Pirmasens

...about time...

June 26/08...another month gone by. I've no interest in treating this as my events calendar but indeed..time flies. So let me go on...

Sadly, I noticed in a south German paper article that my old hometown is in trouble. The local economy is in the sewer..the once flourishing shoe industry is just about gone, the Americans have left and today there is a vacuum much like at the time of the Landgraf Ludwigs demise when this whole shoe thing started.

On a personal note, I left Pirmasens 1956 at age 18, my choices were to do some armee stint ( got drafted) or leave. So I left for Canada and never really looked back.

Every 10 years or so I would come by for a brief visit but have gradually lost touch with friends and family.

My home was at Gaertnerstrasse 46, an old row house which was built during the Landgrafetimes as housing for one of the grenadierfamilies.

About 10 homes away from our house you would find the largest shoe factory in the world, Rheinberger, in the early fifties they employed over 5000 people, many of them bused in daily from the surrounding towns and villages.

Uptown was a factory with the sign Peter Kaiser Shuhfabrik . Apparently it was the oldest shoe factory in the world and was owned by somewhat distant relatives. (Dad's aunt..his mothers sister nee Steigner).

I've seen hard times in Pirmasens, the city was 80% bombed out by 1945; with several hunger years to follow. I've seen french occupation and all the associated memories, and I was subjected to beatings and brutality by an idiot of a homeroom teacher at the Horebschule. ( Klein).

But after having said all this, it is sad to see that this booming and once flourishing place is rapidly going downhill with little hope of an early recovery.

scam? or junk mail

Secret Society and good fortune...scam?

I have just gotten the Secret Society invitation and 5 stories booklet in the mail after I replied. I think the secret message is that you must create and hold an image in your mind visually (which uses the right side of your brain) that you are special and deserving of all the riches, fame, love, etc that life has to offer. This visual image is white magic which inclines people and even things to help you in your life's endeavors. And so subconsciously the rich and powerful Illuminati types in the Secret Society are using this "I am special" thought and image to gain many advantages over the left brained operating people.

Most all celebrities use this same "I am Special" thought or thinking to gain a following, fame, and money. And so whatever your aspirations in life using this right brain image of specialness for yourself can attract people and circumstances to you for your benefit and enhance any natural abilities or desires you have to accomplish. This is also the technique of creative visualization.

The great sorrow is that the Secret Secret Society uses this knowledge to gain material gains and sells this message for profit. Rather it is better for the Illuminati to give all people the message that they are special and need to use their right brain to contemplate and visualize what they wish to achieve in life. This is the way of the future not the pyramid shaped societies of today of the rich and famous at the top and the masses of other peoples at the bottom.

I copied the above text from a forum on the subject, here is another article with a somewhat related similar message: please note these two items are copies from the forum,not my words:
Not all scams are on the Internet and I think this one should be given the light of day.
I am not exactly sure where this belongs because there does not seem to be a category here.
A few weeks ago, I received by snail mail an offer to receive some free information telling me how I could become richer in life, wealth and love.
The letter was very flattering and stroked my ego as well as a desire to be wealthy and travel the world. This is all by design for you to take the bait.
The offer said that I had to return or fax back a form requesting the free info before that Friday coming up.
With hockey playoffs and the final arrival of some warmer weather for spring, I did not get around to actually reading the information until the Saturday past the deadline. I decided that for the price of a stamp, I would take a chance and send my form in.
I had been specially selected for this honor because I was entering the "second cycle" of my life and can accept the "Secret Society's Inner Secrets" that are over 2300 years old and been used by all the rich and powerful throughout modern history.......Whew! Heady stuff!!
Well, I guess I got lucky and they were not paying attention to the deadline that they had set. I am now a "New Secret Society Member"!
I am now in possession of my "Secret Society Orientation" booklet and according to the instructions, once I uncover the secret message inside the 5 true stories in the booklet I "will come upon wealth and fame".
Now if I happen to NOT discover the secret message...."you still absorb it when you read your enclosed Secret Society Orientation booklet, and within two weeks, THREE very good things will happen to you involving money, power and love!"
This whole deal is to try and draw you in to buying the 680 page "Inner Secrets Manuscript" for the low, low price of $200.00 USD, L130.00 British Pounds, $270 Australian dollars, $235 Canadian dollars 150 Euro's $345 New Zealand dollars and the best part.....1,680 South African Rand but they only accept cash or credit card if paying by Rand......
This is all very convincing if you have read or seen any DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons books or movies.
Here is where Google becomes your best friend. There is a name in the booklet. "Kirsten Hart" comes up with enough warnings of fraud.
I have the free booklet. I read some....I'll let you know in 3 weeks if I become rich and famous.......

I received the booklet and related propaganda in the mail, I never asked for it. Visa or MasterCard for $200 is payable to The Society...that's it, 7 day offer expires Friday..any Friday I guess..

more on this secret society scene, I posted this on the fraud forum....don't ask me why...!

I received the package in the mail,figured it's ad junk and did not open it for a few days.
Missed the Friday response deadline I guess.
Finally opened the envelope, found the booklet with the 5 articles and some other stuff.Guess this is a special offer just for me, the price was reduced from $250.00 to merely Can. $200.00 guess I am really special.
There were a few other pieces of printing in the package, one page printed two sides promised a big dick.
No kidding. The illustration showed 4 different sizes, mini to large the big one about 12 inches..I'm afraid I was so appalled I ripped this page up,should have kept it. In defense of the advertisers I believe it was in a separate envelope marked adult content.
I will reveal a secret here,looking down I can relate to the smaller of the 4 tools described but I can not for the world of me imagine why one of my greatest wishes or desires would be to have a bigger dick...what on earth for,my gadget has given me enough trouble in my lifetime....
Anyway, I must admit I was entertained by the unsolicited mail but sorry, not interested in the 630 page book for $200...

Pictures from my files...

Cobourg...

Ramsch...the Badge nennen sie den Kram

Fuer ein paar  hundert Dollars or Euros man verkauft da einen Artikel  der gefaehrliche Strahlen von Komputers und Handy's ( Cell phones) auf-fangen soll..Es gibt sogar Leute die diesen Ramsch kaufen....mir bleibt das staunen..Die sagen da:

Ein Alltag ohne Handy, Computer oder Wireless Lan - heute unvorstellbar. Und natürlich haben diese Kommunikationsmittel einen berechtigten Platz in unserem Leben. Allerdings können sie auch Unannehmlichkeiten mit sich bringen.
Immer mehr Menschen reagieren sensibel auf elektromagnetische Strahlungsfrequenzen, die von Mobilfunkantennen, Handys, DECT-Telefonen und Computern ausgehen. Sie klagen dann unter anderem über Schlafstörungen, Konzentrationsschwierigkeiten, Nervosität, Reizbarkeit, Kopfschmerzen, · Schwindel, u.a.m. ( ja, besonders der Schwindel,...Gott vergess es)..

Jeder Mensch ist etwas Besonderes und reagiert individuell. Genauso vielfältig können deshalb auch die Symptome sein, die auf eine erhöhte Strahlungs-Sensibilität hinweisen. Deshalb ist es manchmal schwer, einen Zusammenhang zwischen individuellen Beschwerden und einer zunehmenden Belastung durch Elektrosmog zu erkennen. Aber: Nicht immer ist es der Stress einer immer schneller werdenden Welt mit immer höheren Anforderungen, der unserem Körper und unserer Seele zusetzt.

Eine wachsende Anzahl von Menschen ist durch die rasante Zunahme von Strahlungsfrequenzen verunsichert. Avantgarde Energetic hat deshalb den innovativen Energy Badge entwickelt. Der Badge kann auf Handys, Computer, Laptop, Telefon und andere Geräte angebracht werden.

Der Energy Badhe ( diesmal falschgeschrieben ?)  absorbiert problematische Strahlungfrequenzen und transformiert diese in eine für den Körper verträgliche Form. Außerdem wurde dem Badge zusätzlich eine energetische Wertigkeit aufmodeliert. Diese überträgt sich auf den Körper und kann damit das Wohlbefinden unterstützen: Für mehr Gelassenheit oder Präsenz, einen frischeren Geist, eine bessere Konzentrationsfähigkeit, mehr Lebensfreude und eine heitere Stimmung.(Ja...heitere Simmung...jetzt wird's interessant)..

Wir bieten übrigens auch die einfach zu handhabenden Geräte von RayGuard an, um den Körper, Haus und Büro schützen zu können. Diese Geräte arbeiten mit den seit langem bekannten Eigenschaften von Quarz und anderen Mineralien, die verschiedene Strahlungsmuster absorbieren können und diese in Frequenzen transformieren, die für biologische Systeme besser verträglich sind.

Wirklich, man sollte dise Diebe in's Loch stecken.
Das obige habe ich von einem ad kopiert, was in Italics steht ist meinZusatz , kann kaum glauben dass sowas heutzutage in Deutschland genehmigt ist, das Ganze schreit nach Betrug.

Kartoffelsalat,German patato salad

Ingredients

• 9 potatoes, peeled
• 6 slices bacon
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool and slice thin.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving drippings.
3. Saute onions in bacon drippings until they are golden-brown.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Add to the sauteed onions and cook and stir until bubbly, then remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar, then return to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for one minute. Carefully stir bacon and sliced potatoes into the vinegar/water mixture, stirring gently until potatoes are heated through.

GERMAN THINGS in ENGLISH English - Deutsch - Definition

German Africa Deutsches Afrika Germany’s former African colonies dating from 1884: German East Africa, German Southwest Africa (Nambia), Cameroons, Togoland. Also see German East Africa below. German bee Dunkle Biene, Schwarze Biene Dark-colored honeybee (Apis mellifera) supposedly of German origin; other names: black bee, dark honeybee. German camomile Echte Kamille Matricaria chamomilla, health herb whose blossoms have white petals and a yellow center. German catchfly die Pechnelke Lychnis viscaria - A perennial herb with lilac-colored blossoms; has sticky substance to catch insects, hence its name. German chocolate cake The cake’s name was actually derived from German’s Sweet Chocolate, a brand name that isn’t German either. A man named Sam German, working for the Baker’s Chocolate Company, developed a bar of sweet baking chocolate in 1852. - More: German Myths (About.com). German cockroach Deutsche Schabe, Kakerlacke Blatella germanica, a yellow-brown cockroach brought to the New World from Europe; the synonym 'Croton bug' comes from the Croton aqueduct in New York City, when there was a cockroach invasion following the opening of the aqueduct. German Democratic Republic Deutsche Demokratische Republik Official name of East Germany (1949-1990) German East Africa Deutsch-Ostafrika Former German colony (1885), now comprising the African nations of Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. germanium and germanite Germanium A grayish-white element (32 on the periodic table); germanite is a rare reddish-gray mineral consisting of a copper iron germanium sulfide). German iris Deutsche Schwertlilie, Bartiris Iris germanica, a large iris with purple or white flowers, native to central and southern Europe, or an iris of northern Italy (Iris kochii, bearded iris) having deep blue-purple flowers, similar to but smaller than Iris germanica. German ivy der Kap-Efeu Perennial herb (Senecio macroglossus) with yellow blossoms, from South Africa; also known as Cape ivy or flowering ivy. German knot Achterknoten ("eight knot") Figure eight knot, German loop knot; a useful "stop" knot to thicken the end of a rope or cord and keep it from slipping out; the knot looks like its name. Web: Achterknoten (animated) German lapis Deutscher Lapis Blue onyx, false lapis; jasper or agate that is stained blue to imitate lapis lazuli, used in costume jewelry. Is there an English "German" expression we forgot? Let us know in the German Language Forum! German measles Röteln Common term for rubella. The term "german measles" comes from the fact that the rash is similar to that of measles, i.e., germane to measles. The old spelling of "germane" was "german." German millet die Kolbenhirse, Fennich, Borstenhirse Millet (Setaria italica stramineofructa) having yellow grains in large drooping spikes. A member of the grass family also known as foxtail millet, foxtail bristle-grass, golden wonder millet, hay millet, Hungarian grass, Italian millet. German Ocean/German Sea Deutsches Meer A name for the North Sea (die Nordsee) used on 17th and 18th century maps (Mare Germanicum). German pancake Flädle, Pfannkuchen Baked mildly sweet lemon-flavored egg mixture sprinkled with confectioners' sugar and served with jam or a wine or fruit sauce. Other names: German apple pancake, battercake, flannelcake, flapcake. German potato salad der Kartoffelsalat A style of potato salad made with bacon and vinegar, rather than mayonnaise, served hot or cold. Web: Recipe: Hot German Potato Salad - Allrecipes.com German rampion Gemeine Nachtkerze A coarse biennial (Oenothera biennis, common evening primrose) of eastern North America with yellow flowers that open in the evening; imported into Europe; used in herbal medicine. German shepherd (police dog) Deutscher Schäferhund A breed of dog that actually seems to be of German origin. The British have used the term "Alsatian" since 1926. For more, see NOTE 1 below. German short-haired pointer der Deutsche Kurzhaar Breed of hunting dog (Vorstehhund/Jagdhund) German siding N/A Carpentry: Drop siding having concave upper edges with rabbets in the lower edges. German silver Neusilber, Alpaka, Argentan Nickel silver, "Ruolz's alloy" or "Feuchtwanger's metal," an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc used for coins. For more, see NOTE 2 below. German Southwest Africa Deutsch-Südwestafrika Former German colony (1884), now the independent nation known as Namibia. Germantown Former town established in 1683 by German settlers, now part of Philadelphia. German wired-haired pointer Deutscher Drahthaar Breed of hunting dog (Vorstehhund/Jagdhund), similar to the short-haired pointer.

changing times... about time

Sadly the local German club has decided to pack it in.
Good bye, auf wiedersehn, adios.
More recently with the energetic assistance of the local Lions club and in particular their member Hans Esser,  a nice gemuetlich Octoberfest was staged at the Lions Club facility on Elgin Ave Cobourg.

The German Club known as Klub Treff  ( club meet) has been around for some time since the fifties I believe. A handful of loyal but now aging  and rapidly disappearing folks in their 80s have supported the club as long as possible but it became obvious that there are no longer enough people to keep a club going.