Betty MacDonald fan club fans,
we can't wait reading new parts of Betty MacDonald biography very soon.
Many more wonderful interviews by Wolfgang Hampel with Betty MacDonald's and Mary Bard's family will be published.
You'll receive more info about it in our Betty MacDonald ban club newsletter March.
Wolfgang Hampel, author of Betty MacDonald biography and interviewer of
Betty MacDonald's and Mary Bard's family and friends got
first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award for his outstanding research and work.
March is a very exciting month because of several very important birthdays.
Send a birthday card with your thoughts of Betty MacDonald and her books to us and you might be our Betty MacDonald fan club contest winner.
Deadline: March 15, 2016
You can win a first edition of Betty MacDonald's golden egg with a very cute dedication for one of her fans.
International Betty MacDonald fan club events are the best opportunity making wonderful friends.Great Vita Magica news!
Wolfgang Hampel's new Vita Magica guest was a very famous TV lady, author and singer.
Tatjana Geßler is an outstanding new Betty MacDonald fan club honor member.
Wolfgang Hampel already introduced Betty MacDonald fan club honor member - artist and author Letizia Mancino - in Vita Magica.
Other Betty MacDonald fan club honor members will follow.
The thrill of it all is that one and only Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Mr. Tigerli is back.
Enjoy a new breakfast with Brad and Nick, please.
Betty MacDonald very beautiful Vashon Island is a magical place.
Poland and Hungary are my ESC 2016 favourites.
I hope one of them will win!
Many ESC fans can't wait to come to Stockholm.
Take care,
Marco
Don't miss this very special book, please.
Vita Magica
Betty MacDonald fan clubBetty MacDonald forum
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) - The Egg and I
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )
Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
Betty MacDonald fan club items
Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
Betty MacDonald fan club groups
Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund
Rita Knobel Ulrich - Islam in Germany - a very interesting ZDF ( 2nd German Television ) documentary with English subtitles
The situation in Germany and Sweden with many refugees is rather difficult.
Mister Tigerli’s Eurovision Song Contest
Copyright 2013/2016 by Letizia Mancino
All rights reserved
translated by Mary Holmes
Are you saying that Mister Tigerli is in love with a new girl, Letizia?
You’ve got it, Betty.
And what’s happened to his beautiful Russian girl?
He
loves her. She was with him for two whole weeks when I was in the USA.
It’s just that Tigerli sometimes needs a bit of a change!
But he’s already got three girls.
He can still imagine having another.
But four would be enough!!
Not for the Casanova-cat. Oh Betty why is there in every cat a cock?
And why is there in every man a cock, Letizia?
Why, Betty?
My 'dear' Bob said that three hens is only the “hors-d’oeuvre” for a cock
Am I only an “hors-d’oeuvre”?
Who then is his new flame?
“Natalie Horler!”
Surely not! Natalie of Cascada?
Exactly Betty, she is Mister Tigerli’s new love.
A television love then?
She sings beautifully and she is wonderful to look at!
That cat has taste!
Let’s wait and see if our Mister Tigerli feels the need of a top-model or a tennis star?
Is there also a good woman vet on the list?
Whatever for? Tigerli is a picture of health, Betty. Love keeps him young!!
In
any case Tigerli is a clever cat: he is good at keeping his women
occupied. You pay the rent and for his keep, Renate works in his rose
garden, the Russian girl strokes him and licks his fur and Natalie…?
Natalie takes care of his entertainment!
A cat with a good artistic sense!
A
good artistic sense? Our Mister Tigerli? But Betty, what about my art? I
hardly get to do any painting in my studio these days because I have to
protect him from breathing in the turpentine fumes!
I thought it was his studio?
Yes, yes… but in the time before Mister Tigerli (b.m.t) I painted many oil paintings, but now when I sometimes do paint the pictures are covered with cat hairs!
You paint using a mixed technique, Roman Nose! Very modern!
But Betty, no one in a hundred years would believe that I had ever painted those pictures!
You’re right. The art historians will attribute all your works to Mister Tigerli!
What bad luck!
Be
happy about it. That will be the only way that your pictures will come
into the museums. Cat art is very sought after! When art is not
innovative it has no chance!
Betty, why am I not a cat?
But now I want to know, Letizia, does Tigerli wants to get to know Natalie in person?
Naturally, and at once! He wants to practice with Natalie.
Does he want to chase mice with her?
No, he wants to sing with her!
What a wonderful idea!
You’re right Betty! In 2014 he wants to put on a performance with her!
No!!!
Yes, at the Eurovision Song Contest.
They will win!
He is already practicing the Eurowalk at home.
What is the Eurowalk?
Taking long strides in very high-heeled shoes.
That must be exhausting for a cat!
And how! He walks so slowly when we walk together round the house, he needs a whole hour to mark out his small territory.
We? You also?
No I don’t do that. Naturally he marks his area alone. But I’m there as his escort!
Yes, someone could kidnap him. He’s so famous!
At the beginning he was really scared of Natalie!
That’s how a great love can start to grow!
Oh the cat is cheeky enough. But he was afraid of her shoes!
He’s such a small chap.
He’s not so small! Have you seen the height Natalie’s heels?
Sky scrapers.
You’ve said it Betty. A woman becomes three meters tall.
A woman would have no trouble biting the heads of the men.
Have you seen how strong the soles are? Just a kick from Natalie and Tigerli would be dead as a doornail!
That would be such a tragedy. These shoes are really weapons against men!
Absolutely!
One kick from these shoes could put a man’s delicate lower regions permanently out of action!
Better that spraying pepper in their eyes!
Then
be careful when you both meet Natalie, Letizia. It would be best if you
carried Mister Tigerli on your back. Do you also wear high heels?
Unfortunately not, Betty. I wear only ballerina type shoes.
Then Tigerli will not be able to look into Natalie’s eyes!
That is a problem!
He’ll only be able to look at Natalie’s breast!
But that will certainly charm him.
And also her.
I have once had a delicate cat bite on my breast and I can only recommend that to any woman.
What a pity that Mister Tigerli doesn’t live in Seattle!
It is a pity, Betty! Your Bob and Don wouldn’t have been against it!
Happy Natalie!
Tigerli and Natalie Horler together will certainly win the next Eurovision Song Contest!
Yes I’m sure of it!
But Tigerli will change the name from “Cascada”.
Why, is he frightened of water?
No, but the name “Cascada” gives an image of water falling down, no
upwards zip. The group would have no chance of winning with that name!
Tigerli is right. What name will he give the group?
“Geyser”!
That's good! Very zippy!!
That's good! Very zippy!!
Like when he marks the trees!
With this name Tigerli and Natalie will have no trouble in winning the Song Contest! Do you know which song they will sing?
”We cats we can!”
END
Mr. Tigerli's favourite lady Natalie Horler. Isn't she Glorious?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HYTd7WDCPg
'Mama Merkel' faces first test of migrant crisis handling as elections loom
'Open-door' refugee policy exposes deep divide in chancellor's party as Germany goes to polls in regional vote
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd R)
receives a rose from 10-years-old Olivia as she arrives with Guido Wolf
(R), top candidate of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for the
state elections in German state Baden-Wuerttemberg Photo: AFP
It was a wedding without the bride. Germany’s chancellor was not only absent from the election rally for the party she leads: she had not even been invited.
Mrs Merkel has led her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to a decade in power, and it is leading the polls in the small east German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
But Saxony-Anhalt’s Christian Democrats did not want to hear from her.
Instead, they wanted to hear from the man who has been the harshest
internal critic of the policy now most associated with her - her “open
door” to the migrants and refugees flocking across Europe.
“Why is the chancellor allowed to get away with breaking the law on a
daily basis by letting these people in?” one woman asked Horst Seehofer.
“I was mocked for six months when I said we had to close the borders,” Mr Seehofer said. “Now everyone is with me.”
German chancellor Angela Merkel Photo: AFP
• Angela Merkel's Turkey deal at risk of unravelling
Mr Seehofer is neither from Saxony-Anhalt, nor even a member of the Christian Democrats. State prime minister of far-off Bavaria, he is leader of that region’s “sister party”, the Christian Social Union (CSU).
But as several key states head to regional elections today(Sun), Mrs Merkel has become a “toxic brand” for the Christian Democrats’ core constituency. Figures like Mr Seehoffer are seen as far more likely to bring out the vote, even though they oppose their own government’s policy on the biggest issue of the day.
This is of national consequence. Mrs Merkel does not face national elections until next year, but with CDU support falling in the polls, some are warning a poor showing in the state elections could make the party panic and look for a new leader.
• Merkel stages a remarkable comeback among German citizens
At the rally in the town of Halle, the mood at times was overtly hostile towards her.
“Angela Merkel may have won some new voters with her refugee policy, but she’s losing traditional CDU voters,” Martin Beier, a 25-year-old party volunteer said.
The law student said his impression from canvassing was that many traditional CDU voters were “looking for an alternative”.
“My perception is that these people just won’t vote,” he said. “Overall I think she's losing both voters and votes in this election.I hope this issue will be resolved by the time of the national elections.”
Mrs Merkel’s personal national approval ratings surged an unexpected eight points this month, to 54 per cent — a level that would be the envy of many of her European counterparts.
Even though her party has suffered in opinion polls, it was worse in 2011. Then, it suffered disappointing state election results only to storm back to power in the national elections two years later, almost winning an absolute majority.
Angela Merkel German Chancellor and leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and Guido Wolf (2nd L) the CDU's Baden-Wuerttemberg top candidate, pose for a selfie Photo: REUTERS
But in Germany’s politics, that may not mean much now, if the party turns against her. For disgruntled CDU voters have a new party to whom they can transfer their allegiance.
The eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been rising in the polls across Germany, but in Saxony-Anhalt it is currently in third place at 18 per cent.
While the CDU is almost certain to top the polls when results come through, a strong showing for the AfD could prevent it forming a coalition in the state government — and would be seen as a dangerous sign ahead of next year’s general election.
In the state capital of Magdeburg, from a tiny office above a chemist’s shop, the AfD’s lead candidate Andre Poggenburg is threatening Mrs Merkel’s very future as German chancellor - a position in which she until recently seemed invincible.
“We’re prepared to enter coalition talks with the CDU,” Mr Poggenburg, a 40-year-old local businessman, says with a smile. “But not with the CDU under Merkel.”
Mr Poggenburg says he is aiming for the party to come second in the state polls - and another of his election slogans is “Merkel must go”.
When it emerged in 2013, the AfD focused on the travails of the euro, but in the wake of the migrant crisis it has lurched dramatically to the right, ousting its original leader and redefining itself as the anti-migrant party.
Mrs Merkel on the other hand, even as other countries shut borders and her conservative allies demanded national measures such as refugee quotas, oversaw the arrival of nearly 1.1 million people as asylum-seekers last year.
AfD’s national party leader, Frauke Petry, hit the headlines last month when she called for police to be authorised to shoot refugees to prevent them crossing the German border.
Police should “use firearms if necessary”, she said. When asked if that extended to opening fire on women and children, she replied: “Yes”.
The head of the German police union publicly said officers would refuse any orders to shoot at asylum-seekers.
But the controversy does not seem to have dented growing support for the AfD across Germany.
“A gun is not necessarily used to kill,” Mr Poggenburg says. “You can fire a warning shot. You can shoot to incapacitate. We are not calling for the order to shoot to be given to prevent people crossing the border. What Frauke Petry said is the police have to be allowed to use their guns if they are attacked.”
The AfD wants to impose a “temporary limit of zero” on the number of asylum-seekers allowed to enter Germany.
Refugees queue at the Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs last month
Those already in the country should have their claims assessed, Mr Poggenburg says. Genuine refugees would be allowed to stay, while those who are rejected would be deported.
“According to some statistics, the proportion of genuine refugees is much lower than we are led to believe,” he says, although he cannot produce the figures to back up his assertion.
The AfD has been dogged by other controversies. Ms Petry is on record calling for German women to have three children each, in order to boost the population.
“It would be a good thing if that was the average, but we’re not saying every woman has to have three children,” Mr Poggenburg says. “We encourage it, but we don’t demand it.”
The AfD’s opponents have compared it to the Nazi party.
“That’s intolerable. It trivialises the crimes of the Nazis,” Mr Poggenburg says. Nevertheless, party members have described rival politicians as Volksverräter, or “traitors to the people”, a slur the Nazis used against their enemies.
The state elections are exposing unexpected alignments in Germany’s politics.
The key southern state of Baden-Württemberg, home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, also goes to the polls on March 13.
There, Mrs Merkel has had to distance herself from being seen as too close to Winfried Kretschmann, the Green Party leader and current state prime minister — who has been considerably more supportive of her refugee policy than her own local party.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, Mrs Merkel might lose by winning. The CDU's photogenic state party leader, Julia Klöckner, has publicly disowned her refugee policy and could emerge as a rival on the national stage.
In Halle, even if they oppose her, many warned against writing off Mrs Merkel too soon.
“Her weakness is not terminal," Roland Milker, a retired businessman, said. "She will make it because there is no competition.”
But even if she survives, the divide at the heart of her party will have been crudely exposed.
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