Christmas traditions

I have just read an article on share-christmas.com and it talks about the different Christmas traditions.

It talks about that in China Christians decorate their homes with colourful paper lanterns and that the people there go to work or school on Christmas day.
It's also said that most of the chinese people are Buddhists and that Christmas festivities are becoming more and more.

It also talks about the Spain traditions. After the Christmas Mass people sing and dance on the streets. The Christmas dinner is eaten after midnight and there they eat "Pavo Trufado de Navidad". It's also said that instead of Father Christmas the Three Wise Men bring the presents.

I also read an article about the traditions in Hungary. It is said that the children became a visit by Mikulas on December 6th. On Christmas eve the children are allowed to see the tree for the first time, then when a bell is rung they go into the room, where the tree is and they see the presents there. They have been put there by the angels.

KTM on loss-making off-road trip

I read an article the other day in the online version of "austriantimes.at" and it talks about the Upper Austrian motorcycle and off-road vehicle maker KTM.


I thought you might be interested because KTM is an Upper Austrian company.

Basically what it says is that the turnover of the company fell by 24.9 per cent from 605.7 million euros to 454.6 million euros. It said that business in North America, KTM's biggest market shrank by 44 per cent and the european market contracted by a fifth.

I also said that the Mattighofen-based company dismissed 450 employees while 773 staff were put into a part-time scheme and that KTM planned to keep the part-time model running longer, but they ended it as orders grew faster.

What surprised me most was the fact that the company dismissed 450 employees and that the market in Europe contracted by a fifth and that the turnover fell by 24.9 per cent.


If you want to see the original text click here.



words:

to shrink (sinken): If something is getting lower it shrinks.
to contract (verkleinern): It's a synonym for shrink.
to dismiss (entlassen): If you don't need an employe you dismiss him.
staff (Mitarbeiter): People, who work in a company.
part-time scheme (Kurzarbeit): If the staff works shorter than usual than they are in a part-time scheme.

Flora's Interview

I have recently heard an interview of Flora and it talks about her visit to Austria.

She met friendly people. Flora said that the more she learned about the Austrian way of life, the more she learned about the Ireland culture. She added that there is a big difference between Austria and Ireland. For example in Ireland it isn't allowed to smoke on public places. She said it will be hard for her to accept the smoke law in Ireland again. Flora enjoyed her stay in Austria.

Darbo is 98-per-cent family-owned!!

I have just read an article on www.austriantimes.at and it talks about the Tyrol jam producer Darbo.

Basically what it says is that the Tyrol jam producer Adolf Darbo AG become almost entirely family owned after purchasing 42.4 per cent of its stock back from the Swiss Hero Group.

It also talks about that the German firm Schwartauer Werke had purchased 25 per cent of Darbo's stock in 1994 and Darbo used this money to modernise its facility and to increase its market share.

Schwartauer increased its interest and buys more shares until it had acquired a 42.4-per cent interest.

Last year Darbo had turnover 99.7 million Euros and this year they expect more than 100 million.


Follow the link to the original text

Why Vastic snubbed LASK

I have just read an article on www.austriantimes.at and it is about why Vastic snubbed LASK for waidhofen job.


Basically what it says is that Vastic thinks that he might have been overburdened with start working at a bundesliga club.
He said that he has no pressure at waidhofen. They don't have to secure promotion or buy players. Their policy is to focus on talents in the region.

He was also offered the post of manager of the amateur team of Bundesliga side LASK Linz, but he weighed up the offers and came to the decision that it would be more interesting to work with waidhofen.


In my opinion it is a pity that Vastic doesn't stay at LASK, I think he would be a good manager there.



Follow this link to read the original text.

Styria Medien becomes largest media company

I have just read an article on www.austriantimes.at and it talks about the Styria Medien company.

I thought you might be interested becau the Styria Medien AG produces the newspaper "Kleine Zeitung" which is an austrian newspaper.


Basically what it says is that the Styria Medien AG has become Austria's largest media enterprise. It talks about the change of Moser Holding, which produces "Tiroler Tageszeitung" to the Styria Medien AG.

It also says that the deal would creat a credible, counterweight to the harmful dominance of Mediaprints newspaper "Kronen Zeitung".



In my opinion it is good to hear that now there is another leader of the printer and not Mediaprint anymore.

Red Bull Co(caine)la !!

I have just read an article on www.austriantimes.at and it talks about Red Bull Cola.

I thought you might be interested because Red Bull is an austrian brand.


Basically what it say is that in five German Provinces Red Bull Cola has been banned after finding traces of cocaine in the drink.

It also says that you can't become addicted to the drink, but added that further steps were being considered


In my opinion I don't care about this because I don't drink Red Bull Cola. Besides, if there is only a few of cocaine in it, it won't damage your body.

Press review framework

I have just read an article in Christian Peböck's blog myblogPeböck and it talks about St. Patrick's Day.

Basically what it says is that St. Patrick's Day is a feast day, which celebrates St. Patrick, one of the patrons of Ireland and it is celabrated on March 17 th. It is also mentioned that it is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland and Montserrat. In Canada, Great Britain, Australia, the United States and New Zealand, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated but is not an official holiday.

It also says, that everybody, who celebrates is dressed green and drinks a lot of alcohol and there is also a lot of Irish music in the pubs. On this day everything is coloured green. For example, beer, clothes, hair and so on. In some areas even the rivers are coloured green only for one day.


What interested me most was the fact that nearly everything is coloured green, even the rivers!!!??

As for me i think people in Austria should also celebrate St. Patrick's Day. ;)


yours, Manuel

St. Patrick's Day !!

St. Patrick is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. It is known, that he was born in Britain. Today St. Patrick's Day is a very important festival in Ireland. And it is a national holiday in Ireland and it is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland, in Montserrat and in the canadian province Neufundland. On this day the main colour is green. Some rivers and even beer is coloured green.
For the Roman Catholics, the church of Ireland and the anglican church it is a feast day.
A lot of people wear a shamrock at this day.



Now let me tell you something of St. Patrick:

When he was about sixteen he was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his native Wales as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the church, he later returned to Ireland as a missionary in the north and west of the island, but little is known about the places where he worked and no link can be made between Patrick and any church. By the eighth century he become the patron saint of Ireland.

Dress codes - cool or not?

In my opinion I think that dress codes are a really big nonsense, because pupils don't want to put on the same clothes every day. They can only wash the clothes once a week and then the clothes alwas smell ugly. It looks really awful, when everybody in the school wears the same clothes like you do. I think school codes shouldn't be legal. The pupils should be allowed to wear the things they like. Pupils prefer to go to school with things they want to wear than to have to wear a school uniform. And it looks much better, because there are more colours on t-shirts and so you are in a better mood. You can also see the pupils aren't happy with their uniform, the would be much happier, if the could their clothes for their own i think.