The Endorian Experience

The end is near my friend...

2007-10-15T22:17:00.000+02:00

The end for this totally forgotten blog that is. I've never been really active on it. It became more of a creative mental doodle once in a few months.

I will however start to blog a little more serious, just not here. If you can read dutch any other "creative mental doodles" can be found on the Dutch opinion Blog geencommentaar. A group blog focusing on the news, politics's and the works.

Chronicals of the downfall of the western empire (part I)

2007-09-10T16:04:00.000+02:00

"And we will abolish democracy to save it!" said the right-wing extremist, failing to realise he was the only real tread to democracy.

It's strange that...

2007-09-08T11:52:00.000+02:00

A jew comes to the rabbi and starts talking: "Where did I go wrong? All my life I've been teaching my son the best Jewish manners, from the very beginning, I've been spending most of the time with him talking about thora, I've paid him the best university education, and last week he came home and told me he wants to convert to Christianity... what did I do wrong?"
The rabbi answers: "It's strange that you are asking me... I have a son, from the very beginning I've been giving him only the best of Judaism, I've been taking him to the synagoga, then paid him the best university education, which costed me the most of my wealth, and some few days ago, he came home and told me he's converting to Christianity..."
The Jew asks him: "So what did you do?"
- "I've asked God for help"
- "And...?"
- "He said - It's strange that you're asking me..."

(source unknown - but I found it subtle and funny)

To you I dedicate this song...

2007-08-31T20:01:00.000+02:00

A song especially for you Mr. Wilders (and any other racist politicians):

Disclaimer: as I know Mr. Wilders is quite paranoid and tries to start lawsuits v.s. everybody mentioning his name, seeing threads to his life (he's a brave man), this song is not a thread. It's just the bleak future I believe people like him represent.

From the pantheon of oneliners

2007-08-22T22:48:00.001+02:00

Whatever doesn't kill me has a good change to cripple me for life...

How two wrongs made one right?

2007-08-18T17:24:00.000+02:00

Yes I realise I often ignore my blog for months, if not longer. Nobody reads it anyway so I am not to worried ha! Regardless, I thought it was time for another entry.

I doubt most non-Dutch are aware of the current situation within The Netherlands. Especially when it comes to the hate and fear of Muslims, or the general decline in morals and values (how I despise that term however). In recent years it has become quite popular to openly insult one and other, to be rude, generalise and overall show no respect for one and other. This has become the new standard in The Netherlands. If you disagree with this your anything from a freedom oppressing fascist, a left wing tree huger or "ignorant of the dangers in this world". It's penetrated every corner of society it seems. From politics to private live and of course the Dutch internet community as well.

I actually believe we became this way due to one incident a few years ago especially. The murder of movie maker Theo van Gogh. He was known for his extreme use of "freedom of speech". He for example loved to insult all immigrants by calling them "goat fuckers" publicaly on TV. Now I won't argue his freedom to say that (I do question it's wisdom). He got murdered at some point as it seemed his insults finally made some Muslim nuttjob snap. And there is no excuse for this! No body should ever be harmed, let alone killed, for his or her opinions or words.

I do think in this case we where dealing with 2 wrongs; the first is obvious. Murdering people ain't a good thing. The second is knowingly provoking people, insulting them. Bullying people to a degree that is humiliating and degrading. This is something Theo van Gogh specialised in, and now it seems most of the Dutch people have decided that because a wrong (murder) was committed due to another wrong (bullying and insulting) somehow this second wrong has become a right.

I always learned that two wrongs do not make a right.

Ignorance is our worst enemy

2006-08-02T22:45:00.000+02:00

"Any creative encounter with evil requires that we not distance ourselves from it by simply demonizing those who commit evil acts. In order to write about evil, a writer has to try to comprehend it, from the inside out; to understand the perpetrators and not necessarily sympathize with them. But Americans seem to have a very difficult time recocgnizing that there is a distinction between understanding and sympathizing... when it comes to coping with evil, ignorance is our worst enemy."
- Kathleen Norris

The truth about Mac's

2006-07-30T01:29:00.000+02:00

Old but still funny...

If everyone is right?

2006-07-24T00:39:00.000+02:00

If everyone is right, then who is wrong? If you look at the various news agencies today, they bring you news coloured to the audience they serve or the interests they represent. Some more then others of course. Even if you look at individual conflicts or minor arguments, often you get to see multiple versions of "the truth". The question of what is truth and if these is such a thing as absolute truth I leave to those wiser then myself. And enough books have been written about it, enough studies done towards it, and the outcome? Inconclusive.

Especially the recent conflict between Israel and Lebanon (or I should say Hizbolla, with Lebanon caught in-between) has made this all to clear once again. Sometimes the propaganda of both sides is easily recognised, other times it draws you right in there. And at yet other times, you can not help but feel that the atrocities reported are shamefully not propaganda, but as close as one can get to the cold hard truth.

While I believe news reporting is one of the most important things there is, I also believe it to in a way inherently flawed. It needs to be there, people need to see and know about things. Else we would go right back into the dark-ages. But news can never fully tell the story, never fully be independent. Luckily there is a lot of information and different sides available. But sifting through all the information available is a dawning task to say the least.

Perhaps one of the most important things to realise is simple the fact that this is the way of things. Realise it before drawing conclusions to quickly, and to quickly be suckered into believing things told to you that fit your own idea's about the world best. But perhaps it is also a thought to cherish for small inter-personal communication.

"I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance."
- Socrates

Fox News; your un-ending source of propaganda

Breeding hate in the middle-east

2006-07-23T13:43:00.000+02:00

Since 1 picture has been used so much to breed more hate and cause a conflict already never-ending to for sure be never ending, the following link I believe is very important.

http://ontheface.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2006/7/20/2142505.html

One arab person on a forum spouting hatred, lies and intolerance when I told him off asked me "what is your solution then?". Just because there is no solution, does not mean you need to become part of the problem. And perhaps just that is the solution: Stop being part of the problem.

Medical insanity

2006-07-21T12:34:00.000+02:00

For those not familiar with the Dutch medial system I'll briefly explain. In the Netherlands the state takes care of all finances for medical care. Every civilian is by law required to pay for medical insurance and out of this money the hospitals and doctors are paid. Everybody gets helped, no requirements to fill in credit card numbers, etc. If you want more luxurious care, you can get extra insurance or go to a private hospital.

Today Minster of healthcare, Hoogervorst, announced he is considering cutting the budgets of all hospitals. Why? Because they spend more money then he had planned for it. The primary reason for this is that he himself miscalculated the growing demand for health-care. Calculating it at a rise of 2% and it turned out to be 4%. Hospitals are already starting to treat patients worse and worse due to having to cut costs, and they simply can not cut it any further. They can't make the base that is set for them. So what is this brilliant man's solution? Lets give them even less money.

Not to mention most of his cost-cuts actually cause higher costs. He cuts down on cheap prevention measures, causing more illness and higher costs for eventually treatment of long term health issues. He's the living example of the saying in the Netherlands that "if your completely incompetent to get a real job, you go into politics'".

Amnesty report on IT companies in China

2006-07-21T00:37:00.000+02:00

I've written about this before, so I thought I would add a link now to a report of Amnesty International about what Google, Yahoo! And Microsoft are doing to promote and support an oppressive dictatorship like China. It still angers me also to see people in the west wave this away as "it's China's laws". Violating human rights again loses out to money and the sad part is so many... sorry to use this word.. complete idiots... in the western world seem to think that's just fine. I guess because it doesn't affect them directly?

Amnesty report (PDF)

Fire that man!

2006-07-20T11:11:00.000+02:00

It's happened again. I've read it yet again. And yet again it angers me, or rather saddens me. Intel's profits are down this quarter to a mere 885 million dollars. And of course the company is as such firing people and re-organising. One company of many who are firing common people based on massive profits that just weren't massive enough. I've even at times read about companies who start to downsize not because of their profits going down, in fact their profits rose above previous profits. But because the expected rise in profits was lower then... expected.

I understand the fact that a company needs to act pre-emptive before they go into the red number. But I don't think this is the case usually. We are talking about very healthy companies that sometimes make a little less profit, or who's profits rose a little less then expected. Which I believe is quite normal, markets fluctuate and you can't endlessly expand and grow and grow. Making a huge 885 million dollars profit I think is something most companies only dream about. And it keeps the boat afloat for sure.

What also bothers me is how financial agencies report about this. Using negative terms like that Intel is in trouble or in stormy weather. Excuse me? They are making a huge profit! Sometimes I do think the economy has become a multi-headed beast that we sacrifice everything too. I think a healthy, free-market economy is one of the most important things there is. But the economy should serve the people, not people the economy. Human beings, us, we are the most important thing on this planet for ourselves as a race. Not the economy, it's the well-being of us as a human race that matters more. We need to use the economy to service us there, not be serviced up as a human race to a non living, created mechanism.

I also strongly believe that all this downsizing only works on the short-term. Fire some people, see profits go up. On the long term see customers disappear because you can't service them correctly anymore, see your best staff leave because they are unhappy, see everything decline. Al through not fully related a recent study by DolmatConnel & Partners also showed the IT top-managers who make the most money are achieving the worst. Their companies are doing the worst of all IT companies. Of course what the correlation and relation between the two is, is unknown at the time. But it does make you wonder a bit. To many companies focus on short-term profits to keep stockholders happy, sacrificing long-term survivability even. Let alone making the world as a whole better by providing quality to their customers.

Israeli-Lebanese conflict

2006-07-18T10:18:00.000+02:00

A lot can be said about the Israeli-Lebanese conflict at the moment. A lot also has already been said. Some of it has been very wise, some of it has been very stupid (Bush speaking through an accidentally open microphone, showing this man is so far beyond incompetent its just sad). Both sides in the conflict also have valid and less valid points. But I think the thing that bugs me most at this point and time is the following.

Inside Lebanon there is a private army, Hezbollah, this private army is outside of control of the government. As far as I understand, due to religious differences within the Muslim community, as well as many other factors the Lebanese government would rather see them go then stay. This army is illegal, not government sponsored, but the current government is too weak to disarm them. Especially due to the foreign aid Hezbollah gets of countries like Syria and Iran. Not to mention Syria's residual influence over Lebanon and sometimes treating this country like a province they need to keep under control.

So, when Hezbollah attacks Israel, Israel attacks? Lebanese civilians! They bomb the infrastructure of the country (re-build with western money after their civil war) back into the stone-ages, they actively target Lebanese civilians and some of the weak (not involved in the conflict at all) Lebanese army. Aside from the horrific crime of directly and willingly murdering civilians, making them no better then Hezbollah, they weaken the government who was to weak in the first place to take care of Hezbollah? Talk about attacking the wrong target and the effects will be the reverse. Obviously now people will side with Hezbollah there, and the one force who might eventually be able to disarm Hezbollah gets weakened to a point Hezbollah can thrive and grow for decades to come.

I am in no way defending Hezbollah here, I think they are despicable. But if there is a conflict between 2 parties, why is 1 of these parties attacking a 3rd party essentially not involved in the conflict? One you actually need to strengthen so they can get involved in the conflict and solve it. And if you want to attack 3rd parties? Why not be a man and actually got for the real influences behind Hezbollah like Syria and Iran? (aside from that truly causing the region to explode).

The Corruptibles

2006-06-27T00:55:00.000+02:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-5INcUuoEs

Thought for the day

2006-06-03T14:53:00.000+02:00

We used to call it slavery, now we call it outsourcing.

Congratulations to Lordi

2006-05-21T14:39:00.000+02:00

Last night I for the first time ever saw the Eurovision song festival, and I must admit I had a blast. This festival has little to do with "song". A nearly endless stream of euro-valium-pop, more based on performance then actual skill past the review. It's over the top smoothness, dress up Barbie dolls and Ken's made for a most amusing spectacle. But what made my evening was the Finnish group Lordi. A mediocre heavy metal act that much like Gwar like to dress up as monsters. A non-serious cross between Kiss and Gwar at best. The fact a metal act however mediocre (as there are so much better around) made it into this festival of dress up dolls was hilarious on its own. But even greater... they won!!

In an age where neighbouring countries pretty much just vote for one and other (Cyprus always votes for Greece for example) this band showed the hypocrisy and the overdone focus on imagery. While I am a huge metal fan and as such can tell you the band and song are an awful representation of what metal music stands for, it still in a way warmed my heart to see them win. And win by a landslide! Another act, one clearly also taking the piss out of the contest ended up 6th place I think.

What I also think this shows is that the formula of this festival needs to be redone. The Barbie's and Ken's need to make place for something more solid. The focus on huge acts and not on musical performance has finally stuck a fatal blow in the face of the organisers. The public also clearly showed they wanted something fresh, something challenging. And while Lordi to my ears is mediocre metal, it to a lot of people is something new. People are more and more tired of the slick, mass produced crap that they are being force-fed. Perhaps voting for Lordi can be best summed up by a lyric from an actually great metal band, Skyclad: "I'm sick of eating shit, can I try another flavour?".

From major terrorist to progressive Muslim?

2006-05-20T11:45:00.000+02:00

Saturday morning TV isn't really well known for being inspiring, or even remotely interesting. Zapping past a multitude of children's cartoons and Infomercials I stumbled upon airtime for the "Nederlandse Islamitische Omroep" (Dutch Islamic Broadcast-association). Saturday mornings are usually the time small Broadcast organisations get a chance to some airtime on 1 of the 3 state-tv stations (also Hindu, Frysian, etc.). In general I do find it interesting to watch and see what lives in the minds of these other communities living in The Netherlands, so I watched for a while.

One piece they showed actually seemed to be very promising for the Muslim community. A former Muslim Fundamentalist Leader that has now become a fighter for women's rights and a much more liberal interpretation of the Koran; Hassan al-Turabi. In an interview by phone he explained that the Koran does not state women need to wear anything to cover their hair, face or entire bodies. That in fact in the time of Mohammed women did not dress like that either. The only references he directly found where for women to cover up their breasts. He also mentioned that the Koran wants women to be free, and responsible individuals. Not owned by men. Overall I found his views to be very hopeful in bringing some enlightenment to the more radical Muslim faith. So I googled him...

And this caused some confusion with me. "former Muslim Fundamentalist" does not do the man credit. It's far and far worse apparently! This is the man who founded various extremist Muslim groups, the personal tutor to al Qaeda's second in command Al-Zawahiri and personal friend to Bin Laden! There are also claims he is linked to some of the terror-groups doing ethnic cleansing in Darfur. In short, all information found on this man on the world wide web does not paint a very warm, inspiring picture of this man.

I also don't know enough about the subject if this man has truly seen the error of his ways and is now inspiring his people to become more sensible, or if it's just a mask, a play he puts on. What is however certain is that it's interesting to look at these developments and the history of Islam, terrorism beyond just the usual suspects. If he is genuine, can more extremists see the error of their ways?

Al-Turabi's website | Article on women in Islam (PDF)
Turabi as Islamic Extremist

How far the Dutch have fallen

2006-05-19T16:27:00.000+02:00

The past few days I think about all Dutch media has covered the story of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and I can only imagine how many weblogs and blogs have been written about the matter. As I understand it, non Dutch media also jumped on the story. So why should I still comment on it?

Well, a few things during the entire debate, or be it debacle, stood out for me. First of all I must make it perfectly clear that I am in no way a supporter of Ayaan Hirsi Ali. My view of her is of a scorned woman out of indiscriminate vengeance towards all Muslims. Somebody who lets her raw and pure hatred for the wrongs done to her lead her words and actions, and as such causes damage to the cause she herself stands for.

Now having said that you might think I would be happy with the way things turned out in the Netherlands for her. But actually I am not. While I did not and do not agree with her in any possible way, there is nothing but shame and disgrace in the way she was dealt with. And I honestly believe the way she was handled was a combination of pure stupidity combined with blind ambition of Rita Verdonk (the immigration Minster).

Two things in the debate struck me, and one thing in publications from the foreign media. Lets first address the issue of the foreign media. They all condemned the Dutch political parties for letting Ayaan Hirsi Ali fall. But if you watched the debates, I think only two people in the entire government supported what was done to her. Everybody else, from her supporters to her opponents felt she had been done a great wrong, one that needed to be righted. Yes, the eventual motion to try and return the decision to strip Ayaan of her Dutch citizenship was weak, but most foreign newspapers commented on the matter long before the motion. The motion also was clearly meant to be "strict", but not so strict to make the cabinete fall. Political safety before bravery. Which sadly is the way of the Dutch...

The two issues that struck me in the debate. The first is, what where we actually talking about? She wasn't stripped of her citizenship for lying as most people implied. If you really followed the debate you understood what actually happened. Because she gave a false name and date of birth for her naturalisation according to law she technically wasn't naturalist to Dutch citizenship. Basically if your name is "Alli Babba" and you say your name is "Mohamed Agban" then "Mohaman Agban" become Dutch and not you who is actually called "Alli Babba". It really is as simple as that. It's a legal technicality. Nothing more, nothing less. No stripping of your nationality happens, you technically just never got it. As your name is used to identify you.

Basically this is the application of rules above common sense. Your name becomes your primary and unique identifier and your nationality is connected to that unique identifier. Which is exactly where the mistakes start. For one a name is hardly a unique identifier. There are many "Alli Babbas" in the world so to say. Also it treats people to much as machines, as well a database. And it rules out our humanity.

Now the second thing that struck me. After much debate it turned out this can be easily fixed by a simple administrative task. You correct your name in a government database and redo the procedure. A bit clumsy, but there you go. However!! The government doesn't inform you of this and in fact deports people after the fact before they can do a simple administrative task! In the case of Ayaan Hirsi Ali she had a permanent refuge status she can fall back on to stay in the country basically. But many people whom this befalls where on a temporary status. So say Alli Babba had a temp. status till 2004. In 2003 he became of the Dutch Nationality. In 2005 they discover he is really named differently, Dutch nationality as such was not officially granted. Now he falls back on his previous status, which ended in 2004. And as such.. he is deported!! And that is an outrage! The government deports people over a written, legal technicality.

This furthermore comes to light in something else also mentioned in the debate. If you lie during your initial intake as a refugee you can also later be deported without any further reason and this happens. Well, rules are rules not? This also includes women who when they first arrive here are scared and don't in the initial briefing mention they have been raped or even gang rapped. This counts as lying as well and is a reason for being deported! Or Muslim homosexuals who don't immediately mention they are homosexual. Two cases you can very easily understand people would not be open about it, one out of shame and the other out of fear.

And then you have people who claim this to be fair? Isn't the immigration policy meant to keep out economic refugees (not that I agree with that, but I can understand it) and protect political refugees and those who need our protection? This has nothing to do with this anymore! This means actual political refugees are send back based on... based on nothing! On a legal formality! This has nothing to do with humanity anymore, with fairness, with civilisation. This is a farce, a black-mark... something so shameful and spiteful... is this what the Dutch nation stands for? Have we honestly lost our humanity so badly? Have we fallen so far? I guess we have.

I am sorry for Ayaan Hirsi Ali and what happened to her. I wish her situation will be righted and she will remain a Dutch citizen. I may not agree with her, but this is not right. And I wish this situation will shine light on the horrible crimes done in our, the Dutch peoples, name and be righted not just for Ayaan, but for all those who suffer under it. Ironically I don't think Ayaan did anything for anybody in a constructive way (to much hate to actually be constructive), but this might be her gift to those in a less famous position then her. I am glad however the protection of Ayaan stays in place and they didn't remove that when she resigned from the Dutch government, as she lives in permanent danger due to what she says. And I fear the fact she found a job advising Bush in the US. Do we honestly wish a spiteful hatemonger like Ayaan whispering in the ear of one of the worst war-criminals and warmongers the world has ever seen? But at least her future is ensured. Let is also be ensured for all others in her position.

The Polish savage

2006-05-06T16:31:00.000+02:00

One of the hot-issues in the Netherlands at the moment is the influx of cheap-Polish labour. One of the lesser issues about this debate stuck me this morning however. One of the owners of a firm that employs Polish people to work in the Netherlands was on TV in a small news/documentary about the issue. His, legal, workforce is housed in vacation homes in the Netherlands. There they have to follow strict rules 24/7. One of these companies even employ private security firms to check on the workforce.

What are these checks and rules about? That they clean up their bed, are not allowed to drink, when they get up, etc. These things are all OFF work time. No Dutch person would allow their company to send round guards to inspect if they cleaned their house and what they did in their free time. So why is this necessary exactly? Well our good company director explains...

In a very degrading tone he talks about "those people". How in Poland "those people" are used to washing themselves outside with a bucked of water. How "those people" are not used to tiding up their bed. If you in Poland stink people are used to that. But here you need to live to Dutch values (but not be paid Dutch wages). How "those people" think it's normal in their country to work with a bottle of Vodka next to them during work. In short, these backward savages have to be taught how to clean themselves and to keep of the booze. Next to providing them work, this director speaks with pride how he is bringing values and morals to these poor savages. These beasts of labour.... Except the wee bit about paying them normal wages of course.

I can't believe anybody can use such blatant lies to excuse himself with. And the worst part is, I think he actually believes it. How can you think and speak so degrading about others? And be so unnatural and think yourself so superior. I can start to understand why some people I know of what used to be eastern Europe, whom are just as advanced as anybody else (bah that I felt the need to say that!), are so protective and defensive about this. Bahbahbah...

Back in Black

2006-05-05T12:12:00.000+02:00

Your Theme Song is Back in Black by AC/DC

"Back in black, I hit the sack,
I've been too long, I'm glad to be back"

Things sometimes get really crazy for you, and sometimes you have to get away from all the chaos.
But each time you stage your comeback, it's even better than the last!

What's Your Theme Song?

You Should Be An Aquarius

What's good about you: philosophical and idealistic, you are a great thinker

What's bad about you: you require a lot of space - it's hard to get close to you

In love: you're quirky and playful, but you hate to be smothered

In friendship, you're: likely to have many acquaintances and very few good friends

Your ideal job: pilot, snow boarder, or science fiction writer

Your sense of fashion: unconventional, unique outfits that turn heads

You like to pig out on: anything with garlic or unique spices

What Sign Should You Be?

igod

2006-05-03T20:18:00.000+02:00

Feel the burning need to talk to god online? Now you can!

igod (link)

Dutch political party hits back at "watvooreikelbenjij" campaign

2006-04-30T16:13:00.000+02:00

I spoke about the disgrace the "watvooreikelbenjij" campaign was 2 posts earlier. Especially how it's one big government sponsored commercial for Microsoft. It seems one political opposition party also agrees, the sp. Asking questions why we are wasting money on a doomed to fail campaign and promoting Microsoft to boot. They launched their own parody website "whatvooreikelzijnjullie" (what kind of an idiots are you) to the campaign. It's in Dutch only and can be viewed here: http://www.watvooreikelszijnjullie.nl/

Sorry Darfur, maybe next year

2006-04-30T15:57:00.000+02:00

The UN announced it is cutting it's food supply and relieve effort basically in half in Darfur. This because the wealthy nations of our wonderful planet Earth did not make true their promises of financial aid. The fact the international community has so far stood by as entire villages get slaughtered and genocide is being executed on a large scale is a crime onto itself of a magnitude one can not even be ashamed enough for. That an entire population is being murderd; men, women, children and even babies.... "hey we want to help, but right now we are 'busy'. Have some patience". This does not sit well on the eternal scale of human beings as being civilised and helping one and other.

What also bothers me now is that the little help that was promised was only just that... promised! A hollow promise that looked good on TV when it was made, but never actually backed up with action. Now the refugees there are cut back to the absolute minimum to survive and many more will die due to broken, hollow promises of aid. At least be so honest mr. Present to go on TV and proclaim "Sorry, we are selfish bastards and you are not getting a single dime!". Letting people starve is a horrible crime, but claiming your going to help when you fully well know your not makes it even worse.

The only good thing I've heard in this matter is that the Dutch government has promised (ohnoes!) to aside from the money already given, to give even more money to make up for the broken promises of countries like the US. Lets hope it's not another hollow promise.

And for the rest, another cartoon of my favourite political cartoon site: pre-emptive apology

The madness within

2006-04-21T12:43:00.000+02:00

Sometimes people confuse me greatly. Recently it became known that Yahoo! Has been actively helping the Chinese government to persecute it's citizens who wish China to become more free and a democracy. I would have expected a huge outcry about this. Here you have a US company for profit helping a dictatorship oppress it's people. Of course Yahoo! Here just follows in line with a long range of companies through the ages who have supported dictators for a few bucks extra. But what has surprised me is how many people have jumped in to defend Yahoo! And especially the arguments used.

The most favoured argument seems to be that if you want to do business in a country you need to follow it's rules. This indeed is true. That however is not an argument that in any possible way absolves blame. The argument itself actually indicates that sometimes a company should not choose morals and common decency over financial gain. I wonder if Frans van Anraat (Dutch businessman who provided the base materials to Saddam Hussein used to murder his own people) will use the same defence and people will think this to be a solid defence? "Well, yes I know my actions caused a lot of deaths, but those where just the laws of the country and I wanted to do business".

Don't get me wrong, if businesses want to operate in China they should go for it. But operating a business and actively helping to round up activists are two different things. And if a dictatorship gives you no other option then to help them oppress their own population, perhaps it is time to pack up and go?

Other strange defences I've heard of people included that "perhaps these people where really criminals? How do we know?" and "If they had helped to arrest nazi's you would be cheering them". The first one must make any oppressive government very happy. When China has one of the worst human rights records around (mass executions of political dissidents and torture on a large scale), you want to bring in doubt that the people they arrest for wanting an democratic China without human rights violations might actually be real criminals? The other comment is just to silly for words. Yes, if somebody helps arrest really bad people who want to hurt others or who do hurt others of course that is a good thing. But that is not the issue here. If I say I don't like the colour of that green car it hardly is an argument to shut me up to say "but if it had been blue you would have liked the colour. So don't speak up!". My head can't get around such comments.

It is just a funny old world how people can start to justify a regime that tortures and murders it's own subjects and oppresses them, a regime that is systematically purging the Tibetan people from the face of the earth through slow genocide and social migrations, a regime that is nothing more then a common dictatorship can somehow be defended. All because of economic interests that may be interesting for large corporations, but irrelevant for an individual.

IRepress (cartoon regarding recent IT companies in China)

What kind an idiot is the Dutch goverment?

2006-04-20T22:59:00.000+02:00

The Dutch government doomed to fail attempt to appeal to young people with the campaign "wat voor een eikel ben jij?" ("what kind of an idiot are you?") would normally not bother me much. One more attempt of the government to appeal to young people to become less aggressive and more respectable. But in this case I must admit I am a bit bothered. Not because of the campaign itself. But because of the website supporting it.

While the government officially is trying to promote open standards, open source and freedom of a monopolist, the website for this campaign is one huge Microsoft advertisement! The website is more Microsoft and MSN commercial then actually informative. Both top and bottom bars are completely filled with it. Not just does it make the website look very amateuristic (it looks like a free newsgroup made by somebody in 10 minutes with some online "community" creation tool), but with the accompanying video clip, commercials on TV and what more, tax payers money is actually used to promote Microsoft. A commercial company. Even if I was not worried about Microsoft's market dominance, why is a commercial company being sponsored basically with tax money and it's competitors being ignored? Public awareness campaigns should be add-free!

http://www.watvooreikelbenjij.nl/

How stickfigures come into the world

2006-04-19T22:11:00.000+02:00

Adopt a granny

2006-04-17T10:21:00.000+02:00

While the debate rages in my own country about being responsible for your own poverty, cutting back on the care for the elderly, the sick, people needing to be being made "cost aware" of our healthcare system and what more... the Dutch TV show "netwerk" showed the horrible situation of some elderly people in eastern Europe.

The aid agency Dorcas has out of desperation started a project where you can adopt a "granny". Elderly people (both male and female) who live in the most horrible of situations, who are often cut of from electricity, water and can not even afford to eat every day. These people saved all their lives, but their pension plan got destroyed due to extreme deflation of their countries monetary system (so much for own responsibility?). Some of their pensions are no less then 20 euros a month now due to this.

The situation for some of these people without aid is so desperate. One of the women they showed was blind and is taken care of by her granddaughter of 14 years old. Her daughter and mother of her granddaughter left to work in Turkey but has since disappeared. The first thing that came to my mind, and also to the aid-workers was that she, like many women, has ended up in the sex-slave industry probably. Her 14 year old granddaughter also already is being targets by men buying her gifts now. Luckily she realises these men are looking to sell her into the white sex-slave trade it seems. But how long can you keep them at bay when you have no more electricity, water, when you only live on bread with rice and oil and some days don't eat at all? And you see your grandmother wasting away.

I to god hope these people can get helped, these situations can be prevented in the future and that they do not spread to more parts of the world. Because I can see this happening to the western countries soon as well if we continue on this course where people are in service of the economy and not the economy in service of the people. At the very least I can adopt one of these people and help them out this way.

All links, but two are in Dutch. Dorcas is an officially approved and monitored charity.

Information about the TV show | Adopt a granny (dutch) | Dorcas

Francis Fukuyama about Bush

2006-04-15T12:01:00.000+02:00

It has become popular under some neo-conservatives to now turn their back on the Bush government. Their motives for turning their back on the policy they before pushed for can and of course should be questioned. But I will say I was impressed with Francis Fukuyama in the Dutch TV show "tegenlicht". Especially his opinion on where to go from now and how he thinks restoring the US credibility may take an entire generation is quite interesting.

The entire TV show can be viewed online I believe and the interview is in English. The rest of the website is however in Dutch.

Episode information | View the episode

Pleasantly surprised

2006-04-15T00:29:00.000+02:00

Despite the huge amount of music and genre's available out there I'm not that often truly surprised anymore. A long time ago a colleague of mine directed me towards the music of Wendy McNeil. I was immediately impressed, but till today had not taken much more notice of her. Mainly as her albums are very hard to get. A newer album seems to be available again now, so time to rekindle my interest I guess.

If you fancy some very experimental music made by a women and her accordion then it might be an idea to stop by her website quickly and check out some samples. It truly is amazing stuff.

http://www.wendymcneill.com/index.php

Especially for our US viewers.. migraphobia!

2006-04-14T15:55:00.000+02:00

Have you got a case of Migraphobia?

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/phobia.html

Responsibility

2006-04-08T13:19:00.000+02:00

Responsibility for your own well-being is the keyword that right winged people, liberals and conservatives love to use. If you fail in life it's your own fault, if you succeed in life, it should be your own doing. Selfishness is promoted above all. While I agree people should take responsibility for their life, remember that the right's "own responsibility" includes being responsible for things you have no control over, being responsible for things totally out of your own hands and out of your own control, being responsible for every setback you fought so hard to prevent, but fate just decided otherwise. Remember this as you wear your suit, get laid off due to middle management being the first jobs to go due to merges, as your own company goes bankrupt due to factors outside your own control, as you lose your job to "cut costs" to please stockholders. Because yes, this too you are responsible for in their vision.

This society lost it's lack of responsibility for others long ago.....

Humanity vs. humans (1-0)

2006-02-18T15:23:00.000+01:00

I must admit over the course of this last year I've grown less and less interested in politics' and world events. Not so much because I believe the world has become a better place, or because I have lost interest in the traditional sense of the word. Most of this I believe has come with simply growing tired of problems you can not solve yourself.

What I more and more have come to realise is that human beings as single units, on a micro level are generally nice wonderful people. Not all of course, but most people simply long to be happy and live peaceful enjoyable lives. They do not wish harm upon others and to a large extent are worried about other people's welfare and caring. Yet on a grand scale, we as humanity, seem to be very much the direct opposite of this. The reasons for this are probably a bit to complicated for me to fully understand. And what I do understand of it to extensive and complicated to put into words on a weblog.

What it however causes is the strange situation you so often see these days. We all know something is wrong, yet nobody seems empowered to do something about it. We all know the US is torturing people, but nobody can stop it. We all see religious zealous terrorists murdering people in suicide attacks, but we can't stop it. We all know about many lies and injustices going on, but as long as it's not officially acknowledged we can ignore the truth. The truth long since stopped being important, it's the truth that has been admitted.

I guess in light of these things I've decided to put my focus more on the individual, then the larger whole. Either it is unfixable or it will sort itself out. But not one individual can compete against "the system" so to say. I don't mean this in conspiracy theories, or shadowy governments. I simply mean the larger flow of things is not something you can suddenly bend to your will. It's a mighty river that no individual themselves can suddenly shift in direction or hope to tame. The individual vs. the collective is an interesting thing to watch, but also something that if you do not watch out can cause you to despair. So better, as with everything in life, to balance it if you want my opinion.

Straczynski's Crusade

2006-02-17T18:06:00.000+01:00

Well well, the endorian experiance? I think it has been over 1 year since I last made a serious attempt to post on my Blog. Due to a busy life, a very demanding job and not in the least my fascination with World of Warcraft, I have been neglecting this Blog for a long time now.

Perhaps the easiest way to get back into things would be to add a light-hearted recommendation to all who read this to watch the TV series "Crusade". I have always been a huge Babylon 5 fan and Crusade is one of the two un-successful spin-offs from that series. It ran for just one season (13 episodes) before being cancelled. Which I think is a real shame. With every episode you can see the show mature and the charcters getting worked out better. Also you can start to see the bigger storyline (meant for 5 seasons) showing through more and more.

Crusade has more a RPG/Quest like feeling to it. Which was also the idea of it's creators. There are distinct "classes" from fantasy games worked into the storyline. From the "king" (captain) to Merlin (a technomage). While this may sound a bit corny, it works perfectly and there is a nice dynamic between all the characters on the show. My only disappointment was the "x-files parody" episode they made. Not so much as it was not funny, but with so few episodes before they got cancelled, it just feels as a bit of a shame they didn't spend one more episode on explaining the actual storyline.

The entire series is out on DVD and I recommend anybody to get it asap if you enjoy good SF. Much like the brilliant Firefly, a FS series that should never have been cancelled.

The story of Isaac

2005-06-18T13:49:00.000+02:00

I've been listening to Leonard Cohen's music a lot recently, in particular 'The story of Isaac'. Every time I hear this song I can not help but think that the Bible is wrong and that Abraham clearly failed the test of God. That is, if the God represented in the bible is supposed to be a benevolent deity.

For those of you unfamiliar with 'The story of Isaac', this is the story of Abraham being told by God to murder his own son Isaac in the name of God. A sacrifice to the gods. I believe it is mend to show in ancient days that this God did not demand you to kill human beings or make great sacrifices and that believe and trust in God is all you need. Because God stops Abraham once he is convinced that Abraham will really kill his own son just because some deity told him so; blind faith.

And that is where I think Abraham, or this God, failed. You can never lay your own responsibly in the hands of others. Nothing can order you to harm others in this way and take away your responsibility. The real test is to stand-up for an innocent, Isaac in this case, and defend him or her. To always stand for what is righteous and what is good. No greater power should ever tempt you to do harm to others and you give into it. Especially not when it greater power claims it will take responsibility for it.

This is exactly how the Germans where able to do such harm to the Jews during the second world war for example. They where "following orders for the greater good by a higher authority they put their trust in". This is also how people justify terrorist attacks and sending people to their deaths in suicide runs. Various psychological experiments also showed that most people will murder their fellow human beings if somebody else with authority says it's their responsibility. All this can be found in the basic logical flaw that is Abraham and Isaac in the bible. Blind faith and lack of responsibility into anything that claims to be a higher authority is wrong, and becomes a great crime once it's used to justify harm to others.

"You who build these altars now
To sacrifice these children,
You must not do it anymore.
A scheme is not a vision
And you never have been tempted
By a demon or a god.
You who stand above them now,
Your hatchets blunt and bloody,
You were not there before,
When I lay upon a mountain
And my father’s hand was trembling
With the beauty of the word."

- Leonard Cohen 'The story of Isaac'

and the silence continues...

2005-06-01T22:54:00.000+02:00

After a long silence I thought I would put up a small post to mostly confirm the silence on my weblog. Due to a total lack of interest in being online and the internet I have not really been updating this website at all. I am sure in the future I will again. But for now, let the silence continue.

Other then that, YES! Like many other Dutch I voted no for the Europian constitution and it became a massive no. Rejecting the constitution. This really is a step towards a real and better Europe, and not the mistake politicians tried to make of Europe. For a better Europe, I am quite glad this happend!

Banking the right way

2005-04-16T11:39:00.000+02:00

After hearing things that only after a lot of pressure one of the banks I am with finally withdrew from funding questionable arms-manufacturers I have become a bit more interested in what banks actually do with your money. Because while banks complain about wanting to raise fees for consumers, it's our money that makes them really wealthy. Mostly due to investments and due to loans. Banks generally don't seem to have a conscious, but nobody ever raises their voice about it.

So when I hear things about some banks investing in seriously questionable projects, things that never ever would have my approval... I have become interested if some banks don't do this. At least in the Netherlands there seems to be one bank who actively chooses to invest their money in projects for the benefit of mankind. Reading their examples, I am impressed. From biological farming to micro financing people in the poorest parts of the world. I haven't switched yet, but I will probably move some of my bank accounts there. In case anybody else is interested: Triodos bank (or if somebody has some information that they are all bollocks, I also would like to know).

Friday cat blogging

2005-04-15T10:24:00.000+02:00

I thought I would join in with the modulator's request to on Friday cat (or any other pet) blog. I think my cat was less impressed with the idea. I've never seen her look so unimpressed as here...

Some random thoughts

2005-04-14T11:59:00.000+02:00

Some random thoughts on Dutch news...

I saw on the news that the number of people on unemployment or benefits are down. Which is being put forward as a success for government policy. Hearing the actual wording it's not that more people found a job, it's simply that people are being cut off from getting unemployment benefits. As such greater poverty, with just as many people unemployed. Well done!

I also saw a bit of news that one of the extremist Christian parties here wants to introduce a card game to teach "morals and values". A few days ago I saw a documentary about some of the really gone wrong youth who have been assaulting foreigners, convicted of many crimes, etc. Forgive my pessimism but no card game will ever effect any change on these guys. These are massive social issues. How far removed from reality are you Christians?

Seeing this series on the re-training and detention system for youths I noticed a funny comment by one of them. These kids where training how to steer ships as a way to teach them a job. One of them commented: "It's fun, it's just like a video game". That just made my day. At one time video-games about for example boating meant to emulate real life. Now kids think out of the opposite perspective. Funny... be it kind of worrying.

Random thought on international news....

I read somewhere that the cookie monster of sesame street will now start to promote veggies and try and discourage kids from eating cookies. Perhaps it's just me, but shouldn't parents be the ones who take responsibility for their children and be the ones who raise them? I am sorry, but you as a parent control what your child eats. Why is parenting being left to things like TV?

Scary & funny links

2005-04-14T09:47:00.000+02:00

Displaying the 10 commandments in court? What government that claims to be secular can even let this come to court! Not to mention how this article tries to support those "poor Christians". This is very serious and very scary. The US really seems to be heading back to the dark ages... with nuclear weapons!

Blogs should be censored? Well at least according to US citizens who mostly never even read a Blog or knew about Blogs before they got asked their opinion about it. I would not be surprised if this outcome is due to how the questions where asked (more about privacy and not about freedom of speech) and will be used by some rightwing nut jobs to not protect privacy, but attack the freedom of speech.

Design your own hell! This nice, you can design your own levels of Hell. For some odd reason Bush always ended up in the lowest level of hell with me as being the worst sinner. I wonder why *evil grin*.

What threat to the Bush administration are you? There are so many pointless quizzes out on the internet, but this one is kind of funny. Apparently I am:

Threat rating: Medium. Your total lack of decent
family values makes you dangerous, but we can
count on some right wing nutter blowing you up
if you become too high profile.

Der Untergang

2005-04-10T11:44:00.000+02:00

Last night I finally saw "Der Untergang", and I can more then recommend this movie to everybody. For those not familiar with the movie, it's a German movie about the last few days of Hitler's reign and the collapse of Germany in the second world war. I however would not call it a war movie.

The movie was very controversial as Germans are very worried about portraying Hitler as a normal human-being. To them he needs to stay a total monster. The shame most Germans feel about the second world war, as I understand it, is quite big. Some worried this movie would turn Hitler into an idol. But it luckily does nothing like that.

Der Untergang mostly centres around various people in or around Hitlers bunker. While the people in the streets of Berlin suffer you get to see how Hitler impacted those around him and how the downfall of their empire affects them. This has been done in such a realistic way it impressed me beyond most other movies. Every action, every emotion seemed real. From those so caught up in Hitler's words and idea's that they commit suicide for him, even after he himself is dead, to those who try and save them selves. Most people however are generally clueless about how to act. As Hitler more and more loses hope and shows less and less sanity himself.

From the subtleties of soldiers and officers who know it's become useless, but continue to do their job because they don't know any better to the exceptionally powerful scene where Gubbels wife poisons her own children one by one. Most of the story centres around the secretary of Hitler. Who really is in most of this a bystander, totally overwhelmed by the situation she has gotten herself into.

I can simply recommend this movie to everybody. It is a great insight into how people mentally deal with and react to a situation to extreme to really comprehend. A unique insight into what happens the last few days as an empire is really falling, and being powerless to change that. Hollywood would learn something of the acting, storyboard, way of filming here. No Hollywood drama ever comes close to this.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363163/ (IMDB)
http://www.deruntergang-special.film.de/ (german)
http://www.a-film.nl/deruntergang/ (Dutch)

Go fasism go! sigh

2005-04-08T23:05:00.000+02:00

It doesn't happen a lot that I turn of my TV in utter disgust because I can not stomach the person in question being allowed to a) talk and b) breath. I know this sounds radical, but some people really make me feel ashamed to be a human being. I generally am a big supporter of free speech, even if is faulty logic. But this just went too far.

On a political debate show a representative of "nieuw rechts" (new right) was also invited. Which a large smirking smile, hair put straight back with to much gell, a Dutch flag pin, a Dutch flag tie he sat there. They showed a little report about him and two of his goons going to cities that recently had to suffer from extreme right violence against innocent asylum seekers. Schools being burned out and innocent people being beaten up by racist youth. There he went to stick up for these racists. For some "strange" reason the mayors of both cities didn't really feel much like meeting this guy (in fact in one town the mayor was just not even at the town hall at the time he arrived). So then he went to see if he could find some of these racist youth's to. I guess talk some friendly supportive words to them. He couldn't find any however.

He on the show said he felt "unwelcome", "ignored" as if people where "unrealistically afreight of him" as if he was "shunned" and that people had an unfair picture of him. Gee, I wonder which other group suffers at those feelings by this guy?! Isn't this the exact same way he treats foreigners?! Gee, sucks when it happens to you doesn't it? And that's without the violence and just a one off event of much less proportions then anything foreigners have to endure if this guy would be in power.

Next a major of another city (not one he visited) who was also on the show talks about the problem of rising extreme rightwing movements among kids. That the police did an extensive investigation on it. It showed that the problem in his city almost totally was with the white racist youth. No groups of foreigners where involved as agressors. They where pure hate crimes and violence out of racism. Also that one of the most, if not THE most renowned university in the Netherlands, that of Leiden, did a study that rising extreme right-winged youth are a possible bigger problem then Islamic fundamentalism. Before this major has finished speaking this new right guy goes and interrupts him. How it's all not true, all lies, not facts, it's all fiction. The major still tries to say a few times that these are the police reports on their current situation, etc. But this guy just talks through him, ignores him and goes off with some racist excuses about how it's all caused by immigrants attacking whites. The major once more explains this is not the case, that in some big cities there are indeed opposing groups where you also have immigrants who fight with racist whites and visa versa but not in his town. That the police studies show nothing of the sorts. Without knowing any thing about the town in question Mr. New Right continues to find excuses, about how perhaps these youth where driven away to his city, felt oppre... *click* tv turned off. There is only so much pure racist hate and lies I can take on one evening.

I mean how can this guy claim to be decent? Not just does he lie, and badly I might add and does he thrive on hate. But how can anybody claim to be civilised and proper and "better then those filthy foreigners" if they actively promote hate by extreme right winged youth against innocent people?! Remind me again how it's noble, right and superior to torch a school? How it's noble, right and superior to beat up defenceless people? Is that the mighty "white civilisation"? If so, can I please change my skin colour, as I want to belong to an actual CIVILISATION, not a bunch of cave-people who try and attack everything they grasp to understand. Dressing up in a suit and using fancy words on command does not hide the fact your brain is less advanced then the average surer rat. I hate to say it, but please go sit in your own concentration-camp you want to build for these people, wanna-be fascist. Obviously I don't really want these people dead, as everybody has a right to live. But I really do feel they are an embracement to the entire human race and a waste of the air we all breath. How primitive a species we are.

Death of the Pope

2005-04-04T13:31:00.000+02:00

I am neither a catholic, nor a Christian, or actually a believer of any faith. For me there exists no higher mysticisms, gods, or anything spiritual. As such I can not claim that I have any direct connection to the Pope. Over these last few days I have seen a lot of comments about his death from various people. From those full of praise, too those angry at anything religious and as such also at the Pope.

This behaviour always amazes me, how people swing to one extreme or the other when somebody dies. For some there is nothing but good about the dead, others use it to express their political views about world matters or to oust their own frustration.

Personally I found this Pope to be very contradictionary in what he did, from my point of view. But exceptionally consistent from what probably was his point of view. I believe he was exceptional in his quest for world-peace and understanding among the different faiths. The steps he took towards the Jewish community are in my view his greatest act.

The Church has throughout the centuries always promoted anti-Semitism, during most crusades more Jews where murdered in Europe by the troops on their way to the holy land then Muslims in the holy land itself. All church sponsored. As where the exclusion of Jews from being able to hold normal jobs, own land, etc. (forcing them into occupations like money lending). I also believe that the hatred for Jews during the Nazi time came directly from these centuries of hate the Church spew forth for Jews.

Considering this very tainted past of the Church, I think it was very brave of this Pope to apologise for this behaviour and seek to change the Church on this point. Breaking away with centuries of persecution was his greatest moment I believe. And with this of course also goes the dialogue he sought out with other faiths.

I can not stand behind his continues hate-mongering for gays, his exclusion of women from the church and how he unrealistically send millions to their death's by forbidding the use of condoms. While from his point of view abstaining would have also prevented the AIDS epidemic, it was not a realistic idea and as such I do feel he is in a large part responsible for this.

I do believe this Pope did everything based on what he thought was right. The horrible things caused by this I believe where as such un-intentional. I believe he did what he thought was good for this world and mankind. And I also think all he did was strongly guided by his faith. I also wish some other Christians *cough*bush*cough* would actually stick more truly to the teaching and follow the Pope when he said that war is only the last resort and that religion used as an excuse for war is against the direct teachings of any religion. Then again, Bush isn't a Catholic.

Scary democracy (follow-up of previous post)

2005-04-02T17:16:00.000+02:00

Well it's official, those who claim to be democrats (D66) fear the democratic process. I guess the power was just to yummy to let go. So D66 can continue to stay puppets of CDA and VVD and apparently they like it. It's always interesting to see how small amount of power weaken spines and erodes principles.

Fake democracy by so called democrats (D66)

2005-04-02T15:48:00.000+02:00

After watching a lot of the debate of one of the smaller government parties here in the Netherlands weather they should stay or leave the government (and as such causing the government to collapse) I keep wondering about one thing they keep saying: "It's in the interest of the country to stay in". Why exactly? Because all polls show that the current government is highly unpopular and they will lose power to the opposition? Why is this exactly bad?

This party claims to be mostly concerned with listening to the voters, giving power back to the voters. Yet their main argument at the moment can best be translated as "the voters are idiots, they will vote for the opposition, disagree with our policy and if we go from the government the voters will allow the opposition to rule and this is per definition bad for the country". Doesn't that go directly against they principles? Doesn't that show major arrogance?

Plus no offence dear D66 party, but this government has been the worst possible government The Netherlands has had in years and years. The current opposition would almost certainly do a better job. But really, keep kidding yourself that if you aren't in the government then the government by definition apparently is "bad for the country".

Mind you, they keep hammering on nonsense points anyway when it comes to listening to the voter. A chosen mayor and prime minister as they want sound all democratic. But if you do that, these people need a platform to run on. Our current mayors and prime minister don't have real power. They are in essence supposed to be the chairmen of the meetings and cabinet, etc. If you want to vote for them, then they need to have arguments why, this means they need power to implement this. As a mayor or prime minister is of 1 party this means you are un-democratising the government actually. Because you are giving 1 man, of 1 party power over the votes and real democratic elected people in the house of parliament and the city councils. They do represent voting equally, 1 man can never do this. As if 51% votes for him/her and 49% against then 49% of votes are ignored and cast aside. But with house of parliament and city councils it means the 49% is still represented. And the 1 man, the major or prime minister remains a formal role without direct power, mostly severing the actually democratically more representative bodies of state.

Optimism

2005-03-20T16:08:00.000+01:00

I am realistic enough to know not that many people read my Blog, and I know that some of my Blog entries can sound very negative. I write them however in the hope that it will "wake up" some people who never thought about these issues, or that it will show to others who are likeminded, that they are not alone.

While I have no illusions of grandeur, I think English Statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke was correct when he said "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". And my Blog is writen in part based on this principle. I harbour some hope that what I write will get people to think and act. Because, while I can put things very bleakly, I do believe if "good men" act and don't let themselves be silenced, this world could be a lot better. I guess in the end, I am in this an optimist against better judgement. I am a realist, but keep hope alive that with enough action by "good men" something truly good can exist.

I don't think that "big corporations", "religious fanatic's" and others who bear no good will towards others in general can not be fought. I even believe that bigotry, racism, lack of knowledge and apathy can on a larger scale be conquered. Al though I hold no illusions and think this, or all Blogs combined, would be instrumental in this. It's just a small part of a much bigger thing. And I do think if those "good men" work together, in the end they can be much more successful then "evil". Evil after all, is also only just man-made. Just as is good.

Returning to Plato's cave

2005-03-20T12:02:00.000+01:00

Seeing the world around me these days I fear we are more and more regressing back into a dark-age. From the rise of religion and all it's intolerance too how people are more and more viewed as tools for the select few. Or how science is being obstructed too how showing public affection in at least one country is now forbidden, yet violence is never frowned upon. Not to mention the intolerance that is sweeping the planet again, and how those who feed upon intolerance are gaining support. Perhaps it never was any different through history. But one thing is sure, we are not that enlightened and it seems most people actively don't wish to be enlightened. They wish to return to Plato's cave and stare at shadows.

Illusionary tax dreams

2005-03-16T22:36:00.000+01:00

Today I read somebody commenting again that "less taxes is a good thing" and that taxes are bad. That they rob people of their money. Most things in the Netherlands are still (be it now barely) paid through taxes however. And as such they are cheaper then they would be if they would have to be paid individually. The collective nature means everything from health insurance and pension plans to childcare is more or less affordable.

The idea that less taxes means you get to keep more of your money is an illusion, unless your filthy rich (as here those who are rich pay more taxes per euro earned). In the end if taxes and as such social securities and institutions go away, we will need to pay for everything individually. Which is more expensive then paying for it collectively. In the end if your middle class, you will end up with LESS money in your pocket, not more. Your costs for healthcare, even your TV licence will simply go up. Much more then taxes could ever go down.

Of course some people believe they will never get sick, never get old, never lose their job, etc. and as such they don't need such insurances. The foolishness of this I doubt I need to point out. They also think why pay for other people's schooling? Failing to realise that if your entire workforce is not well educated the entire counties economy will eventually fall. I actually could go on with examples.

Of course taxes should be put to good use, and that unfortunately almost never happens anymore in The Netherlands. But the illusion of "less taxes equal more money in my pocket" needs to be shattered. Because it simply is not true!

Mysterious reasons at Microsoft

2005-03-13T14:26:00.000+01:00

Now this is an odd story I found through slashdot. Apparently Microsoft is going to offer security patches to the US government one month earlier then to the rest of the world. Perhaps it is just me, but I can see only two logical paths that explain this:

The first would be that the patches are not yet ready to be released to the public and the US government gets a beta version of the patch. Meaning they get an unfinished, buggy product. This makes little sense, as of course this probably means the patches make a system less secure, then more secure.

The second would be that the patches are fully finished, but get held back to the world for an extra month. This makes even less sense. Why hold all your customers, all computers running Microsoft software in the world at risk for another extra month? Not just is it unethical, dangerous and a blatant disrespect for Microsoft customers. But with Microsoft battered security track record, one would think they can not afford such a thing.

Perhaps I need to think in much more sinister scenario's. But I myself can not figure out the logic behind either path. Both would place the digital world at greater risk, not less risk.

Threaten those about to die

2005-03-11T09:33:00.000+01:00

Warning: I was angry when I wrote this, so this might be a bit of an aggressive blog entry. More so then I normally would write.

While it's pretty common knowledge that asylum seekers must not be human beings anymore in the eyes in the eyes of our minister Verdonk (the minister responsible for asylum seekers), I can not believe the blackness of the hart of this woman anymore. A documentary has been made showcasing many different asylum seekers in 1 minute and 40 seconds per person. A project to give them a chance to tell their story, to give them a human-face. So people stop seeing these people as just numbers, but gain a bit of understanding of their struggle, and then obviously can think of that what they want.

How does our minister Verdonk reply to this? She actually treated these people not to step out into the media! If they do, she wants the department of justice to give full disclosure about all their personal files to anybody who wants them. Trying to bully people in simply speaking out. Apparently because in her eyes these asylum seekers are just "acting sad" and want to gain sympathy.

One of the movies they showed here on TV was of a Muslim woman who has fled Iran. Because her husband abused her both physically and mentally. She is going to be send back. Running away from ones husband is a crime in Iran for which a woman will be stoned to death. So she's being send to one of the most inhumane death's possible by minister Verdonk. She in my eyes personally signed this woman's death. And yes, your right minister Verdonk, she has my sympathy.

And I understand why you want to keep this out of the media. Your not a human being, your a monster. Somebody who either fails to grasp the suffering of others, or takes pleasure from it. It in my eyes is a shame you are in such a position, and it would do you a world of good to have suffered through such a horrible ordeal. Despite not wishing it on anybody. But perhaps then at least you would understand. People like minister Verdonk should be put to trial for crimes against humanity. Oh the horror, somebody might feel sympathetic to people we are sending to their death's. Because "it's full here in the Netherlands" (fact: 70% of the Netherlands is not build upon, and we belong to the richest nations in the world). We can not help everyone, but we sure as hell shelter somebody who is being persecuted for being a woman in essence. One would think a fellow woman, as minister Verdonk, would at least on that level show some compassion. But I guess she is neither a woman, nor a human being anymore.

There is no demoracy in the Europian Union

2005-03-10T21:04:00.000+01:00

"While the EU Parliament has proposed a clear exclusion of software patents, the Commission and Council have ignored the Parliament's proposal and reinstated the most uncompromisingly pro-patent text in May 2004. However this text does not enjoy the support of a qualified majority of member states. Yet the Council has refused to renegotiate and is still trying to push the text through. Meanwhile the European Parliament has asked for a restart of the procedure. The Council and Commission still seem inclined to ignore the Parliament's request and to interpret the EU's rules of procedure in an anti-democratic spirit.

The current situation is also reflected in recent FFII letters to the Parliament, Council of Ministers and Commission."
Source: swpat.ffii.org

Microsoft DevDays 2005 The Netherlands

2005-03-03T21:08:00.000+01:00

Being a lead-developer within my company I spend the last two days at the Microsoft DevDays 2005. Our company is not 100% Microsoft orientated (we in fact often program in non Microsoft programming languages as well), but we also extensively work with the Microsoft platform and .NET. So off I went.

Overall I must say I found it a big disappointment. Not just because of the snow-storm that stranded me in Den Hague (Dutch city), due to public transportation breaking down. Normally I would have gone by car, but as I am hopeless when it comes to directions, unfamiliar with Den Hague (a city notorious for it's endless traffic jams and impossible mazes of roads) and the weather was impossible, I thought "why not give public transportation a try? They go from my door to the congress centre's door directly).

I mostly was disappointed at the very commercial and repetitive nature of the conference. It felt like all lectures where aimed at selling me a new product. Selling it towards developers that is. Showcasing all the new features and how great they where. Don't get me wrong, some features looked exceptionally yummy! I just don't need an over an hour lecture about them, I get it within 5 minutes. And the features that didn't interest me, well then a lecture really becomes quite long. Especially the pre-conference lecture of 4 hours! Then imagine a few sessions in essence covering the same material from a slightly different perspective.

I also must say I had trouble seeing the examples and sheets on most screens. In the smaller conference rooms you just couldn't see most due to people being in front of you, in the big conference hall the letters simply could not be read from large parts of the room. Despite them getting extra enlarged.

Overall it seemed like the presentation of two new products. Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. Which looks quite nice combined with their new team development options. In fact I really liked what I saw there. The other main product was SQL Server 2005. Which looks like it has gotten some nifty new features. The XML native support looks beyond yummy. In fact I wish MySQL would also get something like this for one of our own software products. The Service Broker also looked good (shame the follow up lecture about it was cancelled).

What made me less happy was the ability to fully code applications within SQL Server now, and especially their reporting service. I am sorry Microsoft, but it is giving me flashbacks of ill constructed "applications" in Access forms with Access Reports. I already heard a few people behind me say "oh, that is handy". I fear in the future we will see many ill constructed reports "application" with company critical information.

I must say I was also impressed with Indigo looks to offer. I will admit, the heat in the room at some point got to me and I had some trouble concentrating at some point due to that (also take into account I had been stranded in the cold for hours the day before and was over-excaused). What I caught however looked very promising. I hope it can live up to that promise, and not be the horror that SOAP is.

Overall I did find the entire conference to commercial, it where mostly sales pitches aimed at developers. And the endless amount of goodies you could win or get for free are nice, but I would have preferred more stands with actual INFORMATION. Not just the ability to win something. I guess walking away with a free USB key and all is fun, but I primarily would like some information, to expand my horizon and to gain new knowledge. This mostly was me seeing some new software products and what their new features are.

Side note: I've seen 1 presentation's demo code crash, in another presentation Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005 crashed, and in another presentation it was mentioned he couldn't show some things as it would crash his laptop. I guess it's clear we are dealing with Microsoft here. Al through especially ironic as most of their new features are about "quality code" and "less bugs" :). Mind you, it's also a good lesson: do not demo beta software.

Bring democracy and freedom to the US

2005-03-03T20:39:00.000+01:00

I just read this on Steeph's Blog:
"The Department of Homeland Security is experimenting with a controversial new method to keep better track of immigrants who are applying to remain in the United States. It is requiring aliens in eight cities to wear electronic monitors 24 hours a day.
The ankle bracelets are the same monitors that some rapists and other convicted criminals have to wear on parole. But the government's pilot project is putting monitors on aliens who have never been accused of a crime.
So far, the Department of Homeland Security has put electronic monitors on more than 1,700 immigrants."

If this is true, perhaps it is time to invade the US and bring democracy and freedom there? At least in this case we know for sure they have weapons of mass destruction for real. Seriously, this can't be true can it?! Is the world finally openly this mad?

"I'm an orange"

2005-02-28T22:57:00.000+01:00

Something I have been wanting to comment on for a while is an article I read a few weeks ago. It deals with RFID tags being used on students. If you do not know what RFID is. This is a kind of technology that sends out a signal with information about usually products. It's like a barcode that sends out a signal a few meters. It is used to track goods these days.

According to the article I read one school in the US has now made it mandatory for students to wear big badges displaying who they are, with an RFID device included that tracks the students movements throughout the entire school. The device can also be read by anybody who happens to have a scanner (which can be bought illegally as well these days).

I don't even want to go into the privacy and security issues here. That privacy is being violated in the most horrible way should be clear. And that people become less secure if they are sending out personal information about themselves to anybody who has a reader, well you don't need to be a rocket scientist to get that one. Al through apparently being a manager of a School means you don't.

What I am wondering about is this nonsense that schools are more busy with major social issues, politics' and other activities totally not targeted at either education, nor at preparing people for the world. First and foremost I think a school should be teaching children things. If the school is unsafe I understand a school taking measures to create a save environment. But the school in question here had no problems with security or violence at all. And a school should also think how far it should go ensuring "safety".

What kind of a signal does a school send out to impressionable youths by treating them before hand as if they where criminals? By sending out a signal "we expect the worst from you" and "we don't trust you, none of you!". It also creates an "student vs. teacher" environment if you ask me. Trust and respect are important parts in a human beings life. This goes against this every possible way. It also takes away individuality I think. Because you are now being punished for the crimes of others. What others? Not even those in your own school, no the crime of being part of a certain school going age-group.

Are these the things we want to teach childeren?

Original article
Protest letter (PDF) send by EPIC, ACLU-NC and FOIA

Failure to empathise

2005-02-27T22:39:00.000+01:00

Aside from the thousands of objections one can have towards terrorism, and the flawed logic behind it. Has anybody ever wondered about that "there will be 40 virgins waiting for you in heaven" promise that is apparently made to some suicide terrorists?

I think this embodies one of the major problems with their flawed logic. I am not talking about the fact that what the hell one would want with 40 sexually inexperienced woman apparently for sexual pleasure. Nor am I talking about the fact that god would somehow reward people for murder. But has anybody stopped and wondered, who are these 40 virgins?

Do these 40 virgins have personalities of their own? Are they real human beings? Do they have their own desires, idea's? Do they want to be with this suicide terrorist in heaven and be used as sex slaves? Does god somehow condone slavery and give away slaves?

Aren't these 40 women also real women, with real dreams and hopes? I guess not. It seems to be a massive failure to empathise with the fact that other people are people too. Something that is also needed with murdering innocent people. Seeing people as individuals, all with their own individual lives.

Outsourcing torture

2005-02-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

I recently came upon an article through another blog. It seems that the USA is aside from their own atrocities against prisoners and suspected terrorists is also sending people away to different countries to be tortured. Already an objectionable practice if it involves real terrorists, but the definition of that term and qualifications have become ever more blurry for them.

Given the length of the article, I won't babble on to much myself. Just one note. Aside from the medieval-regression and crimes against humanity being committed here. Since when has torture been a reliable source of information?! With enough torture somebody will say anything you want them too. Torture is an instrument to get people to say things you want them to say, not to extract information.

Outsourcing torture

The European constitution

2005-02-27T11:06:00.000+01:00

The EU constitution is slowly heading our way here in Europe. The ministers of the various European countries have agreed to this constitution, all that now is still needed is for a hand full of countries to have a referendum about it. Which is my last hope of this document they wrote never becoming our constitution. Let me explain why.

I am actually a strong supporter of a united and strong Europe. Al through I think the differences between the countries and national cultures should not be under estimated either. I support the idea of Europe unifying. Just not THIS Europe.

The entire EU constitution is a very bad joke in my view. It doesn't at all look like what a constitution should be like. It's more a document on how the political process should be organised and how the economy should be directed. Other then that it's filled with vague, open for interpretation terms, to keep all countries "happy". These are not things that should make up a constitution in my view. These are not things that belong in a constitution. A constitution should be about the basic rights and plights of the citizens and government. Economic direction does not have a place in a constitution.

Another problem I have is the fact this constitution in effect gives all the decision making power to the larger countries. Because the power will be based on the number of people living in a country basically. The noble idea behind this is great, we are all European citizens and country borders are not relevant. But the borders between countries have not broken down enough for this. Those in France will support items that are beneficial for them and not so much for others for example. This is simple human nature.

The Netherlands is one of the richest European countries and contributes the most per citizen. And we get the least back. I do fear if we sign away our rights as this constitution entitles, this will only increase. It may sound very protectionist, but we simply are not ready for a noble unified Europe in this way. The country borders, the differing cultures are not broken down enough. We should first work towards breaking these down, before we decide we are all ready to truly be European citizens.

The fact however that the EU constitution is such a bad document, the fact that the EU is so corrupt and badly organised... it all wouldn't matter that much to me. If it wasn't put forward that if you are against THIS EU then you are against a unified Europe.

I myself am all for a unified Europe, not just not THIS unified Europe with THIS constitution. I would prefer them to fix many, many things. Unfortunately the sign of the times is that politicians have long since forgotten they represent the general public and that they in a sense "are the general public". But there seems to be a huge gap between the community and collection of people and those that are supposed to represent that.

All I can say is that I will vote NO. And this no vote to me is actually a yes vote for a unified Europe, but a no vote to the state the union is in now and wants to develop into. There is no need to forcefully accept a bad decision at all. It's not "this or nothing else".

Europian No Campain

Stereotypes? nah never!

2005-02-27T10:49:00.000+01:00

I also posted my previous Blog entry on the forum of the website I run, doom-metal.com. I was not amazed to find that one rightwing supporter decided to bash me. I think if I had changed "right winged party" in my previous post to "left winged party" he would have totally agreed with me, but I of course can't change the facts. But as is to be expected with some people, they are more actively busy being part of a certain direction of thought, then actually thinking for themselves.

What did surprise me however is that at some point I got an entire argument slammed against me about how I started a topic bashing America, Neo-conservatives and Bush. If you have not read my previous Blog entry, please do. Can anybody tell me where I mention any of these things? The post clearly is about a Dutch party and a Far East country. The guy who raised this "argument" was American.

Sometimes it is really scary to see an American confirm stereotypes so much. Self-centred? Thinking that everything revolves around them? These are stereotypes we here have of Americans, but some do seem to prove those stereotypes dead on sometimes. Al through it does also showcase the overall disease with many people all over the world to not really listen to others. No matter what one says, they hear their own story, their own point, their own words and idea's in it.

Security

2005-02-25T22:47:00.000+01:00

A member of the mainstream right winged party (and major government party) of the Netherlands (VVD) just on TV mentioned how saw an example in how China managed their police force and dealt with security and that he wished we moved more towards such a model. How much easier such a model is and how much easier it is to keep people "secure".

....

China executed 1,781 political dissidents in three months time in order to upkeep their fascist dictatorship.

Digital art by digital people for analogue people

2005-02-05T11:13:00.000+01:00

Inspired by a slashdot article I stumbled upon AARON. Who is AARON you might ask? Actually, it would be better to ask "What is AARON?". It turns out there has been quite an active movement to see if computers (well software) could create it's own unique art. AARON is seems is one of the more advanced software programs that can create it's own unique, random art works.

Al through the website about AARON speaks of an artificial intelligence, I myself would not go that far. The way I believe AARON has been programmed is probably a very long way away from being an artificial intelligence. But it does raise an interesting question. If it is created by a piece of software, is it still art? And if so, who is the actual artist? The software, or the programmer(s) of the software? Just some food for thought.

Website dedicated to AARON
Samples of paintings by AARON (refresh the page to see a new one being drawn)

Controversial idea

2005-02-04T19:17:00.000+01:00

I've got quite a controversial idea I thought I would share with all of you. An idea that actually goes against some of my own principles. Perhaps it would be best of Europe would start to re-arm itself. Obviously Europe has quite a large standing, modern army (don't underestimate it), but that we should become the biggest military power.

This might come as quite a shocking statement from a dedicated pacifist and humanist. So let me explain this controversial idea. It's clear that in this current day and age there is a problem with fanatical Muslims who want to either kill everybody or make them suffer under a barbaric, primitive rule. I'm not saying anything bad about normal Muslims, I am just talking about the ones who prefer to drag us all back into the dark ages. I however fear another group is currently being under-estimated: fanatical US Christians. Despite their opposition towards the previously mentioned Muslims, their end goal seems to be the same. To drag us back into the dark ages.

This idea, I will admit, scares me. When I hear about how schools stop teaching all possible scientific theories (like the evolution theory) and try to ban knowledge, it scares me. When I see it's perfectly legal to oppress an entire group of human beings and deprive them of their rights (gays), it scares me. When I hear about how they want to ban culture and books that don't fit in with their idea's, it scares me. When I hear about how they for "religious reasons" buried old, scientifically important human remains into the ground again. Refusing science a change to study it for "religious reasons", it scares me. When I hear them claiming idea's such as that Bush is send by god, and how they want to turn the US and then the World into a world governed by the bible..... that scares the living daylights out of me!

These people are mad, dark age fools who should know better. I can't grasp why these people are so dumb, so blind, so intolerant... so plain evil! I can't find any other explanation then that part of humanity has regressed back into a sort of form of dark age insanity. These people need to be treated in a mental hospital, not given the power to run the world! This I don't mean as an insult, I mean it in the purest form of the word.

I also have no interest to be caught in-between a religious war of fanatical Christians and Muslims. Whatever the outcome, sane, logical thinking people will lose. As such I want to come back to my original and quite controversial idea. Since Europe is not contaminated as badly by these dark age people, we should make sure it can't happen. And unfortunately I fear we might at some point in time need to defend ourselves actively against these aggressors.

And with defend I actually mean defend if we are invaded. I don't mean "lets attack random countries who did nothing to us and call it a defensive move in order to protect ourselves". Moderate Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindu's, Buddhists and other believers will be welcome as refuges. Just as the part of Americans who are still sane and by that time can still escape from the Christian-fascist state that could rise. And we will need to defend our borders from these barbarians.

Perhaps it all sounds a bit farfetched, but I do think we seriously under estimate the problem of fundamentalist Christianity. The fact research and science are now openly hindered and there is an open call to abolish the division between church and state (and effectively create a tyranny in the US and abolish what is left of democracy.... in the name of freedom ironically) are things we are under estimating. I think because of us sane people, it's very hard to actually grasp the pure insanity behind these people. We think they are either a bunch of loonies, or it just can't be that bad.

But I do fear we might be heading towards new dark ages. Perhaps not as drastic that Europe will need to defend it's borders from people who mentally are the equivalent of a 5 year old and have the arms arsenal big enough to destroy the world, but it's sadly also not as farfetched as it sounded a few years ago. I will honestly and openly admit, that I am scared of these people. They will be the downfall of logic, reason, science, culture, civilisation. A regression into superstition, witch hunts and humanity surrendering itself to it's more primitive, animalistic nature.

Torture as good Christian entertainment.

2005-02-03T20:51:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I saw on the news that in the US you now have the crucifixion and torture of Jesus Christ as an attraction in some sort of bible-theme park. Jesus gets tortured and crucified many times a day for people's enjoyment. You know what is the real problem is? Not that this is happening. But that a large part of humanity can't grasp the concept of the pure insanity, the madness behind this. We human beings are not advanced in anyway when I hear about things like this, it's a grim reminder of how primitive and simple we are.

Oh and as icing on the cake, the actor playing Jesus claimed Bush was send by god. I know a lot of the US is really progressive and all. But I mean? Hello?! Does anybody even grasp the pure insanity of this? Have we really progressed so little? Stone-age talk by cavemen in the modern age. Pure madness.

Christianity, blood for the blood god?

Ps. I can't help but wonder if these are the same people who have declared Spongebob Squarepants bad for children because it "promotes homosexuality" (uhm, excuse me? where does it do that?!). Of course friendship between two people (Spongebob and Patrick) is not good wholesome entertainment for children, as lets say... watching Jesus getting tortured and put to death in a horrible way.

Pantheon of oneliners revisited

2005-01-25T17:12:00.000+01:00

Music genres are meant to define, not confine.

The cost of war

2005-01-22T11:07:00.000+01:00

The cost of war and that is not even in human lifes of both troops and civilians. Then again, money of course isn't an issue.

Selfish kindness

2005-01-21T13:19:00.000+01:00

I was watching a TV show explaining the Muslim faith, and while I have many objections to religions as a whole, one thing mostly bugged me about it. This in fact is something that bugs me about practically any religion. The show could have just as well been about Christianity for example.

The prime motivator for people to be "good Muslims" or "good Christians" often is explained by them in one simple sentence. A sentence that can differ in how it is expressed, but it comes down too "because I will be rewarded by god".

Now this bugs me, it too me shows how primitive most religions and those who follow it are. There is no actual inner good, there is no doing right simply for the sake of doing the right thing. It is because people want to be rewarded. Al through one might argue over if you actually want that reward (eternal life is hellish if you ask me. In the concept of "eternity" I think has not sunk in with most people. A very, very long life (perhaps a few thousand years) seems nice, but eternal?! Oh god no!).

I strongly believe people should do the right thing, not because somebody tells them too, tells them how to live. And certainly not because you will get a "reward". A reward that, due to the lack of existence of any god, is just a carrot on a stick anyway. Fear and uncertainty mixed with doing something to be rewarded is a bad combination. And in my view does not make "holy men". It is a lower plane of mental reasoning in my view. Do the right thing, because you want to do the right thing. Don't expect to be rewarded. Hoping to be rewarded diminishes any good deed to a selfish act. Your then doing it for yourself, not for anybody or anything else. Not even for your deity.

A good start to 2005

2005-01-04T20:27:00.000+01:00

Lets sum up some of the highlights of human behaviour since 2005 started a few days ago:

1) In Indonesia relieve agencies are fearful for child smugglers taken away recent orphans to work in child prostitution or slavery. Al through unicef trying to prevent this at least one Muslim organisation is trying to stop this because "they don't have the same faith, we will take care of them". Which can result in these orphans ending up in extremist Muslim schools. I guess it's better then slavery or prostitution at least.

In regards to those child smugglers I must admit, I simply am lost for words. I can't think of anything to say about it. Nothing can ever capture my disgust and disbelieve for people like that and their actions.

2) Reading reactions on a forum of a popular Dutch news site about the idea to drop the debts the countries stuck in Asia. Wealthy, fat, lazy Dutch people who are better off then they can appreciate debating on how we shouldn't do that. And how much "we have our own problems" or even worse "it's our money!". In fact, most of the arguments heard where so sickening with moral decline that I can't even repeat them here.

First off all it's not "their money", it's the money also paid with my taxes. And most of the wealth in this nation was build by the people we now push away in homes and then cut on their last social benefits (they usually actually saved for, for years!).

Secondly, we are so well off that even the poorest among us isn't as bad off as those people suffering there. This urge to horde money, this blind worship of the numbers on a bank account, this pure and utter greed. And I mean truly GREED, in a way even Charles Dickens could not describe in his most famous of all Christmas classic's. Letting people suffer so what? You can buy an extra CD? Or a trinket you will have forgotten about one day later?! What is worse, it's not even literally money owned, it's a government income on interest.

Third, when we send relieve efforts to the region. We collect money for the rebuilding. I want that money to be used for that. NOT for them to then having to spend that money on repaying debts to us. And that really IS my money!

Fourth, we became rich over the backs of these nations. I am in fact for abolishing all debts those countries still owe us. We exploited them, we have kept them in line with protective trading, etc.

Firth, money should service mankind, not mankind money. What better way to spend money then to help mankind? To help human beings. We don't need to give up wealth (the income of interest is irrelevant anyway for our state income. We aren't depended on it at all.), but if you can spend some money (or in this case, lose a little possible income) to actually prevent people from dying, from terrible living conditions, etc. How can you refuse this?!

I actually could go on about this for a while longer. Reading many reactions actually put me in a very bad mood. Especially also how everything gets blamed on "the left" (socialism). Somehow this day and age we aren't only egocentrical assholes, no we can openly admit it, be proud of it. And people who are compassioned, kind, caring. Those we make fun of and treat like criminals! It really is the world upside down. Due to a killer propaganda campain by right winged nut jobs.

3) Speaking of right winged nut jobs. Fox news, but even CNN, is now painting a picture as if in The Netherlands babies are killed and murdered by the dozen. "For missing one or two fingers" was even said. For any American reading this. In highly rare cases, when a baby is suffering intolerably and has no change of recovery (when it will just die in a couple of days, until that time living in intents, hellish pain), and then only at request of the parents. Only then will euthanasia be preformed. Absolute monsters we are no? Baby murders! *sigh*

This makes me so sick and sad. The same with our drug policy. ALL drugs are illegal in the Netherlands, contrary to popular believe. Hard-drugs and also soft-drugs are cracked down on quite hard. The only thing that we don't do is throw users in jail and allows a minimal number of shops who sell to small time users (but at the time same their suppliers are being cracked down on!). We also at clubs give users the chance to at least test their pills to see if they aren't lethal. People will use them anyway, it simply prevents death's. It's practical and means the focus is on the real criminals and not addicts and small time users.

And we are apparently according to Fox News "gripped by violence". This is how much violence we know: A while ago 1 police officer was killed due to a mad-man with a gun. This shocked the nation. All police districts attended the funeral, outrage was spoken about how this could happen. It made all national headlines. Why? Because we can't trace back the last time a police officer was killed by a criminal in our recorded history. Yes, we are gripped by violence. Obviously there are some horrible things going on here. But compared to the violence in the US, we are so peaceful it I doubt any American could even conceive the concept of it.

--
And those are my highlights for the new year already. Another year in which it seems the bad guys claim moral superiority and try and paint off the good guys as being the bad guys. And most of the world falls for it.

Happy New Year

2005-01-01T13:50:00.000+01:00

Despite it just being a made up date in time, I would like to wish everybody a very, very happy new year! Despite all the troubles in 2004, and the possibility of more troubles in 2005, it's never a bad thing to always start the year aiming for the top, and hoping for the best. So I hope that for everyone 2005 will be a good year. And that those struck by the disaster in Asia (and Africa, where the wave hit a little later) will be able to somehow rebuild their lives. Just as those struck by misfortune in other tragedies (like that club that burned to the ground in South America).

Aid agencies to donate for the Tsunami disaster

The Physics of Santa Claus

2004-12-26T15:18:00.000+01:00

A website that was slashdotted two days ago, makes for interesting reading. It clearly explains how Santa Claus can deliver all those gifts. Top researchers figured out that he must use an ion-shield of charged particles and that he probably travels in no less then 11 dimensions. It all makes perfect sense when you think about it.

The Physics of Santa Claus

Thank you Poland!

2004-12-22T20:34:00.000+01:00

Thank you Poland for stopping my own country from nearly destroying the entire IT sector because they feared they would "loose face" if they didn't force Software patenting on us! The cabinet here keeps talking about wanting to create a "knowledge economy", but went past all democratic principles, and border lined to an illegal act according to various lawyers, in trying to pass software patents for the EU. Thankfully Poland has put a stop to it and I can't thank you Polish people enough for that!

For anybody reading this and wondering what I am on about. Software patents are something only the US has. It means you can patent trivial idea's like "one click shopping" (held by Amazon) or even something as basic as "sending information from one computer to another". No technical solutions or software, simply the idea of doing something. Like for example using a spoon to eat with. And then forcing everybody to pay up for using this idea. This is one of the biggest issues halting all innovation and destroying small upstart companies. Microsoft even patented the idea of double clicking!

Advances in software are advances in abstraction. While traditional patents were for concrete and physical inventions, software patents cover ideas. Instead of patenting a specific mousetrap, you patent any "means of trapping mammals" or means of trapping data in an emulated environment. The fact that the universal logic device called "computer" is used for this does not constitute a limitation. When software is patentable, anything is patentable.
Source: http://swpat.ffii.org/

There are also various companies in the US who only focus on getting these software patents. Never actually developing any technology, just patenting trivial and obvious idea's. They usually employ one IT technician and a small army of lawyers. One such company specialises in simply suing other companies who actually do build software and innovate.

It also needs to be noted that software patents are unnecessary as software itself falls under copy write protection. This is not to protect your software from being stolen by others, copy write protection already is in place for that.

So one minister within the Dutch government decided he was all for this. He disregarded the democratically elected representatives who passed a motion he was not allowed to vote for it, he ignored his own party who was against it, he ignored various countries like Germany, Luxemburg and Poland who where against it. Officially all because "else he would loose face". So he tried to get this bill automatically passed on a convention of agricultural ministers! Using a loophole to avoid the motion he was not allowed to persue a yes vote anymore. That this man hasn't been fired for incompetence and most likely being bribed by a big company like Philips (pro software patents) can only be explained by the sheer incompetence of the entire Dutch government.

One man came so near to destroying a major part of the European economy that it's not funny anymore. So thank you Poland for last minute travelling to Brussels and stopping this total megalomaniac, undemocratic, wannabe dictator and saving the IT sector of Europe. It is beyond me how any European Minster can willingly want to hurt the EU so much, it's even more ironic given one of the official goals of our government is to promote the IT sector.

Anybody wanting to thank Poland can do so at the following website:
http://thankpoland.info/

Page that seriously shows the nonsense patented under US law:
http://webshop.ffii.org/

More information about Software patents:
http://swpat.ffii.org/index.en.html

National pride

2004-12-21T22:45:00.000+01:00

Every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he can be proud, adopts as a last resource pride in the nation to which he belongs; he is ready and happy to defend all its faults and follies tooth and nail, thus reimbursing himself for his own inferiority.
- Arthur Schopenhauer

Pantheon of oneliners

2004-12-19T22:14:00.000+01:00

If god had wanted us to believe in him, he wouldn't have invented science...

Gone but not forgotten

2004-12-18T13:50:00.000+01:00

Incase anybody wonders about the lack of updates, unfortunatly:

lack of time == lack of updates

Random thought

2004-12-05T23:12:00.000+01:00

Every time I hear Leonard Cohen sing "I am guided by the beauty of our weapons" I can't help but think of Bush. The same goes for "When they said repent, repent. I wonder what they meant".

Lyrics for "First we take Manhatten"
Lyrics for 'The Future'

Worst of our problems

2004-12-05T21:05:00.000+01:00

After just seeing a documentary about kids growing up in war-torn Palestine and the mess their lives are I was checking out the feedback an e-bay seller got and one neutral comment caught my eye. A comment made on a second hand CD somebody had bought from the seller. About how a second hand CD was not worth the money he paid for it. Two things came to mind. First, why do you then offer to buy it? Second, how simple, how easy, how mindless do we have it here. What comfortable, easy, brainless lives can we lead. How thankfull we should be. The mediocrity, the pointlessness of this persons -self caused- problems are compared to places in the world where people truly suffer.

Dr. Mangle would be proud

2004-12-01T21:37:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I saw a documentary on the BBC about the testing of medication on small children in the US. Some of the things they showed there are so shocking I think if it had happened in any 3rd world country we would be talking sanctions at the very least.

In New York city the child "protection" agency seems to take poor mostly HIV or AIDS children away from their families to test new drugs on them. In such ways lab-rats seem to be better of and also being an Iraqi prisoner being tortured would seem like a nice holiday off.

The children are taken against the will of both the parents and themselves. Often with the only excuse they don't give them the experimental drugs (note: not regular drugs, experimental drugs) and are generally never seen again. Getting placed at special orphanages (ironically all Christian by nature). The drugs they are given and the cot ails of drugs are so harmful some get paralysed, others, as a renowned doctor looking at the prescriptions said, would get sores all over their body, being unable all over their body to touch anything without sever pain. These drugs benefit nothing to fit the disease, and these kids are used as nothing more then common lab rats. Death's have also taken place. When these children protest they are tied down and get the medication inserted into them through a tube directly into their stomach.

In one case a nurse adopted two of these children. One couldn't walk or talk and the other never ate and was hyper-active. She spend the majority of her money on psychologists and other doctors to help these kids. When nothing worked she tried taking them of the experimental drugs. Almost instantly their behaviour changed. The one kid learned how to walk and talk properly, the other started eating normally and calmed down. The two kids became happy small children. So the child "protection" agency of New York took the children away from her and she was convicted as a child-abuser! Another case was of a grand-mother who was trying to get her grand-son back. In the end the "saver" home according to the child "protection" agency was a home where the child was neglected and suffered from malnutrition. BUT! They did give the child the experimental drugs.

Through research it turns out that the hospitals in question doing these drugs trials basically own the child "protection" agency. These children are simply tortured, often to death. The descriptions and stories of one kid that got out where enough to turn your stomach.

What I can't understand is not just that this can take place in a so called "civilised" country. But how can any doctor, any child protection worker, actually how can any human being do such things?! I guess because the small children (ranging from a few month's old to very young teens) all being from poor backgrounds makes it alright? Those people aren't human anyway I guess? The things this documentary showed made the human-experiments done by the Nazi's almost seem humane. And what's more, those who actually do try to help these children then get convicted as "child abusers"?! Something is so seriously wrong here I can't even find words for it.

BBC Information about the Documentry

Red vs Blue

2004-11-22T22:49:00.000+01:00

No, I am not talking about the quite famous Halo parody site. I mean the division that seems to be happening in the US between so called Blue (Democrat) and Red (Republican) states. The internet seems full of very angry people in the Blue states over the past election. It seems the past election has stirred up quite a few frustrations.

What I wonder is if things also where like this during, for example, the Vietnam war? Sometimes when seeing old footage here you see how in the past the US also was bitterly divided. I am curious if it's different this time around and if so why? To be honest I don't know enough of US culture to say. My main concern generally is with their global politics' because it also effects the rest of the world. All I can say is that I never saw this division before. But the Internet being so widely spread this days might also have something to do with that.

Examples of the division online:
http://www.fuckthesouth.com/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/3/142836/638

Liberators

2004-11-21T20:20:00.000+01:00

http://www.ucomics.com/nonsequitur/2004/11/18/

Forgive them father...

2004-11-19T22:10:00.000+01:00

People often hide behind noble terminology and ideologies to push forward their own agenda that has little to do with the idea's they are hiding behind. Or they misapply it without probably realising it themselves, devolving noble causes into no more then curse-fests and an outlet for hate or ignorance. A prime example of the first would of course be Communism, which hid behind the guise of socialism. The system of course had nothing at all to do with socialism and it was just a smoke-screen to hide a cruel dictatorship behind. The second one you can encounter on a day-to-day basis in your own life.

It's this second misuse and in my eyes rape of noble goals that seems to have exploded since the great "war-president" and "leader of the free-people" (personally I prefer the terms warmonger and religious zealot) took over office in the US and started quite a few pointless wars. Most notably in Iraq.

I can never express how much I disagree with this war or war in general. But what bothers me is that many people here use this as an excuse to show blatant hate for their fellow human-beings under the guise of "peace-movement" or being "anti-war". People going off on how all American soldiers are cowards to deserve a painful death, think it's perfectly okay that Islamic extremists are decapitating civilians, and overall caricature Americans and especially American soldiers.

I think partly this has to do with sheer ignorance, and party forgetting that soldiers are human beings as well. As I understand it most American soldiers absolutely do not want to be there and are just trying to survive best they can. It's easy to comment on this from the comfort of your own home, when you never had to answer to the barrel of a gun. A comfort I fully admit I also enjoy. But take into account that most soldiers probably truly went to Iraq in the expectation they would be seen as liberators originally. The demoralising effect that not only are they seen as the bad-guys, but they also can not tell friend from foe apart is something that is very hard to imagine. In this sense it's the Vietnam scenario. Unlike more conventional "old wars" where you could clearly recognise your enemy.

This obviously all does not make war any more clean or the killing going on any less bad. But if I look for someone to blame, I look to Bush and Co. and not the ground soldiers fighting his wars for him. To a lesser extent I also look to the people who again voted Bush into power. But I honestly do believe with most they can not be held accountable for their sins under the "forgive them father, for they know not what they do" clause. Ignorance does not vindicate the effect, but it does vindicate blame sometimes.

What I also often hear are complaints about so called "collateral damage" and blame the soldiers personally. I fully agree this is something most horrid. Both the deaths of soldiers and civilians in war is exactly why war should be banished from this planet. But I find it a cheap shot at the soldiers who fight these wars. Obviously circumstances differ, but the practice of willingly targeting civilians got abandoned by western countries after World War II as far as I am aware off.

In Word War II this was still a practice for both sides. Both believing it caused demoralisation and as such would help them win the war. Studying the Second World War they discovered it actually works the exact opposite way. So that modern armies stopped applying the technique is perhaps not even so much for moral and humanitarian causes as for strategic ones.

What you never hear any of these people about is criticising those hostage takers and real terrorists. In fact when you mention this your often suddenly attacked as being pro-Bush and you just don't understand they poor plight. The fact that these people DO target civilians who are innocent gets excused all of a sudden. The fact they took (and I believe killed) a woman who has worked and lived for 30 years in Iraq trying to help Iraqi people gets ignored. The fact that most of these people, just like Bush, live to perpetuate an eternal war with no actual goal of actually rebuilding a nation gets ignored (most are not even from Iraq). The fact that these people kill many Iraqi's as well gets ignored. In fact all their crimes are either ignored or through spin doctoring get excused. Sounding very much like the same way some over patriotic Americans dislike hearing any criticism about their side.

Personally I think the second you take sides you can not claim anymore you are anti-war. You have in fact become pro-war. And hiding behind an anti-war image only hurts the true anti-war cause. But in this too I guess ignorance is bliss?

Black-metal ist Krieg!

2004-11-19T21:32:00.000+01:00

(listen to me!)

Aiming for perfection...

2004-11-18T22:19:00.000+01:00

I am in my own way quite the music-snob. Owning over 800 CDs alone of many different genres I do believe I have developed quite a good taste in music. Despite owning such a huge number of albums and knowing probably ten fold that amount of albums, for me very few albums ever fit the label "perfect". In fact I think I can count those albums on one hand. Omitting many albums I love with the undying devotion a mother has for her children, and many classic albums from classic artists.

Yesterday I decided to extent this very exclusive personal list with an album I bought some time ago for just a few Euro's from a discount bin because "some songs on it sounded alright". And I know this choice will make all music-snob's cringle with disgust and forever make them look on me. And they are all.... wrong!

I am talking about Shakira's 'Laundry Service'. I know, within the musical circles I generally move about this is probably considered a crime. But I believe this is mostly founded on the popular image surrounding Shakira and her target audience. Not because anybody (including most of her fans) have really ever stopped to analyse her music.

Having the album on repeat for most of the day yesterday it suddenly hit me however. There is not one wrong song, not one wrong note, not one wrong vocal-line, there simply is not a single imperfection on this album. From song-writing to execution, to production that perfectly fits. The music is 100% perfectly tailored for it's intent. As such I can draw no other conclusion that this album is as such, perfect. Going along side albums such as Tori Amos's 'Little Earthquakes', Arcturus's 'La Masquerade Infernale', My Dying Bride's 'Turn Loose the Swans' (despite being totally bored with that album), Leonard Cohen's mighty 'The Songs of Leonard Cohen', Depeche Mode 'Music for the Masses', Iron Maiden's 'Dance of Death', Aimee Mann's 'Lost in Space', Miranda Sex Garden's 'Fairytales of Slavery', Skepticism's 'Lead and Aether', VNV Nation's 'Empires' and Limbonic Art's 'In Abhorrence Dementia' along side with a few more.

In the end I also realised it's not that surprising. 'Laundry Service' does not only mark the period when Shakira decided to dye her hair blond, translate her song to English and went off to conquer teen-land. It also is in a sense a best-off album, compromising the best of her song translated to English. Unlike other popular female pop-stars she does write her own lryics and music. And did so long before she got famous, being a perfectionist when doing so. Which amazingly showcases in for example that vocal-lines and lyrical structure could easily be transferred from Spanish to English.

The lyrical topic's also seem much more down to earth then most of her contemporaries. The lyrics much more focusing on small idea's, and insecurity in relationships (much like Dido) then the slick-written-over-the-top lyrics of her peers (clearly written by professional song-writers, regurgitating the same idea's over and over again). Even a song like 'Underneath your clothes', which lyrically most resembles a typical pop-song as such retains it's endearing factor. Not to mention we need more female vocalists who sing about being proud to have small breasts and that men should stop focusing on breast size (I counted two songs where she does that). You go girl!

So while I know no music-snob will ever take me serious anymore (if they ever did), Shakira for me proudly enters the selected few who have recorded a perfect album. Not "nearly perfection" as so many artists I love, but perfect.

Note: when talking about perfect albums I only look at contemporary music (of this and the past century). Classical music is to much in a league of it's own to compare to contemporary musical genre's and the number of perfect compositions there are too numerous to mention.

Disclaimer: I know my list does not include many classic's. This is because I do not consider the two to be the same. Black Sabbath's S/t, most of Led Zeppelin's early albums, early Pentagram, Deep Purple, etc. the list of classic's continues to pile up into the hundreds as far as I am concerned, and they do not by definition are "perfect". Perfect means not a single note might be off, the intent, atmosphere, emotions, everything fitting perfectly. As such "simple dance album" can be perfect, yet a ground-breaking classic can not. At least in my view.

The reason for lack of Blog updates

2004-11-16T22:55:00.000+01:00

(Off saving the universe)

Note: I did finnish it today, but multiplayer mayhem awaits!

Crude statement for the day

2004-11-12T23:00:00.000+01:00

Liberty is not having to fit inside any box or categorisation.

Contemplating little big things

2004-11-10T23:15:00.000+01:00

I have a simple quiz question for today, a little brain teaser if you will. Nothing of the usual kind you might expect in some glossy magazine. Not a trick question, nor does it resemble a puzzle in anyway. Just a random question for a random visitor like yourself.

A recent study showed that the average Dutch person is very contempt with his or her life, yet feels discontempt with the general state of affairs. I am in this no exception I believe. Different people probably have different reasons for being unhappy with the general state of affairs, but being quite selfish I'll focus on little old me. So here is my question, why would somebody who lives a fairly good life and has no troubles either in the present or on the horizon be so concerned with the state or world?

Hint: The object of this little exercise is actually not to "get it right", but think about the state of this world and what it means to us. And what it means to worry about the faith of others, you have never met and might not even agree with. Mostly why this is important (at least to me).

Bible disclaimer

2004-11-10T22:52:00.000+01:00

Looking at another weblog (yes, it really is) I found a link to a small article/post about a trial going on in the US regarding the evolution theory vs. creationism. All I can say is that just as Kathryn of yes, it really is, I 100% agree.

The article: a modest proposal

Games for sale on Ebay

2004-11-08T23:28:00.000+01:00

Today no political comments. All I have to offer is a bit of shameless self promotion. I am selling a few games (PC, Playstation2 and Game Cube) on E-bay. All are for the European/Dutch market. But perhaps somebody reading this might be interested. If so, follow the pretty link at the bottom of this post.

Ebay auctions

All animals are equal but...

2004-11-06T22:59:00.000+01:00

‘My sight is failing,’ she said finally. ‘Even when I was young I could not have read what was written there. But it appears to me that that wall looks different. Are the Seven Commandments the same as they used to be, Benjamin?’

For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran:

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE
EQUAL THAN OTHERS

Source: George Orwell 'Animal Farm'

Goodbye Holland

2004-11-06T14:29:00.000+01:00

I am a natural born Dutch male. My entire family line is Dutch. In appearance I am as Caucasian as they get. I have had a higher education and I made a good living, having a good solid career. But I think I need to leave my own country!

Why you may ask? Well, there is such a thing in our country as a course for immigrants they need to take. If they fail the exam connected to it by more then nine mistakes, they are forced to leave the country. A member of a political party put the exam questions online, I took the exam and lord behold. I have 13 mistakes! So I guess I need to pack my bags asap now?

Mind you, in my view some questions where completely irrelevant, in some cares some multiple answers of the multiple-choice answers where correct (like where to get a phone card), one was actually plain wrong (when you need to have your identification with you), two questions had to do with driving skills for a driving licence (I failed both and woops, I have a drivers licence!), various where ambiguous and down to personal choice. Questions about if I need to bring a gift to my neighbours, I like my neighbours very much but unlike according to this test I never felt the urge to give them gifts.

I understand the need to educate immigrants on our country, culture and customs. I think it's a good thing they learns about this and learn to speak the language. But this test, especially considering the consciences of failing it, is an outrage! Any university in the Netherlands daring to pass of such questions in a test would be sued by it's students.

The Questions (dutch)
The Answers (dutch)

Follow me the wiseman said, but he walked behind

2004-11-06T01:36:00.000+01:00

I have been trying to avoid a topic that has been on my mind the last few days. I regretfully decided not to speak about it, for the reason I actually have to much to say about it. Somehow I feel that whatever I could say about it, would not be enough. Without a doubt various points would be left unmentioned where they should be mentioned. And without a shadow of a doubt I know all will be misinterpreted.

The issue at hand would be that of the recent killing of Dutch film director, TV maker, media-personality and columnist Theo van Gogh. For those who do not know, he was shot dead a few days ago now by a radical Muslim. Apparently because this person did not agree with the way van Gogh talked about Muslims. Which indeed wasn't very respectfully usually. Van Gogh never was respectful towards anything however. While I disagree with most he said, it seems he actively sought confrontations and debates for the sake of confronting people. To stir up debate, to get people to think about issues. And because he believed that every view, however wrong, should be allowed to be said. The most radical form of freedom of speech. In his world he was allowed to call Muslims stupid and they where allowed to call him an asshole for it. As long as it remained a clash of words, of debates.

As I just mentioned, I in general did not agree with his opinions. I even question the nature of his logic, because words can also have great implications and cause damage. There is no crime in taking other people's feelings into account sometimes. But in essence we should indeed all be allowed to say what we want. If a line is crossed (say by for example inciting to hatred and violence) there are legal ways to deal with this. At least there are in The Netherlands. The government can act against such extremes. To kill somebody for speaking his or her mind is sickening. Actually all murder is, and in almost all cases the reasons escape logic. That this happened has truly been sickening and sad.

What bothers me even more is the aftermath however. And this also means I finally get to the core of what I want to say. His death has now been used by politicians, racists and an array of very clueless individuals for their own agenda's. There are various issues here that really bother me.

The first being that various politicians have called it a terrorist attack on our nation. Apparently the man who did this was involved in some sort of fundamentalist group. Still I object to the term terrorism being used. I doubt this was a coordinated attack by a well organised terrorist cell. In fact I am quite sure that we are simply dealing with a religious lunatic pulling a one-man action. But politicians and media need to drop the buzzword "terrorism" regardless. Do we honestly think this is a mighty terrorist attack? Come from the same people that brought us bombing embassies with hundreds death, driving aeroplanes into the WTC with thousands dead, blowing up trains and train stations in Madrid with countless dead, killing dozens of people every day in Iraq? Their next master plan to top all this is... to kill a movie director only know in The Netherlands who made a movie against the Islam? Are we collectively stupid or are the the luckiest nation in the world in the sense that where other nations suffer hundreds to thousands of innocent random casualties we get away with a single murder? I know we are a small nation, but come-on! This is just all politics'.

And this brings me to point two that bothers me. Suddenly this is now used as an excuse to pass new laws to limit privacy and give more rights to law-enforcement. It's used to openly discriminate based on race (I will get to this later) and we can suddenly spend as much government money as possible on it. All because now we are "at war". With whom exactly? Our entire nation has been attacked by one lone lunatic. Yes, there are fundamentalists (I think they identified about 150 on a population of 16 or 17 million!) and yes they need to be dealt with. But this really is overkill. At least when they needlessly took away civil rights in the US they truly had been attacked.

Also lets look at how effective such measures would be. It's not the amount of data you gather. It's how you analyse it and what you do with it. It's not about even more freedom for the police. They already can't process the data they are gathering now. The fact this killer was known by them, but his data was wrongly analysed and no action was taken tells us this more then anything. Anybody involved in Information Technology can tell you that there is a difference between raw data and something called "Information". It's the ability to process data into correct information that is the problem, not gathering even more data to make that job even harder!

The third point that bothers me is how everybody is confusing everything in order to openly become racists. Suddenly immigrants need to be better adjusted. The killer was born in the Netherlands, graduated from a good school, spoke perfect Dutch and until recently was even involved in helping out his neighbourhood at a community centre. His behaviour apparently changed after the death of his mother.

Also he had a double nationality. Dutch and Moroccan. So suddenly those with less brains then a single-celled organism think the solution lies in then taking away the Dutch nationality of people who commit crimes (or are even suspected of committing crimes!). Not only does this not solve anything at all, it also means you are now adopting a double standard for your citizens. You have in effect created the notion that "all men are equal... some are just more equal then others". And obviously such a measure stops neither crime and certainly not real terrorism (if I have to explain that one, I probably already am wasting my breath).

We often accuse Americans of "asking 'why do they hate us?' but then not wanting to listen to the answer". And now we are doing the same thing. Don't get me wrong, Muslim fundamentalists should be crushed as quickly as possible. These people deserve no respect for their ideas and how they want to oppose them with violence on the world. But we never wonder where they come from? People don't out of the blue decide to go "hey, you know what? Today I'll go fundamentalist on your ass!". Of course not all go into it because we did something wrong either. Some are truly misguided or criminal.

But what I do sense is that with the rise of racism in The Netherlands groups like the Muslims have been pushed out of our society even more then before. Good, honest hard working people are suddenly looked down upon because of their faith or the colour of their skin. We are so busy feeling threatened by their presence we missed that we made them feel so unwanted that a counter reaction is only to be expected. Hate feeds on hate.

Terrorism and fundamentalism are serious problems. And very difficult to solve. In fact it's something there are no sound bite solutions for. What I do think is that it works like quicksand. The harder you blindly struggle, the more trapped you get. The more we turn Muslims into outcasts, the more they will (and rightly so) dislike us for it. That doesn't mean some people aren't simply vile by nature, and among them are Muslims, Christians, non believers. The lot of them. It also doesn't mean you should close your eyes to problems that do exist when different cultures intermix, because you fear you will else be labelled a racist. Nor does it mean that religion, or any other form of group-behaviour can not have a bad influence on people. But the issue is not solved by all these measures they are taking. In fact they make it worse.

The world is polarising, and those who wish to depolarise have always been out-numbered by those who are clueless to an extent it is dangerous. Acknowledging that there may not be a solution, and as such do damage control, and see what parts can be solved in some way, works better then just throwing hollow solutions at a problem like poring gasoline on fire. When it comes to matters of sociality and psychology, things are infinitely complex.

Things are actually infinitely more complex even then I could write them down here. But this already has become more then a little lengthy, so perhaps a good note is to end on my favourite quote of one of the greater minds in history Bertrand Russel "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves. But wise people so full of doubts".

The man who would be the messiah

2004-11-06T01:00:00.000+01:00

I came across this quite shocking article about Bush, it was shocking before his re-election. More shocking afterwards.

Because it's a lengthy article two key quotes from it that struck me:

The aide said that guys like me were "in what we call the reality-based community," which he defined as people who "believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality." I nodded and murmured something about enlightenment principles and empiricism. He cut me off. "That's not the way the world really works anymore," he continued. "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality -- judiciously, as you will -- we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."

"I don't know why you're talking about Sweden," Bush said. "They're the neutral one. They don't have an army."
Lantos paused, a little shocked, and offered a gentlemanly reply: "Mr. President, you may have thought that I said Switzerland. They're the ones that are historically neutral, without an army." Then Lantos mentioned, in a gracious aside, that the Swiss do have a tough national guard to protect the country in the event of invasion.
Bush held to his view. "No, no, it's Sweden that has no army."

Full article [New York Times]

How the mad-emperor Nero got re-elected

2004-11-03T21:54:00.000+01:00

Today I have been torn between anger, amazement, frustration and disbelieve, finally to settle into a more tranquil state of mind again. Yesterday and today's events have left me lost for words, yet with a distinct feeling to shout out frustration in a sheer avalanche of words at the same time.

I am on the one hand not surprised, but all the more saddened by the choice of the majority of the US people. One would think that a man who has lied, committed fraud, started wars without reason, ruined the economy, divided America and the world among other numerous lesser crimes would be spit out, puked out by a general public. But it seems not to be the case.

Before this election day I could still say to myself, well the Americans have a bad leader, but at least they never elected him and he got in power by fraud. But with the US election of 2004 over, the majority of Americans has said that yes, they want a corrupt, war starting, economy ruining, racial dividing, incorrectly religious zealous madman as a leader. Yes, they do approve his actions.

A man who when his nation was under attack didn't know what to do and just sat in a class-room with a wondering look on his face. Where was this so-called "war-president" then? A man who has given the terrorists more then they ever could have asked for. One of the major goals of the terrorists is probably to rule in the middle-east. So Bush removes one of the biggest obstacles, a man known for oppressing Muslim fundamentalism and terrorism. Not for noble reasons, but because it interferes with his own power base and state-terror on his own people: Saddam Hussein. The US is slowly withdrawing troops from Saudi Arabia, another thing in favour of the terrorists. And the polarisation between the west and the Islamic world has been sharpened, with an added "bonus" that the West has become divided. The amounts of blunders Bush has made over the years are only outshined by his corruption and money-grabbing from the poor to middle-class Americans to enrich those with more money then they could ever spend in a life-time.

Generations of Americans will already be left with the economic, political and environmental damage this man did in just 4 years. As such he's been re-elected? Sometimes the world truly amazes me in it's pure stupidity. Then again, Hitler was also elected.

I also feel very sorry for those poor Americans who did see through the lies, the deceit and tv stations like Fox News (which in a resident study has shown to make people less educated about the world and factual evidence!). I, in that sense, am glad to live in old (and wiser) Europe. Where we have our problems, but at least it's not as bad yet as in the US. It must be hard for those Americans to live in the same nation with people who still live in the dark-ages. To live in the same country as people with no real sense of morality, justice, honesty, moral values and everything else that is right, fair and just in the world. Because in my eyes a vote for Bush was a vote against all that is fair and just in the world. A vote for a mad modern-day emperor Nero, who speaks about morality, but acts quite differently.

I do think this is a bad sign of things yet to come. Perhaps even the first real cracks of the decline of our "Western Empire". With the things Bush has said about Europe and other nations, I would think cooperating with the US has become close to impossible. Especially with the US voters legitimising his actions and words now. His re-election will only bring more misery, pain, despair and hurt. Future generations of Americans have been condemned with their votes, and perhaps much more of the world I fear.

It would not even surprise me if by the end of Bush his second term we would either be involved in an all out global religious war or that the fundamentalist Muslims would be the dominant force in large parts of the world. Sadly a best outcome scenario probably involves just the US ruining itself economically for generations to come. Something practically already in effect. The US already shows many characteristic's of a third-world nation and I fear by the end of Bush his reign it will be close to impossible to spot the difference between them. Aside of course from the US large amounts of weapons of mass-destruction. A third-world nation with the fire-power to set the world ablaze.

Still, in a sense I remain optimistic. As always the majority of the people destroy (generally by accident), do not see the bigger picture and make the wrong choices. It will be left to those who do see to clean up after them, to pick up the pieces once it all falls down. It's a thankless job, because most often those who really do what is rightious, who really stand for the ever illusive "greater good" are looked upon just the opposite by the general mass. The mass that either out of their ignorance or pure stupidity created the entire mess we are in, in the first place. So we will have to wait it out four more years, hope the damage will be limited and then again see if there is a chance to pick up the pieces and see if there is some order left to restore in this world.

Disclaimer: any reference to Emperor Nero is to the popular myth regarding Nero, not the actual historical figure.

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2004-11-02T23:05:00.000+01:00

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Mistakes

2004-11-01T19:30:00.000+01:00

Bush top movie villain in the UK

2004-10-31T20:18:00.000+01:00

According to a news-item on CNN those silly Brits have voted for Bush as the top movie villain! Jolly good show lads!

CNN News item

Old (and wise) Europe

2004-10-30T21:11:00.001+02:00

A day ago I saw an American fanatic Bush supporter shouting about abolishing the UN, "old Europe" and how all Europeans where jealous of America. Ignorance is bliss I guess. I doubt most of Europe is jealous of America. The UK and France still live in the illusionary worlds they rule the world. Germany is perhaps one of the few sane countries (losing two world-wars and knowing what it is to as a nation go mad, I think in the end made them one of the wisest nations in the world. It's called learning from your mistakes.) And I would not even want to live in the US if they paid me for it.

I do however agree with this Bush supporter on one thing. Yes, "old Europe". Because that is indeed what we are, old and wise. Where the US is nothing more then an angry adolescent, we grew up already. If I where to put an age on the US, I would put them somewhere around 15 or 16 year olds (we view the US as a "modern nation", but I do think large parts are still stuck in the middle-ages, and would even class them no older then 2 year olds). And compared to that most of Europe is indeed much older and wiser. Al through I do think we too are still rather young. Perhaps around 25 or 27 years old in human-years.

Seriously though, I have no problem with Americans. But sometimes when you see people so ignorant say such things it's hard to just let it slide as basically "the ignorance of youth". Europe also has many problems itself, and I do think we sometimes forget how diverse the cultures of Europe are. We are a world-power past our glory, with a history much longer and filled with more power and more conflict. All the mistakes we made, the US is still making to this day. Not that I do not think we would not make them again if we could. But somehow I do think in the end nations learn from their mistakes.

A few years ago I thought Europe should just re-treat from the political world-front. I thought we should try and help those who want help. Give support to refugees, help nations develop. But that we should remove ourselves from the world-stage. Too old and wise to participate in the sandbox the children of this world are playing in. But I think I was wrong there.

Not only can nations regress (see the once enlightened Arabic and Muslim cultures), but also see how youth needs guidance. We ourselves might be screwed up, but I do think most of the world could benefit from a stronger, more guiding Europe. We've seen so much trouble, caused so much trouble, ruled the known world, lost the known world, we have been responsible for the international human rights, etc. In short, young ones, don't count the old geezers out just yet.

Gammadion Seed

2004-10-30T11:32:00.000+02:00

"Now the first among equals are chosen at birth
Your outward appearance is all that you're worth
They came for the black man and then for the Jew
They've done with the gypsies - all that leaves is you!"
- Skyclad "Gammadion Seed"

Presidency 101

2004-10-27T20:30:00.000+02:00

I found this online somewhere and thought I would share:

Printing with our eyes closed

2004-10-27T20:13:00.000+02:00

A few days ago I read a news item about printers adding a secret code to every print. Apparently this code can be used to trace back which printer originally did the printing. This obviously is handy for, for example police to trace back somebody who tried to print fake concert-tickets or god-forbid money! I must admit I both such instances mostly remind me of a Beavis & Butthead episode where they try and copy coins in a copy machine.

Regardless however, shortly after this news item was published a few government-representatives responded to it in relative shock. They said they wanted legislation that forces printer-manufactures to say their printers add this secret code. Which again in itself validated a new article apparently. And as with almost everything online, readers can comment on these articles.

What amazed me was the sheer stupidity and short-sightedness of almost all those who responded. Most people attacked these politicians with comments in the vein of "why does it have to be so hard to track criminals?" and "if you do nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear". That last statement of course being almost the archetype of stupidity and naivety.

What about people who live in countries where the government does not have their best interest in mind? What about opposition in countries like China, Iran? If they print information or even notes about meetings they can also be traced.

People here in the West are often so short-sided. Lack of privacy here doesn't seem so bad, because we trust our government (at least the Dutch usually do). But the world isn't as save a place as here, and also here it hasn't always been this save. Nor is there any reason to assume this never would change. I'm just amazed at how some people can be so short-sided and so live within their own bubble. Being unable to imagine other kinds of situations.

Original article (dutch)
Followup article (dutch)
Responses to followup article (dutch)

moe

2004-10-24T18:07:00.000+02:00

Vandaag ben ik een beetje moe van de heletijd in het Engels praten. Dus bij deze een berichtje in het Nederlands. En wat is Múm overigens toch een vreemd bandje. Hun laatste CD 'Summer Make Good' is best wel weer geforceerd "vreemd", maar alsnog lekker.

Better consistently wrong then sometimes right?

2004-10-23T21:55:00.000+02:00

Al through both of us not being US citizens I recently had a discussion with somebody about the US elections. What amazed me was that I heard the person I was debating with saying that he disliked both presidential candidates, but he would still rather vote for Bush (if he could). This because Kerry was somebody who "was inconsistent".

Personally I challenge the idea of Kerry being inconsistent, and I believe this is mostly Bush Propaganda. The man is far from perfect and in no way the saviour of that nation. But both Kerry AND Bush have often voted inconstantly due to political reasons. In fact any man or woman alive probably in that respect acts "inconsistent". I also believe Bush made more inconsistent choices in regards to the war on terrorism then Kerry ever would. Such as sending soldiers over there, then cutting their pay. Blocking investigations into the terrorists, but finally under pressure allowing it. So these where my arguments I used in that debate.

I also said that I think Kerry is more subtitle in his judgements. What Bush calls inconsistent I call actually thinking about your reasoning for doing something. I prefer some-one who for example recognises a mistake and then aims to not make that mistake again, or fix that mistake.

What I however failed to mention, and now feel inclined to speak about is, why would you ever choose somebody you know makes mistake after mistake over someone who doesn't? So the big argument is "Kerry is inconsistent", Bush has lied to his own country-men, has ruined the economy, killed thousands in a false war (as Saddam and Bin Laden hated one and other and there where no weapons of mass destruction), has first send soldiers to their death's and then cuts their pay, has taken the very civil liberties that America stands for away from Americans.

Why would you ever choose a man who makes mistakes and persists in making mistakes? When has it become a vice to not-think? When has it become a good quality to persist in making extremely damaging mistakes that are effecting us all on a global level? If you have a choose between somebody you KNOW will do the WRONG thing or somebody who might do the right thing. Who do you choose? Apparently these days, choosing the man who consistently does the wrong thing has become the better choice, for the cheer notion that he is "consistent". The world is surly mad...

Arrays! Arrays everywhere, yet not a single one to use

2004-10-23T01:23:00.000+02:00

One of the most dreaded variables in Visual Basic 6 is the Array. In every other programming language, this gentile variable is easy to use and an asset to any serious programmer. In Visual Basic 6 however Array's are scary, unfriendly bulky monsters used to scare beginning programmers. So you'd think they would fix that in Visual Basic.Net. Well, sort off...

In .NET we have actually have Arrays, ArrayLists, HashLists and SortedLists. With so many options one needs to be good right?! So lets go over them.

Arrays: Still your VB6 nightmare variable. Confusing to use, clumsy to walk through and to fill and not to mention multi-dimension hell. Sure, in essence they are powerful, but much to clumsy and bulky to seriously use.

ArrayLists: Fun! Finally we can walk through them normally and you can actually fill them exceptionally easily. Multidimensional? Strings as keys you ask? Nooooo...

Hashtable: So far my favourite. You can actually declare your own keys with string values as keys. Buutt..... it just sorts anyway it pleases.. NOT the way you entered them or on alphabet or whatever, it just does... *something*

SortedLists: So we have sorted lists. Because yay! those are sorted on alphabet (what about ON THE BLOODY ORDER I PUT THEM IN?!) and just like Hashtables one key values. Which makes them semi-okay. But how about ordering them the way I want them?!

All I want is a self-expanding, easy to walk through multidimensional array where I can define the key names myself. Really is that to much to ask for Bill? Perhaps you did hide it somewhere in Visual Basic.NET. But .NET sometimes is just as any other Microsoft product. Full of features and possibilities that just don't really do what you want.