CLICK HERE  

Beate Droppelmann and Rita Schiller

The Magic of Excitement

There's always a feeling of excitement before the start of each show at the The Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops (The Schillerdrops Glove Puppet Theatre). And, this is all part of the action. For this is the time when the kids learn the songs of the show. And so, when the curtain goes up, the kids are not only excited, but geared up as well.

And, involving the children is the most important part of Beate Droppelmann’s and Rita Schiller’s glove puppet theatre. Children love being involved. The children’s singing is special; it makes everyone part of the action, meaning, everyone who comes is a very special guest.

And, the puppets, too, are very, very special. Each has a soul and a life of its own. And, of course, all were hand-made by Beate and Rita. And, of course, these special little puppets need very special plays to perform in. Every production is Beate's and Rita's own work. These girls, too, write wonderful plays. They are brilliant playwrights. Nothing but the best for their fine little players.

But, the best thing of all is that there is no violence at all. And, this is important. The Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops is not Punch and Judy. The children have nothing to fear. The only message the children take home is one of great joy and the hope to come back again.

There's always a feeling of excitement before the start of each show. And, the excitement and magic never stop at the Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops. The Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops has been going now for more than ten years, and it's still getting better and better.

Beate Droppelmann and Rita Schiller – they have something that's special - and it's open for all special people – and that includes you - and all the little people you love.

Beate Droppelmann and Rita Schiller. The Magic of Excitement

Please don't go away - recording automatically jumps to vocabulary - ca - 20 seconds!

Vocabulary

excitement - Aufregung

geared up – Startbereit

joy – Freude

play – Theaterstück

playwright – Dramatiker

soul – Seele

violence – Gewalt 

The Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops plays mainly in Vienna. For details of their programme and other information please visit their web-site – CLICK HERE!

Vocabulary

excitement - Aufregung

geared up – Startbereit

joy – Freude

play – Theaterstück

playwright – Dramatiker

soul – Seele

violence – Gewalt 

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A9949 – Short Stories and More – A new story each day!

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Picture Post - Bus Stop - Waiting and Looking Down - Vienna 2012

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This boy was a regular part of local street life.  I took this photo in 2012. Where is he now?  What has become of him?

(A/B) - Austria - The First Republic - A short history

For full AUDIO/VIDEO PAGE - please click HERE – or - onto picture or text.

The First Republic of Austria

The First Republic of Austria was proclaimed on the 12^th of November, 1918. It lasted until shortly before the Second World War.

The First Republic was marked by very, very hard times. There was poverty, mass unemployment and hunger. Things were very bad, and, in 1934 there was a short civil war.

But, the First Republic was not only bad. In the 1920s and 1930s, very many schools, hospitals and good social housing projects were built.

The First Republic was hard! But, the Second Republic is perfect. Austria is now one of the nicest and happiest countries in the world!

The First Republic of Austria - a hard stepping stone on the way to where Austria is now. A time that made Austria strong!

Vocabulary

apartment - Wohnung

civil war – Bürgerkrieg

hunger - Hunger

lasted- Dauerte (last/lasted/lasted)

poverty – Armut

proclaimed - ausgerufen (proclaim/proclaimed/proclaimed)

shortly before - kurz vorher

social housing projects - Gemeindebauten

still is - noch immer

unemployment – Arbeitslos

were built – wurde gebaut

world war – Weltkrieg

(C) - Walls - Walls are a part of our lives - and - they come and they go!

For full audio/visual page PLEASE CLICK HERE!

WALLS - A short essay designed to keep thinking in place - by Nigel A JAMES

Walls have never failed to interest me. Whilst still very young, I remember being fascinated by the thought of that which lay behind a very long brick wall which I passed on my way to my school everyday. Unfortunately, I never discovered what it was! But, I have never forgotten the wall . And then, later on in life, I couldn't help wondering why Berlin needed a wall which ran bang through its middle! Walls, in a word, are a subject of interest.

And, walls come in many different shapes, lengths, sizes and heights. And, all this has to do with the purpose for which they were built. And, surprisingly, the number of reasons for putting up walls are, in fact, only two.

Walls are either for keeping people or things in, or for keeping them out. And, that's why walls are a very big part of our lives. All of us need them and most of us want them.

Walls are the guardians of our privacy. We need them to separate that which is ours from everyone else's; and the higher and stronger the better. And, society is walls within walls within walls. Some are good and some are bad, and many are necessary and some are of no use at all. And our walls begin with ourselves.

Many people build invisible walls around themselves so as to prevent others from getting too close, and others see walls around others which really aren't there at all. Walls are both real and imaginary.

Prisons, of course, need walls to keep people in. And quite rightly so. But what about our borders which are there to keep people out? They, too, are walls – but of a different nature. shouldn't national boundaries be things of the past? We are, after all, all part of the one same world!

So, which walls do we really need? There is a saying in America which says that good garden fences make very good neighbors. There is a lot of truth in this pocket size packet of wisdom. And the truth of this saying lies in the fact that there are people who are not happy with only that which is theirs; they want more. And, the only way to prevent others from getting that which is yours is to build a wall to protect. So walls, at the end of the day, are all about angst.

And history is packed full of examples of angst inspired walls. The Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, the wall which separates the two sides in Israel, the Maginot line which failed in the war, and, of course, the wall – or fence as it is called - which stops Mexicans entering the United States of America. There are countless other examples as well.

But, most walls are really incapable of resisting the attempts of the determined. How many people escaped from East Berlin? Did the Maginot line stop the Germans from invading France in the 2^nd World war? How effective is the wall along the Mexican border? The point is that all walls have doors, and not all doors look like doors!

Doors, just like walls, come in many forms. It all depends on the wall! The Berlin wall allowed people to pass in a variety of ways. There were tunnels, ladders, disguises and cunning. A wall is only as strong as the imagination of he who erects it!

But, walls will always be needed. And, that's because we are how we are – victims of angst. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel, however strong and permanent a wall may seem to be, it will not stand for ever.

Walls are the products of our thinking, and thinking is stronger than even the biggest of walls. So, if we stop thinking walls, then, one day, they might disappear. A world without national boundaries – a wonderful vision – but – this vision, too, is being kept where it is by a very strong wall of old fashioned and out of date thinking.

Walls, I'm afraid will stay with us for ever. But, maybe I'm wrong! As I said, thinking is stronger than walls, and the Berlin wall disappeared, too. Every wall on earth – however strong – will one day be part of our past – and life will go on as if they'd never existed. People quickly forget, and, that's the weakness of walls! nj  

(B+) - The Plattenbaus - The Red Stars of the East - Still very much a very big part of the post-socialist landscape!

Please  click here for full audio/visual page -  

The red stars and statues of Lenin and Stalin may have gone from the face of the old Soviet block, but there is still one reminder that takes us straight back to the heart of the Communist era. And, this is the plattenbaus. They are still to be seen all over the once eastern block.

Built as of the 1950s, these enormous blocks of flats made of concrete slabs were not only designed to make everyone equal in true Leninist style, but also to counter the homelessness caused by the war. And, they were, to a certain extent, successful. Each apartment came with its own WC, bathroom, simple kitchen, hot and cold running water and heating. But, despite these advantages, the plattenbaus were not very popular.

With their grim characterless oneness, they offered very little privacy. The walls were so thin that everyone was able to hear what everyone else was saying and doing. And, on fine summer days, with windows wide open, everyone knew what everyone else was having for lunch. The air was alive with a cocktail of kitchen smells, babies crying, children screaming, loud music and talking and squabbling! The smell of cabbage cooking carries a very long way! But, there was something else, too.

The plattenbaus were all part of a big social plan. Points were needed in order to get an apartment, and the biggest scorers were children. Meaning, the more children you had, the better your chances. But, unfortunately, big families were not always easy, and, quite often it was the peace of living that suffered. But, that's how things were. And, of course, with children came life!

And life always manages to find its own course. And, because plattenbaus were always built on huge estates on the edges of towns, there was always a long way to go to the nearest shops and facilities. And, so it was, that these estates became the ideal places for small businesses and services. There were, and still are, in and amongst the plattenbaus, many small shops such as hairdressers, small grocery stores and even sometimes friendly bars. And, each estate was provided with a kindergarten, playground and school.

And, of course, there are similar constructions in the rest of Europe, too. Apartment blocks built out of concrete slabs are not unusual. But, wherever you go in the “west”, you will never find anything like the plattenbaus of the old “former east”. The character of these buildings is their style, and style is a thing that's unique. And, when it comes to comfort, the plattenbaus have just as much chance as everything else. In your own four walls you can do what you like. Nice living is nothing other than taste!

And, of course, life in the plattenbaus is the same as every where else. There are close friendships and neighbourly contacts, and the not so good, too. Its all human nature. And, the future?

The plattenbaus are undergoing a renaissance! With generous help from the European Union, these buildings are being brought up to date with insulation and new coats of paint. These once grim estates are now looking better than ever and have become places that are nice to go home to!

And so, what started as a solution has now become a goal in itself. Many young people are now finding their first homes in these flats, and, for the elderly, they are perfect. A good home is important and a plattenbau can be just as good as anything else! And, sometimes, even much better!

The Red Star of then is still brightly shining, and is set to continue for ever!

Vocabulary

certain extent – gewissermaßen

concrete slabs - Betonplatten

counter (to counter/countered/countered) - entgegnen

eastern block – Ostblock

enormous - riesig

estate – Siedlung

grim – grimmig u. trostlos

homelessness – Obdachlosigkeit

huge – riesig

insulation – Isolierung

once - einmal

oneness – Geschlossenheit

plattenbau - Wohnhaus aus Betonplatten

reminder – Erinnerung

squabbling – Gezänk

undergoing (to undergo/underwent/undergone) - unterziehen