=jr6j1a Journal from 1 Jan '06 Succeeds =jr5d16j.txt ================================================================= The civilized world, or rather its unmarried men, seems to live in a state of chronic sexual famine, at an intensity of "quiet desperation" (Thoreau, Walden; -- "men, for the most part, live in a state of quiet desperation"). So "what the world needs now" is an international chain of well_regulated high_class whorehouses, on a members_only basis, requiriing continual VD screening_out of members and 'workers'. With guaranteed life_long medical care for the latter. And some sort of code of industrial working conditions, so that the women are not worked past psychological much less physical endurance. Sex for the elderly should be a seperate subdivision, or at least speciality. And should the various perversions, that no woman should be constrained to endure them. I read that the base rate now is SF 120 for a half_hour. If that then means that each woman may be constrained to take 16 men a day, that's apalling. One imagines that they are worn out and thrown away in a matter of months. And indeed, the establishments are continually telling customers, 'new girls'. Too, the whole issue of exploittion of foreign women, especially illegal residents, must be addressed. This is the richest nation in the world, sex is the most desired luxury of the wealthy, and they're apparently selling it like a fast_food joint. There is a great longing for class. I mean, even a whoremonger longs for a bit of elegance in his life. Too, there should no doubt be extremely discreet establishments catering to women. In my next essay, I will re_invent the wheel. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tried Honest George's bottled houswine -- with a nicely water_rubbed torso of a tittychick on the label -- the Venus of PoopHarbour Rodos no doubt -- the wine is an ok solid red, with maybe a soupcon of potassium sorbate for preservative -- he sells is for SF 22 for 0.5 liter -- for which price I could buy a real wine in Lugano -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Zenith should establish the Genuine Honest George's Restorante at Campra -- -- when the Vanzetti's stopped running it, ZR thought of taking it over, and of course could have -- especially if Coralla had run it, she was ther ethen -- he and Mike met as Restoranteurs -- but he decided not to, for fear that 'They' might think us pushy cult_ies not an unreasonable concern, given the history of Zenith -- kicked out of place after place in Francce after a few years in each -- and given the then_recent escapes of a suicide cult that found a tolerant home in Switzerland, and did not outstay their welcome -- -- so anyhow, here it is: The Genuine Honest George's Restorante -- "A Square Meal at a Fair Price" -- On the Sideboard, there is fresh tap water, whole wheat bread, salt, olive oil (extra_virgin, of course) , several kinds of vinegar, including balsaam vinegar, organic soy sauce, sea_salt in grinders, a pepper mill, and maybe some spices -- especially powdered garlic -- and Worcestershire sauce -- All that is self_service, with a small cover charge -- Nor is one obliged to buy anything else Of course there is an outside sink for washing one's hands It is optional biblic kashrut -- seperate plates etc. for meat, no pig_meat, no horse_meat -- The PoorBoy Menu is whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and potatoes -- boiled or baked Breakfast offers hash_browns (or rosti, the Swiss equivalent, albeit grated not chopped), organic eggs, and soy_sage -- that is, mock sausage made from soy -- Also large servings of orange juice, bought in bulk , and black coffee, fresh_ground for each serving -- I'm sure there's a machien that does that -- And a complete variety of teas -- black, green, and herbal -- Also butter and top_quality jams Add sardines to the PoorBoy Menu -- Raw Herring, too -- maybe that has to go on the RichBoy side -- served with any cold dry schnapps -- Bombay Gin is OK -- no doubt there's a drinkable vodka, though I don't know which one -- Beside the PoorBoy Menu is a RichBoy Menu -- SoftBoiled eggs, various juices, kiwis, seemi_fresh dates from Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Mango juice -- And lox, served with lemon -- but the lox must be vacuum_packed in portions, opened only when served -- served with white wine, of course There is also a full range of good beers, especially the dark beers -- Guiness, and Murphy's Irish Stout is almost as good -- House wine is Italian bulk_wine -- much better than the basic Merlot -- Chianti and Bordalino -- Light beers are not so easy to find -- I had a good Czech Light Beer in Israel -- No doubt the Germans make good ones -- Miller is drinkable, with a pure taste -- theough I think Coors is better -- Heinken is good for a hops_y beer -- Then there was BerlinerWeise, which I barely remember -- a seasonal beer -- For some reason, no_one seems to sell Ales anymore -- should bring them back -- In New York, I used to go to McSorely's Old Ale House, on the Lower East Side -- no doubt they know the best Ales, if they're still in business -- Well, might as well stock hamburger, as lean as possible -- it sells for about SF 10 a kilo, in Olivone anyhow -- and thin slices of beef -- natural beef is sold nowadays, whichis what it should be -- costs about SF 40 a kilo -- preferable served raw -- An assortment of Truffles for desert -- the finest chocolate ther is -- Cream and natural vanilla are also available for the coffee -- I've found natural vanilla sugar here -- that is, the vanilla is natural -- but have not yet found natural vanilla extract -- And had to go to Goschenen to find the vanilla sugar -- A good mutton stew would be nice -- I had a bowl once in Zuni_land at Shalako -- Well, that's all I think of on the Menu for now --- Oh -- a good line of good Swiss Alpine Cheeses, of course -- they all sell for about SF 30 a kilo -- And any Brie or Camenbert, whatever the difference is, in which the rind don't smell like piss -- Also a good range of white cheeses -- the Swiss white cheeses are ok, the Israeli goat cheeses are better -- And carbonated water, of course, need it to clean the palate -- It's hard to find carbonated drinks worth drinking -- Rivella is ok, the red and the green -- not the blue, of course -- And Dr. Brown's tonics used to be ok -- Celery Tonic, and what_not -- only natural flavours, of course -- Coca_cola used to be ok, before they gunked it up with too much sugar -- now you can't even drink it witout lemon -- You'd really have to go back to the old recipes, around the end of the 1800's -- real Coca_Cola, with Coca leaf -- maybe they'll make it in Brazil now, with this Indian guy for President -- real Root Beer would no doubt be darned healthy -- and real Sasparilla, whatever that was -- real Vanilla soda too, for that matter -- ClausThaler Near_Beer is a good solid dark near_bear. In Lugano, as you walk toward Gandria, there used to be an otherwise unmemorable concrete pile called 'Villa Klaus', which is English'd thus: Claus' House. Western Civilization was a good thing, until the Bushie's started selling it -- ------------------------------------------------------------------ All these new energy drinks are based on Taurine, which is genetically_modified__bull_piss . Styrofoam is made from pigs'_knuckles. I like to say that at a kiddish. Gets peoples' attention. ---------------------------------------------------------------- The USA filed suit, claiming that the European ban on Frankenstein Foods was restraint of free trade. As if they all sat around one day and said, what excuse can we find to keep out US produce -- 'Made in Des Moines by Baptists' doesn't quite do it -- neither does 'shipped to the Atkinson Topeka and the Santa Fe' -- oh yes -- 'contains genetically_modified proteins' -- It ain't a question of protecting local farmers from competition, it's a matter of protecting one's citizens from long_term health_risks, and one's national ecology from the risk of long_term disaster. Indeed, that USA suit seems like no more than a legalistic stalling tactic; that the USA never expected to be considered on its (non_existent) merits. ----------------------------------------------------------------- To change the prompts on my MicroSoft Word 2000 from Italian to English, I have to get a Microsoft Office Installation Disk from someone who purchased it in the USA. The necessary program is small lsnguage patch -- English only; apparently there is no multi_language patch; I'd have to go to each country to buy another complete Installation Disck -- as if everyone in each country speaks only the official language of that country. Of course that will certainly slow down cross_border sharing of programs -- and at least they now copy_protect only with an ID number, which can (and must) also be shared, not with the physical disc. But still, it's a cheap stunt. In Switzerland, with 3 official languages, one may, with luck, get an Installation Disc with thoese 3 languages (German, French, Italian), though more often it is only the language of the canton in which one happened to buy the product. On a related point -- I do not know why TV , unlike DVD's, does not offer multi_language options . With those remote controls, with all their sub_menus, it should be very easy. Indeed, multi_language capability is most likely included in all movies shown on TV, and many videos; only on live shoes would one need to add something to the original broadcast. And in Switzerland, with 3 languages -- not to mention English, which is the unacknowleged and politically incorrect lingua franca, at least for all foreigners except Germans, French, and Italians -- it is ridiculous that hotels TVs are not multi_lingual. ------------------------------------------------------------------ qv www.bescsource.com I think that's a file_sharing platform, using mosttly by the Youth. ------------------------------------------------------------------ To quote a koan out of context is to talk nonsense. --------------------------------------------------------------- Carpe Diem -- The Fish of the Day ---------------------------------------------------------------- Lions written, or or less, (a)upon hearing that Oberlin College would produce a Musical, Thus Spake Zarathruthra Thus spake Zarathustra Thus spake the old man: Life's simply a blast, maan; Live life while you can. Thus spake Zarathurstra thus spake the old goy: Life's simply a blast, man; life is to enjoy -- Chorous: Ecce homo (2_beat snarl of rising trombones) R R Cops: Yech, a homo 1 2 Chorous: Ecce homo Mama Nietzche: That's my boy. Chorous: Ecce homo (2_beat snarl of rising trombones) R R Cops: Yech, a homo 1 2 Chorous: Ecce homo Long Island Princess: What a goy. Chorous: Ecce homo R R Cops: Yech, a homo 1 2 Chorous: Ecce homo Mama Nietzche: That's my boy. Chorous: Ecce homo R R Cops: Yech, a homo 1 2 Chorous: Ecce homo Lung Goyland Princess #2: See Note 5: 1: Cops are in alternate washroom stalls. Each was apparently facing stage left. On Count 1, they turn 1/4 turn to face the audience, as the fling open each alternate door Each reaches up with right hand to his right eye, and apparently flings something to the ground, with a gesture of disgust. On Count 2, each reverses the turn, turning 1/4 turn to the right while reaching up with left hand to pull the cubicle door shut, while bending over to peer stage left through a keyhole in the wall. This routine is repeated. Mama Nietzche is spotlighted for her line. Her hair is in curlers. As soon as her line is completed, the spot goes out. The JAP #1 is similarly spotlighted. Her hands are clasped to her heart in a gesture of adoration. Teen_age romance style, not religious style. Note 5: Princess #2 strides out 3_and_a_half strides, left right left, from Stage Right, barefoot with long hair straight and wet from a shower, wrapped only in a white towel. On beat she turns 1/4 turn to face the audience, cries 'Eek, a man' , drops the towel, turns anoter 1/4 turn and scurries off Stage Right, clutching her hands about her in the usual manner. As soon as she has exited Stage Right, in a pentuplet of steps that covers 2 beats, the towel, which turns out to have been attached to a string, is hastily pulled off stage right after her. It is pulled so abrputly that it jumps into the air for the middle of the triplet of beats needed to pull it off. This routine is repeated, without change, ie with Princess #2 again emerging Stage Left wrapped in the same white towel. Terry_cloth, I assume After the Repetition, we then have a segue, rapidly building to full orchestra, Largo Solemno, to the Theme Song , "Eachy Peachy, Friedrich Nietzche " The lyrics to that theme (them words and lyrics by Carl Shrager) may be revealed at the climax of the Musical. They are sung by full chorous, in reverential solemnity (although they may previously have been sung by the male lead, to his love, accompanied only by his own guitar, as he is lit by a single, subdued spot, in chirascuro, whatever that is, in a lonely garret somewher in Montmarete, by the spotlight of th efull mmon: Roses are reddish. Violets are blueish. If it wasn't for Jesus You'd all still be Jewish. Ah_and he's watching you: Jesus was a teenager, too. Oooh. Ooh. Eachy, peachy, Friedrich Nietzche, A_ha_ha. OK, I think I'm almost awake enough after my mid_day siesta, to find my way back from this desk to the coffee cup. For SF 12 at Honest George's I got a bowl of white_flour sphaghetti with a dollop of tomatoe sauce, and as much grated cheese as I could spoon on top of it until they started glaring at me -- three tablespoons_full today, because they weren't looking close -- Carried it back to my shack before it froze solid, added olive oil, mixed pasta herbs, and garlic salt, and washed it down with 2 dl of Honest George's Generic Barbera, only SF 4.40 With a few chugs of Honest George's 35% ApfelSaft, only SF 7 for 1 liter -- then fell asleep reading the further adventur4es of Ayala the Liberated Cro_Magnon. She keeps meeting new people, and introducing each one to her tame wolf. I think it all would take less realtime to do than to read. That a few pieces of mediocre leftover chocolate will get me to the last lights of Chanukah. Honest George, with the ruddy_faced bluff sincerity of a bull with a thistle up its ass, personally shook my hand and wished me a happy new year, as he watched that I did't take too much grated cheese on my minestrone, which comes from one of our better cans, with lots of water added. At the Arcobaleno they make an honest minestrone, with fresh spinach and the like. Last year they made a real minestrone here too. It was served with a bowl of grated cheese, which I always immediately upended into the soup. That was the last corner left for Honest George to cut, and he finally found it. ---------------------------------------------------------------- To kindle the Chanuka lights, first kindle the shames. Then say the bracha over the lights. Then take the shames -- or take a taper and light it from the shames -- and kindle the lights. Then say the bracha 'sh_asheh nisim l'avotenu b_zman ha_hen b_yom ha_zeh.' Because if you've made your own hanukia, and your own wicks, you can't take it for granted that you'll be able to kindle all the lights on the first try. Maybe you should say the first bracha before kindling the shames. ------------------------------------------------------------------- "As soon acquired, as despised straight." (Shakespeare, Sonnets, "Th'expense of spirit in a waste of shame is lust in action" -- which sure proves he wasn't Jewish, and most likely a homo too. An unhappy homo. Anyone who sells sex had better collect in advance, because the value put on it by the purchaser sure does drop after acquisition. I mean, the have's take it as little more than an obligation, and the have_nots take it for the holy Grail. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Awakening during the Night, the Poet reads TIME Magazine: All night long "from midnight on" naked young ladies with excellent bodies & adequate faces are 'making love' euphemistically speaking in the hotel rooms below me on TV unwatched by all the proper people who have taken those rooms before me. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Wittgenstein note, language_games Re: IHT 22 Dec (Janet Maslin) "reciting, negotiating, interviewing, notifying, debating, insulting -- these are all one_person pursuits that should not be mistaken for 'real converstion'" --------------------------------------------------------------- HIked on the groomed closed auto road from Realp to the Hotel Tiefenbach, about 1 km. before Furka Pass. 6.5 km. hike, up to 2100 meters. Averaged about 2 km./hr. up, 5 km./hr down. Bruised my big toes from wearing moon_boots. --------------------------------------------------------------- Miriam Gal_Or,, Bank HaPoalim, Acct. 6__98__436628 ---------------------------------------------------------- Sufi Group: LaoTzuHuU@yagiigrizos,cin -------------------------------------------------------------- "You only say that because ---- " A psychologic cause is often invoked a counter_argument, as if only absence of ulterior motivation could ensure the objectivity and rationality of an argument or ?demgn? -- ?say? this is an ontic argument -- it presupposes that only the 'rational' dimension is real, or better, that only it is essential, or primary -- and that the emotive is unreal -- or better, 'secondary', 'accidental'. It is of course a simplistic reductionism. --------------------------------------------------------------- To: editors@newsweek.com From: Steve Amdur, Campra, CH-6718 Olivone, Switzerland sa73122@yahoo.com Newsweek 19 Dec '05 (Periscope, Ethan Potter) reports in passing that "Only a few weeks ago, a Saudi high school teacher was sentenced to three years in jail and ordered to receive 750 (!) lashes for talking to his students about Juasim, Christianity and the causes of terrorism." This is apalling. Apart from negating the basic principles of free speech and academic freedom, and defining the prisoner as a "prisoner of conscience", a sentence of 750 lashes constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment" (explicitly prohibitted by the USA Constitution) , and is likely to kill or pemanently cripple tha man. The Bible, in pre__prison times, limited corporal punishment to a maximum 49 lashes, "lest your brother become loathsome in your sight." Even if these lashes were distributed over the 1000 days of imprisonment, it would ammount to sentencing a man to 3 years of continual torture and pain, and would presumably drive him insane. Until this sentence is suspended if not repealed, the USA and the UN should treat Saudi Arabia as a 'pariah State'. ----------------------------------------------------------------- In general, a wiater should not clear the table until the customer leaves -- otherwise the customer feels rushed out. There is some sort of bond formed between the diner and his plate of food, even after he has emptied it. I can't quite say why. Maybe an animal often on the brink of starvation cleaves to even the smallest race of food. So when that bond is broken, the diner feels he must leave. Too, One must give the meal time to settle -- that is why we do a long birkat haMazon after the meal, and are enjoined also to discuss Torah before leaving the table. ----------------------------------------------------------------- What a religion they make of eating. Not Judaism, but secularism. Judaism sanctifies eating, but the focus is on the sanctification, not the eating. Hence Reb Nachamn says 'a feast_ale is a feast_ale' (as qutoed by Re. Shlomo in 'The Great Fixer', which I have transcibed and posted to my Website www.geocities.com/sa73122a ) So in Judaism, the Shabat or holiday meal can as well be, not a 5_course banquet, but wo pieces of breat, a bit of salt, and if possible a bit of anything else -- eg a small boiled potatoe. (Although one shold make the best meal one reasonably can. Religious observance obligates one only to try to do the best one reasonably can under the circumstances. So those sardonic and grotesque attempts by some USA soldiers -- stemming from Bushie, Cheney, and Rummie, I reckon -- to break the morale of Islamic prisoners, by forcing them into situations that for a free man would by criteria for a state of what Judaism calls 'tameh' -- loosely translated 'ritual defilement' -- in which in Temple Times a Cohen and a Levite -- and I suppose also an ordinary 'Israelite' -- would be disqualified -- until the completion of a ritual purification process, usually merely a matter of immeersing onself in water, putting on clean clothes, and then waiting until the sun had set -- from Temple service -- and so one might suppose nowadays, though I think without justification -- that is, that is is a matter of 'super_arrogating to oneself additional obligations not specified in religious law nor religious tradition -- -- from everyday religious obligations. But Judaism states clearly, a prisoner is not obligated to do the mitzvot. So that which jailers force you to do, imposes sin upon them, not you. And indeed we know that even in the Death Camps of the Shoah, where it would have been impossible to cleanse onself of tameh, the devout continued whatever semblance of religious practice they could manage, and are today deemed by the strictly orthodox to have been most meritorious in doing so -- indeeed, to have demonstrated a level of religious devotion which few today could match. The rest of the meal is made up from songs and "good thoughts" (as my brother would say). (And the Indians at Taos said -- "Talk good -- that's the way of peace." So they spoke of "Good talk -- remarks of appreciation, of praise, especially of nature, that uplift those who hear them.) ------------------------------------------------------------------ It is said that during Chanuaka one should eat more oil, for some mystic reason. But one needs no mystic to teach us thus; simply dip your bread each day in pure olive oil. Good as anything, and a whole lot better than most. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas is Jove -- jovial Santa Claus, Merry Christmas, "G_d rest ye merry, gentlemen; let nothing you dismay", Old King Cole - - and New Year's is Saturn, a Saturnalia. Turst the Romans to screw things up, and the imperialist USA to carry on the tradition. It's all the hidden hand of Essav. [ N.B.: In Jewish tradition, Rome is associated with Essav. I take it that the USA is too, but I don't think that's in Jewish religious tradition ------------------------------------------------------------------ Newsweek 19 Dec '05 (Mary Carmichael) notes the following recent books on highter math: Brian Greene, 'The Elegant Universe' (1999, on string theory) Janna Levin, 'How the Universe got its spots' also Roger Penrose, 'The Raod to REality' ------------------------------------------------------------------ ================================================================ To: info@mgbahn.ch From: Steve Amdur, sa73122@yahoo.com Inept English in: 'On_board reading' ----------------------------------------------------- p7: "as if the trip was not exorbitant enough" 'as if the trip were not exorbitant enough, the dining car steward present, with much flourish of starched whilte napkins, the Swiss National Dish, white pasta with a tablespoon of canned tomatoe sauce, at the special piatto di giorno price of CHF 73.20 , including, of course a 125 dl bottle of Deigner Table Water for an addition CHF 21.10 ' Prices in Swiss restaurants are exorbitant enough. A trip on the Glacier Express is ineresting enough. The rest of that page ain't much better. p7 box: "the nostalgic rolling stock" 'at the mention of steam locomotives, tears fell from the eyes of the elderly portly Punchinello, a rolling stock character fallen into a sentimental dotage' 'nostalgic' is predicated of people. 'the reconstructed antique passenger cars' will do. ----------------- p7 box: "If the journey of your desires is written off, we advise you glady about further travel offers." 'Although I had specifically added to the FAXed contract a provision that I would be offered 'Around the World' , that journey of my desires had been written off with a brief aserisk and footnote by the Callgirl, who was, it turned out, completing her LLB in contractual law.' 'If the excursion you want is fully booked, we will be glad to suggest alternative excursions.' ------------ p15: A railroad is not ordinarily a 'role model', although one could make an exception of 'The Little Engine that Could' . Whatever 'Vorzeigerolle' means, I don't think 'role model' is quite the translation. ------------- p19: "is not lost for an idaa, even when the complex system needs to be expalined in a simple and plausible manner" 'is not lost for words' is the usual colloquialism And in fact he was; his remarks should be been paraphrased. ------------- p19: "ascents of between 90 and 125 per thousand, or to be more preicse, a differnec in height of betwween 90 and 125 meters over one kilometer" There's nothing more precise about the re_statement, it's the same statement without the slang. 'on this section of track, there is a gain in height per kilomoeter of between 95 and 125 meters'. ------------- p19: "presumably more expensive" 'Recognizing us as poseurs, the headwaitaer ventured to correct our choice of white wine with a Gallo Muscatel Limited Edition , rarely availabe outside the Bowery, and presumably more expensive.' 'and had a higher estimated cost' ------------------ p23: "Doing the guests good" 'Doing the guests -- but good' Ok ok -- 'doing good for the guests' "The path of the Seiler hotels is strewn with 150 years of milestones" 'Approaching at last the Hotel Reiffelberg, we found the trail strew with milestones and the odd Alpenhutte, Evidently the Abdominable Snowperson had dropped down from Gornergratt for afternoon tea, found the service somewhat unsatisfactory, and continuing on down to Zermatt in the hope of something a bit less espensive. We had been so engrossed in our conversation that we had simply not noticed him sd er psddrf.' ------------- p23: 150 years of the maiden ascent of Monte Rosa 'the maiden ascent of Monte Rosa, which has been been held on New Year's Day at least 150 times since the start of Dark Ages (Switzerland, being rather conservative, is just now considering joining the Renaissance), has resulted in a notable shortage on the Debutante Circuit, at least in those years when the volcanoe has been less than dormant' '150 Jahre Erstbestigun' might better be translated, 'the 150th Anniversary of the first ascent of' p23: "a portfolio of hotels" 'He held a portfolio of hotels, which I thought rather precocious for an 8_year_old , however adept at Monopoly Poker' 'a group of hotels' will do p23: "a sweet surprise" Not recommended for diabetics. 'a special gift' will do. ----------------------------------- I'm not quite sure why, but it was not until I got to about page 27 that I realized you were talking about the 150th anniversary of the founding of your railroad line. ------------------------------------- p31: "the flirtatious Matterhorn" incredibly coy for one of her size ('flirtatious' is an addition to the English text; it is not found in the German original, and has no place here. 'Gornergatt command the most striking view of the Matterhorn' will do --------------- p33: "guests of ever colour" here it is not the translation but the phrase that is inept It's frightfully nice that you don't practice apartheid, but there's no need to boast of it. "he happily speaks English" 'his English is is fluent' "and smiles ambiguously" him and the Mona Lisa 'and remarks cryptically' would be a bit better ------------------------------ I must say that the prose in this booklet is so overwrought that it took me some time to recall that I have travelled this line. ------------------------------------------------------------ p37: A minor point, but the dates of performances are typeset almost unreadably. ' July 9, 13, ' ... etc. wil do ----------------------------------------------------------- p43: "their sporty peers briskly head for the peak with their sticks" They don't write English like that anymore. --------------------------------------------------------------- p47: "Watching it gush past without a care in the world" Don't find that many worried rivers nowadays. I think this is just bad writing, not bad translation. "where a revitalizing snack awaits you, as if you were going on a long journey" rather than simply hopping in your helicopter to get back to the Hotel in time for Happy Hour That just ain't the way to write English. 'as if' implies that what follows is counter_factual 'where you can have something to eat befor hiking back' wil do 'the modern SAC hut offers possiblities for overnight accommodation' but unless you have brought enough gold to bribe the HutMaster, you will have to sleep under the stars and/or snowdrifts, depending on the season 'possibilities' is an unnecessary and misleading word here ---------------------------- p48: In Oberwald the bikes loaned out by the railraod are in excellent condition but in Andermatt the wheels fall off after 3 kilometers, on average The correct translation is: The railroad rents [or 'lends' -- but I assume nothing in Switzerland is free ] bikes in Oberwald; all are maintained in excellent condition. "it's charismatic whispering" No doubt glaciers whisper in other lands, but only in Switzerland to they do so charismatically. 'charismatic whispering' is a bit uncommon, though I suppose Warren Beatty was rather good at it. However most glaciers that attempt it sound more as if they were gnashing their teeth in their sleep, and accordingly few glaciers get the girl. Again, the problem here is not bad translation, but ridiculously pretentious writing. 'Brig business' 'the businesspeople of Brig' will do 'Brig business' is an unintentional and jarring word_play on 'big business' ------------ p49: It is not the steam railway but its passengers who will be "trundelling nostalgically" their excessive collections of brats and baggage The German is ok I think, but the English translation comes out as false personification. p49: "the Disentis Monastery is a place of apparent tranquility" but those who have read the murder mysteries of Elias Peters will not take things at face value the word 'appparent' is misleading here, and should be removed. 'apparent' implies that what follows is merely the appearance, and that behind that appears is a very different reality. ----------------------------------------------------------------- I would say that this booklet needs a re_translation and re_publication. sa73122@yahoo.com =============================================================== sa, Campra, 3 Jan '05 -- 2 teveT ================================================================= =