ABS News November 2025

Editorial: Trivia is the Salt of Life
Presidential Message: Complex ideas are increasingly judged by their packaging rather than their substance
Remembering October 2025
November Events
Vice President's Corner: Subject: The 2- states solution as top-down approach is a fallacy
Any Other Business: Girls and Boys
The Last Page

Dear Members and Friends of the ABS,

As a mathematician, I have a penchant for scientific facts; as a historian, an interest in all things historical; and as an (amateur) journalist, a fondness for trivia — for “fun facts.”

In November — more precisely, on November 30, 1874 — Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire. Especially in Great Britain, Churchill is regarded as the most important statesman of the 20th century.

But Churchill wasn’t just a great statesman; he also received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953, a distinction no other politician has achieved, to my knowledge.

It’s no wonder that countless quotes from Churchill have been passed down — let’s conclude with one I particularly like: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Please expect more Fun Facts of the Month in the future — you have been warned!

All the best and see you all at the next ABS event(s)

Wolfgang M. Buchta
ABS Secretary General

PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

Complex ideas are increasingly judged by their packaging rather than their substance.

Have you ever heard of the Dr Fox Effect? No? Don’t worry — neither had I. But I certainly recognise the phenomenon, having witnessed it time and again during my long years in corporate life. And if I’m honest, it gets worse: I’ve used it myself.

The catchphrase of our external management consultants when it came to talks and presentations was simple: “Be aware – you are constantly under the microscope.” In other words, one had to pay close attention to language, delivery, body language, facial expression, gesture, dress code and every external detail in order to convince the audience.

A poor presentation with good content is often ignored; a poor argument delivered well, on the other hand, tends to stick. The so-called Dr Michael J. Fox Effect (from a 1973 study) describes this mechanism with surgical precision: when a person appears confident, composed, and likeable, their perceived credibility increases — regardless of what they actually say. Someone who speaks clearly, uses PowerPoint effectively, gestures precisely, and phrases things neatly will be judged more competent, even if their reasoning is full of holes.

This isn’t personal failure; it’s cognitive economy. Complex content is judged by its wrapping. The packaging dominates the product. The consequences in working life are measurable: wrong decisions are often made on the strength of well-sold arguments. In project meetings and boardrooms, it is usually those who present best who prevail — not those who are right. Leaders are particularly prone to this, since they must make quick decisions and seldom have the time to question the substance in depth.

So let’s pay closer attention to content and not be dazzled by flawless delivery. Simply learning to distinguish one from the other is already a good step towards reducing this effect — and finding the right solution.

Good luck!

REMEMBERING OCTOBER 2025

Back in Autumn

October featured only two events — mainly because one of them was a ten-day trip to Saudi Arabia, and the other was travel-related as well!

Event No. 1: Trip to Saudi Arabia

A brave group of ABS members travelled to Saudi Arabia and, as we hear, they didn’t regret it.
CLICK HERE for the event report (from the President himself!) and photos.

Event No.2: From the Desert to the Waterhole

Another trip already? Not quite — but at Kuoni Reisen (thank you for the invitation!) a presentation entitled “A Trip to Southern Africa” served as a warm-up for the next long-distance journey.

CLICK HERE for the event report and photos.

Two Great Events

November will see two ABS events — time to gather strength for the busy Christmas season!

NOV 7th, 2025 – 6 p.m.

Imagine: Mit inneren Bildern die Kraft des Unbewussten entfesseln
Café Ministerium
Invitation already sent

NOV. 12th, 2025 – 6 p.m.

Anniversaries for Peace
Café Ministerium
Invitation already sent

VICE PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Subject: “The 2- states solution as top-down approach is a fallacy”

The whole world, including Austria is propagating this scheme for eternal peace and reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinians.

In my opinion it will never work for some of the following reasons:

First, it does not command the consent of the majority of the Israeli population now and I cannot see, how that will change even in the long-term.

Second, the Palestinians, who are almost equal in numbers with the Israelis, will be offered a meager 22% of the whole territory for an own state, divided between Gaza and the Westbank, which is overwhelmingly controlled by Israeli security forces- Israel will never give up this instrument of oppression.

Third, the Palestinians themselves are bitterly divided about their own future and it is hard to see how viable and durable state structures could emerge.

What, therefore is a possible solution in my eyes: it is two-fold, first as bottom-up approach at least a stable minimum of mutual trust has to be brought about by constant reciprocal practical measures and second: a federation or con-federation, which includes Jordan ,between the Israeli and Palestinian populations in an unitary state of Jews and Arabs should be established. Israel will thus no longer be an exclusive Jewish State- but this, by sheer demography will be its fate anyway.

by former Ambassador Alexander Christiani

ABS Vice President

NOT AN ABS EVENT, BUT PERHAPS ONE WORTH ATTENDING

Anne Marie Sheridan is currently producing a one-woman play, Girls and Boys, written by British playwright Dennis Kelly.

It will be performed at Ateliertheater, Burggasse 71, from November 19th to 22nd.

It is a wonderfully written play — both comical and serious — dealing with some of the most relevant issues facing families today.

Synopsis:

A lone woman recounts the story of her marriage to the man of her dreams: a chance meeting at an Italian airport sparks an intense, passionate relationship that brings out the best in both of them.

Before long, they settle down, buy a house, juggle careers, have children, and live the dream of a happy family. However, a series of choices causes cracks to appear — their world begins to unravel, and things take a darker turn.

Performed by: Anne Marie Sheridan
Directed by: Owen Lindsay
Audio-Visual Design: Oleg Prodeus
Lighting Design: Ateliertheater
Venue: Burggasse 71, 1070 Vienna
Presented by special agreement with Cassarotto & Ramsay & Associates
Restless Ecstasy Theatre Company
📞 +43 660 486 5273 ✉️ info@restlessxtc.com 🌐 restlessxtc.com
Facebook: RestlessXTC Instagram: Restlessxtctheatre

We are pleased to pass these details on to you, our valued members.