Brussel Vlaams (?)

Vandaag in de FNAC van de CITY2 in Brussel Centrum

aan de kassa gekomen, moe geïrriteerd van het vele slentervolk, tskokvol cadeau's;
je bent al fier dat je je "ronde" hebt afgewerkt en haast jaloers op de Kerstman die tenminste rendieren tot zijner edele beschikking heeft:

een al even vermoeide kassierster kijkt me dwars en bijna ongelovig aan:

zij: -oui?
ik: -goedenavond
zij pakt mijn gerief en zwiert me een paar zakken toe en begint driftig te "scannen"
(ik ben ervan overtuigd dat ze géén profiel opmaakt van haar klanten, en toch denk ik dat elke klant bij de kassa op zijn minst naar waarde wil worden geschat omwille van de uitgekiemde koopstrategie die hij/net succesvol beëindigde waardoor hij niet als de zoveelste consu-mens wil worden behandeld...)

zij: - deux cents cing euros et vingt cents...
ik: - dank u; kan ik met bancontact betalen?
zij: - oui, insérez votre carte...
ik: - hier?
zij: - oui, là....
(ik druk mijn code in... terwijl zij mijn waardevolle cadeau's zonder pinken bijéén smijt in een paar lelijke zakken)
zij: - bonsoir
ikke: - merci'kes hé, bedankt en nog een Zalig Kerstfeest
(ik storm woest buiten, op zoek naar de manager, want voor een dikke 10.000 oude knarren zou je toch iets of wat meer service verwachten...)

-- Brussel hé, tweetaligheid troef, vooral als het altijd van dezelfde kant moet komen -- volgend jaar beter? wij hopen het in elk geval met heel onze meertaligheid...

Listening to: Arsenal - Oustides (*****/*****), toch gekocht hoewel de FNAC te duur was...

ozone pollution 2005

ozone pollution 2005
Originally uploaded by wacondah.

Dutch scientists are putting together remarkable maps showing pollution over Europe and other regions of the globe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4512464.stm

In Flanders, a lot we suffer ...

Hooverphonic AB 2005-12-10: ich ben droevik

DSC01873
Originally uploaded by wacondah.

Hooverphonic's concert was amazing. Great set, great acoustics, great band.

Minor irritating events that un-thrilled our party: concert was a bit too short, and sounded a bit to sterophonic-sterotyped. If you were in for an improvising jam, you'd better go see Prince... Geike has a great voice, and is endearingly timid and shy; but with the great band and support from the audience, she could at least have adressed us in Dutch... More Photos here

the same goes for Madonna's latest song "Sorry" in which she translates the word into 88 languages: Sorry, Lo siento, je suis désolé(e) and then "ich ben droevik" - a disgrace to the Dutch language. a bit more research would've been greatly appreciated.

Darwin's Nightmare: IUCN reaction

Addendum to earlier post. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature reacts to the Oscar Nomination for Darwin's Nightmare (download their letter here)

IUCN feels strongly about the false accusations...

Now, what is your view on this?

Global Warming

The Montreal Meeting on Global Warming, Climate change generates a massive flow of reports illustrating the effects of industrialisation and population growth. Some key elements are now admitted by most scientifics, based on empirical evidence from over the past decades. No one today can deny the increased "weather disasters" such as flooding, an exceptionally heavy hurricane season, heat and cold waves are the result of massive alterations in the earth's atmosphere; below some articles....

12/06/2005 (Source: Water Tech News Watch)
In Europe, more deaths and illnesses because of the climate

Europe - The effects of global warming upon human health have been noticeable in recent years, reported Maria Neira and Roberto Bertollini -- directors of the World Health Organization''s global and European Health and Environment Departments, respectively -- at the United Nations climate change conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The European heatwave of 2003 cost more than 35,000 lives, while major floods in Europe between 1995 and 2004 directly affected 2.5 million people. Higher average temperatures have also encouraged the spread of Lyme disease, the parasitic disease leishmaniasis (transmitted by dogs) and tick-borne encephalitis into northern Europe and mountainous regions where they''ve never appeared before. Allergies are now more widespread because high-pollen season lasts ten days longer, on average, than it did 30 years ago.



12/07/2005
Climate: The Inuit charge the USA

Arctic Region - At an international climate change conference being held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the Inuit people of the Arctic formally accused the government of the United States of violating human rights by refusing to cap greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. "Climate change is destroying our environment and eroding our culture," said Sheila Watt-Cloutier, head of the Circumpolar Inuit Conference, who has appealed to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The traditional hunting-based economy of the Inuit is suffering from the melting of polar icecaps and permafrost and a resulting decrease in seal and polar bear populations. Scientists have warned that the Arctic is warming twice as fast as other parts of the globe and that the glaciers may vanish by 2100 unless the rate of global warming is reduced.

EU domains on Sale

EU_onSale_2005-12
Originally uploaded by wacondah.

Starting December 7th, 2005 EU domains are up for reservation during the "Sunrise Period".

! Note: you can only make reservations if you're a trademark holder or institution with enough credentials to claim yours. The public at large will have to wait until March 2006 to try to get their favourite spot.

Reports from yesterday claim Tens of thousands of demands for registration coming in. the Top 10 list of keywords called for were: sex (of course), hotel, travel, jobs, hotels, casino, poker, golf, business, shopping, porn, music...

Keywords... that matter; or a reflection of our present state of consumption...

I can think of another list: politics, government, union, solidarity, democracy, citizen, peace, ...

Darwin's Nightmare

This documentary should be on everyone's "to watch - seriously" list. aexplores the African Continent's worst dreams, - Heart of Darkness -style.


Reading: P. Roth: the Plot Against America
Listening to: Led Zeppelin: How The West Was Won [LIVE]
Thinking:

California's water system might have been invented by a Soviet bureaucrat on an LSD trip.
Peter Passel, New York Times, February 27, 1991

Last picture: EU Domains on sale

Vitaly Samoshko wint Publieksprijs Klara 2005

In Gent heeft het radionet Klara van de openbare omroep enkele prijzen uitgedeeld. Dat gebeurde in het kader van de eerste Staten-Generaal van de klassieke muziek in Vlaanderen, een ontmoeting van klassieke musici, componisten, concertorganisatoren en beleidsmakers.

Toon Daems (53) uit Schoten won als eerste laureaat de Klara-Compositieprijs 2005, die naar aanleiding van 75 jaar radio was uitgeschreven.

De opdracht: een nieuwe compositie voor pianotrio schrijven als hommage aan Mozart. De Klara-Carrièreprijs, een soort Lifetime Achievement Award, ging naar Huelgas Ensembledirigent en -stichter Paul Van Nevel, die met respect voor de authentieke partituur de Vlaamse polyfonie nieuw leven inblies.

Voor de jaarlijkse Klara-muziekprijzen waren veertig cd’s genomineerd.

Het Jef Neve Trio won de jazzprijs met It’s Gone, Stefan Winter haalde het in de categorie wereldmuziek met Cuadernos de Mexico, drie cd’s met veldopnames van volksmuziek uit Mexico gebracht door zestien verschillende solisten en groepen.

Als beste klassieke cd van het voorbije seizoen kwam een opname van Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso door het Ensemble Matheus uit de bus.

Luisteraars van de muziekzender konden via de website of de post ook stemmen voor twee publieksprijzen.

Die voor de beste Vlaamse productie ging naar het ensemble Zefiro Torna voor hun cd El Noi de la Mare, kerstliederen uit middeleeuwen en renaissance.

De Oekraïense pianist Vitaly Samoshko (winnaar Koningin Elisabeth-wedstrijd 1999) ging aan de haal met de publieksprijs voor beste internationale cd 2005 voor Etudes voor piano van Alexander Scriabin.

AquaFed - The International Federation of Private Water Operators

"AquaFed is an association set up to connect international organisations with private sector providers of water and sanitation services.

Aquafed brings together over 200 water service providers operating in 38 countries worldwide."

Camille & Thomas

DSC01810
Originally uploaded by wacondah.

Camille turned 1 year old on November 4, 2005. It's been an incredible ride together with Mama and all our friends and families. Becoming a parent, changes not only your sleep schedule, your behaviour, but your mind... and your insight, your care and caring and also your "stewardship" responsibility.

Camille: thanks for making me want to be a better man/dad/friend!

"Stercus accidit" (shit happens)

Reading: The Plot Against America - P.Roth;


Stopped reading:
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susan Clarke:

bored after 150+ pages, decided to put the book away. A part from the nice cover - a white crow on a black background - there's not much to say about this BORING book

finished reading: the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson:

after 2+ years of reading, finally completed the 3-vol. opus M. by former SF writer Stephenson turned guru of the 18th century. Will thoroughly miss Jack Cock-eyed Shaftoe and Eliza Countess de la Zeur, but Newton, Leibniz and their companions of the Royal Society even more. A thrilling ride, a fantastic story and great insights in the birth of banking and the intertwined rise of science and alchemy... A must-read for any real Renaissance-(wo)man, a fantastic primer on the revolutions of the Sciences...

Listening to: Millionaire (*/*****), Latest by Franz Ferdinand (**/*****), Admiral Freebee (****/*****), Uri Cane Bach Goldberg Variations (*****/*****)

Thinking: "Stercus accidit" (shit happens)

Last picture: Set of Pictures compiled: 1 year in Review: Camille 2004 - 2005

Welkom Jolien

geboren, November 14 2005: proficiat aan Hanne, Dirk en hun beider families!

Bike to work or not?

Over the past years I've taken the habit of ditching the car more and more often, and to jump on my run-down bike for the short trips (from/to work in Paris until last year- around downtown Brussels from this year).

appearantly, I wasn't the only one wondering if this was/is a healthy activity, sucking up exhaust fumes at 20km/h and what's more "biking the risk of getting hit by monster traffic"...

GRIST has an interesting discussion and concludes that "biking wins over all mechanized transport".

So .. get out there, you bums, get some exercize: but be prudent and make sure your brakes work, you wear a protective helmet and fluorescent jacket, ankle straps to keep your trousers from getting snatched by the chain.... yakayakayakayaka....

In my opinion: it's great to de-stress, but the risks are important, but then again, not all of us have showers at the office...

Brussel Blogt

Brussel is een collectief blog rijker... en houdt dus grote kuis... go check it out

Thinking: Une grand-mère qui meurt, c'est une bibliothèque qui brûle.
Travelling: Stockholm, Paris, Barcelona
Last picture:

Moleskin veneration

This is Moleskinerie, a blog dedicated to the proposition that not all notebooks are created equal....

We are not afraid !

Post a picture of yourself with the message "we are not afraid"!
show them terrorists what you've got!

"If the shit hits the fan... let's bomb Mecca" - says US congressman

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo's office on Sunday tried to clarify remarks the congressman made on a radio show that the U.S. could threaten to "take out" Islamic holy sites if Muslim fundamentalists were to attack the country with nuclear weapons.

Campbell asked Tancredo how the country should respond if terrorists were to strike several U.S. cities with nuclear weapons.

"Well, what if you said something like - if this happens in the United States, and we determine that it is the result of extremist, fundamentalist Muslims, you know, you could take out their holy sites," Tancredo answered.

"You're talking about bombing Mecca," Campbell said.

"Yeah," Tancredo responded.

The congressman went on to say that he was "just throwing out some ideas" but that an "ultimate threat" might have to be met with an "ultimate response."

Tancredo released a statement Sunday evening in which he said he was simply trying to figure out what the United States could use as a threat to deter future attacks.

"Among the many things we might do to prevent such an attack on America would be to lay out there as a possibility the destruction of these sites," he wrote. .

Les Etats-Unis en chiffres

http://www.reseauvoltaire.net/article16678.html

Interesting facts on the USA from a bizarre source

Alternative Travel Scenarios

For all those backpackers out there: eat this....
http://www.latourex.org/

Westfleteren - Best Beer in the World

Westvleteren is beste bier ter wereld

De toonaangevende biersite RateBeer.com heeft de trappist ,,Westvleteren Twaalf'' uitgeroepen tot 's werelds beste bier. Duizenden bierliefhebbers uit meer dan zestig landen namen aan de stemming deel.

How The Rich Stay Rich

Before going to Europe on business, a man drove his Rolls-Royce to a downtown New York City bank and went in to ask for an immediate loan of $5,000.

The loan officer, taken aback, requested collateral. "Well, then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce," the man said. The loan officer promptly had the car driven into the bank's underground parking garage for safe keeping, and gave him $5,000. Two weeks later, the man walked through the bank's doors, asked to settle up his loan and get his car back. "That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest," the loan officer said. The man wrote out a check and started to walk away.

"Wait sir," the loan officer said, "while you were gone, I found out you are a multi-millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?"

The man smiled. "Where else could I park my Rolls-Royce in Manhattan for two weeks and pay only $15.40?"

BBQ & Europe

Great sarcastic way to debunk some myths spread by Eurosceptics...
What has Europe ever done for us?

http://www.whathaseuropedone.org/

Reading: "Quand les Belges nous font rire"
Listening to: Chucho Valdez, Robert Plant, latest Kruder & Dorfmeister, Prince live in Paris
Thinking: "why did the PIG cross the road" - because the BBQ smelled great:
Travelling: Paris-Brussels

Website of the Summer: http://www.3men.com/thepig.htm: 3 guys - World Champion BBQ cooks tell you the inside secrets to perfectly broil some stuff. Or as Sam/Forest used to say:

"Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. Dey's ummm, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo... pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp... shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... That- that's about it.

.: superpapa :.

For all the young dutch-speaking fathers out here...

Illustrated Primer to Gravity's Rainbow by Pynchon

Thomas Pynchon's Masterpeace explained... a picture says more than a thousand words....

Resto-running: do it in style

Activist raid a 5star hotel and restaurant wearing t-shirts "Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei" and wielding giant cardboard forks and spoons: they distributed some tracts and then proceeded to a forced-free "all you can eat" petit-déjeuner....

http://www.ueberfluessig.tk

Wacondah on 43 Things

H*ll yeah, finally something where you can find out about lists of stuff/sh*t you need to get together!
Whoah! Also check out the Zeitgeist section

Cday minus-2: 05.05.05

Fellow C's, please check out our latest bbs

Alles Kan Beter 2005

Hilarische compilaties hier te vinden

Never drink water - if it can rust iron, imagine what it can do to.. your stomach

- Never forget a friend, especially those who owe you --Chinese Proverb
- Suburbs are areas where they cut down trees and then name the
streets after them.
- I'd like to help you out. Which way did you come in?
- It may be your sole purpose in life to serve as a warning to others.
- If I want your opinion, I'll ask you to fill out the necessary forms.
- Keep smiling - it makes everyone wonder what you're up to.
- A tree never hits an automobile except in self-defence.
- Did you know that dolphins are so intelligent that within only a few
weeks of captivity, they can train Americans to stand at the very edge
of the pool and throw them fish.
- Education is what you get from reading the small print. Experience
is what you get from not reading it.

Where have YOU been

Here's where we've been

Habemus PAPAM

YEAH!
but we ignore the name for the moment
1,1 bilion Catholics are in a state of religious frenzy.

White smoke arose from the chimney but the famous Roman bells took almost 15 minutes in confirming....


UPDATE
JOSEPH RATZINGER- BENEDICTUS XVI
!
yeah!

"Second Renaissance" - Oxyrhynchus Papyri

Decoded at last: the 'classical holy grail' that may rewrite the history of the world

The discovery of means and keys to delve into the famous
could prove to be of spectacular consequences for our understanding of times ancient and long deemed lost. Some experts even speak about a "Second Renaissance" due to our better understanding that we could gather in these ancient bits and pieces. Some estimates calculate approx +20% increase of our total knowledge of Classical Times....


For more than a century, it has caused excitement and frustration in equal measure - a collection of Greek and Roman writings so vast it could redraw the map of classical civilisation. If only it was legible.

Now, in a breakthrough described as the classical equivalent of finding the holy grail, Oxford University scientists have employed infra-red technology to open up the hoard, known as the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, and with it the prospect that hundreds of lost Greek comedies, tragedies and epic poems will soon be revealed.

In the past four days alone, Oxford's classicists have used it to make a series of astonishing discoveries, including writing by Sophocles, Euripides, Hesiod and other literary giants of the ancient world, lost for millennia. They even believe they are likely to find lost Christian gospels, the originals of which were written around the time of the earliest books of the New Testament.

"Een tweede renaissance, voorspelden classici in Oxford afgelopen weekend in The Independent on Sunday. Ze scanden met een recente infraroodtechniek delen uit de indrukwekkende databank van 40.000 antieke papyrusfragmenten die bewaard zijn in Oxford, en vonden al meteen een snipper uit een verloren toneelstuk van Sophocles, onbekend materiaal van Euripides, en een Troje-gedicht van een navolger van Homeros" (uit De Standaard Apri192005)

http://www.papyrology.ox.ac.uk/

Wiki Primer on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxyrhynchus

De avonturen van Snellen Danny den Eerste in het Vaticaan

Mijn avonturen in het Vaticaan

't Van Dadde, Snellen Danny vanuit het Vaticaan!

Paus "Snellen Danny den Eerste"?

Vamorgen gehoord op StuBru, Paus-verkiezing leidt onverbiddellijk tot name-search voor Godfried Kardinaal Danneels, Aartsbisschop van Mechelen-Brussel:
post uw comments en suggesties....

Reading (still): The Baroque Cycle (Jack Shaftoe just finished raiding the Tower & Mint of London)
(In the car) Listening to: JJ Cale, Crouching Tiger soundtrack, Kill Bill vol. 1.
Thinking: new definition for consultant: "un con qui vous insulte"
Travelling: to & fro Paris; just back from CH, DE & AU (Ski in St Anton)
Last picture: Camille near the Abbey of Westerlo
Last Conference: Jacques Rifflet - Le grand changement du XXIe siècle @Flagey: interesting "conférence" about the Middle East & recent geopolitical developments.

To Rule the Earth...

Time Maps

Economist analysis

Tony Wheeler - founder of Lonely Planet - has a blog...

The Genographic Project ànly 99,99 US$

How to Participate - The Genographic Project: "Public participation, including yours, is critical to the Genographic Project's success. Here's how you can get involved"

Webby Awards Nominees

More Nominees than ever!

among them

the Muppets
Alternet News
Dogster - Where Every Dog has his Bone, no strike that, webpage
Chaco Culture National Park
Grist - environmental news & humor

Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon & Baroque Cycle a brief primer

Currently deeply immersed and undercover in the Master Stephenson's thrill-rides of the new millennium:

some links for extended research:

The Baroque Cycle:

The Baroque Cycle - Wiki primer

Quicksilver Metaweb

Cryptonomicon

In the beginning was the command line....
http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html

Cryptonomicon on Slashdot


Metaweb Wiki on Cryptonomicon

What's up with Enoch Root?
More Enoch Root cultism

What the Hell has Leibniz got to do with this? And Newton?

And some gonzo guide to cryptanalysis

Vijgen na Pasen

Belgium counts 266 foreign diplomatic missions on its territory, - some calculus approx. 1 "intelligence" official per mission (in some cases delegated to other entities): 266 x 1,5 to 3,5 = anywhere between 366 and 931 foreign spymasters operating under diplomatic cover in Brussels alone. The number of spies in foreign governmental service without cover is unknown. The number of spies operating for foreign companies is unknown.

Since Belgium/Flanders is a knowledge economy: this is a major vulnerability...

Apparently most intelligence activities are directed to
1/ infogathering on the countries' own dissident activities (as is the case for most rogue nations)
2/ economic in industrial espionage - especially at research facilities and universities.

Here is some interesting info on our "knowledge" "economy":
unemployment in Wallonia: 18%
unemployment in Brussels: 21%
unemployment in Flanders: 8%

On another sorry issue: soccer for the masses
The public network VRT lost the rights to the UEFA soccer championships 2006-2009; will this have any impact on unemployment? Or do citizens switch to the commercial channels?
Heard a sorry interview with A.Van Hecke, boss of the public broadcaster, who was lamenting that the public service could no longer fulfill its constitutional right to broadcast sports to the masses.... For that matter, I will be happy to see other things on tv.

Warning! Don't be stupid!

Warning! Don't be stupid! This guy just finished building MARK II of his Solar Death Ray - great fun...

100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time

Verbal Kint, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood?

Blow a Website to pieces

Netdisaster: if you really want to piss off a competitor...

Der Untergang (*****/*****)

Just finished reading "Der Untergang" by Joachim Fest, a wonderful and horror-inspiring account of Hitler's and Hitler's Bunker-occupants last days and downfall.
Now a major and shocking motion picture, soon to be released on DVD.

Most interesting is the insights you gain in the overall disorganised and fantastmagoric universe that characterized the siege of Berlin and the differences of opinion between Wehrmacht & SS, Himmler, Goering and Goebbels; the struggle for the succession and the impact of Hitler's last "Neronian" command to destroy all of Germany and its civilization.

The first serious in-depth account after 60years. A must read

Muppets.com -- Gonzo Stunt Game

A surefire page to waste the rest of your working day

"Preople - Its about who you are...

Care to challenge someone's popularity on the net?

rodcorp: Powerpoint Bad/Good

rodcorp: Powerpoint Bad/Good: "Powerpoint Bad/Good"

Jacques Chirac Blog "Ma vie de Président"

Hoax, reality ... en tout cas very "frenchy"

The Ten Commandments of PC Security

The Ten Commandments of PC Security: "The Ten Commandments of PC Security"

You absolutely positively have to read this!

Check yer backup : Lifehacker

Check yer backup : Lifehacker

More often than not, we never back-up. Yet, in the digital age, crucial information might thus be exposed to harm, theft, loss, permanent damage....

However, if you do backup regularly, try to check those files once in a while: they might have stopped working. Old floppies, olf cd's, old data files might not be working properly.... and it might be really expensive to restore this data: so get to work on an organized method!

Ten Reasons Why Blogging is Good For Your Career

You have to get noticed to get promoted.

You have to get noticed to get hired.

It really impresses people when you say “Oh, I’ve written about that, just google for XXX and I’m on the top page” or “Oh, just google my name.”

No matter how great you are, your career depends on communicating. The way to get better at anything, including communication, is by practicing. Blogging is good practice.

Bloggers are better-informed than non-bloggers. Knowing more is a career advantage.

Knowing more also means you’re more likely to hear about interesting jobs coming open.

Networking is good for your career. Blogging is a good way to meet people.

If you’re an engineer, blogging puts you in intimate contact with a worse-is-better 80/20 success story. Understanding this mode of technology adoption can only help you.

If you’re in marketing, you’ll need to understand how its rules are changing as a result of the current whirlwind, which nobody does, but bloggers are at least somewhat less baffled.

It’s a lot harder to fire someone who has a public voice, because it will be noticed.

Welcome Jenghiz

Proficiat aan Rosalie, Wim en natuurlijk Jenghiz °7/3/05 - alsook aan alle grootouders, nonkels en tantes, neven en nichten, achterneven en achternichten.

101 Zen Stories

101 Zen Stories: "101 Zen Stories"

The unspoken language of... Office behaviour

Slacker Manager: The unspoken language of...: "If a picture is better than a thousand words, then a person's body language has got to 'speak' volumes. A lot of the focus on body language at work has been on how to avoid looking all twitchy and nervous. Not much is mentioned about how to use body language to get people out of your office. "


try:
- the thousand yard stare
- the stand
- the slow clap
- the FAST WALK ;-)

Het Eiland - discuss

Het Eiland :: Index

Na overdonderend succes voor deze tragikomische pseudoreality show: stem voor seizoen 3 nu.

Een overzichtelijk fansite met de sounds van de hilarische Alain

mediabistro: FishBowlDC

mediabistro: FishBowlDC: "fishbowlDC: a gossip blog about Washington, D.C. media"

This guy is the first Blogger in the White House Press Room!

All your Base... belongs to North Korea

KFA Delegations to the DPRK: "The KFA Delegations to DPR Korea
(North Korea) for the year 2005"

Hilarious, instant hit: click here to check out the video

Our next holiday destination, helping "citizens with their daily lives, and joining in for dances...."

BelgianTransfers

BelgianTransfers: "Het Verdriet van België. Financiële transfers tussen Vlaanderen, Brussel en Wallonië in België.
Indianenverhalen, overdreven, genegeerd? Waar zijn de cijfers, de feiten en de studies? Hier!"

The Yes Men!

The Yes Men: "The Yes Men have impersonated some of the world's most powerful criminals at conferences, on the web, and on television, in order to correct their identities. They currently have hundreds of thousands of job openings."

Just off: Nazis had the Bomb(e)

Historian Rainer Karlsch claims Nazis did nuclear tests

According to the publisher, Karlsch says Nazi scientists tested “nuclear bombs” in 1944 and 1945 on the Baltic island of Ruegen and in central Germany under the supervision of the SS, but they were not ready to be deployed before the war ended.

“The Third Reich was on the verge of winning the race to deploy the first nuclear weapon. Was this Hitler’s final hope, the miracle weapon he talked of in 1944/1945?”

Spy Ops | The Art of Naming Operations

Ever wondered what kind of hidden messages are conveyed in the operations set up by secret services worldwide?


CENTCOM proposed and JCS accepted Desert Shield,a name which suggested both the region's characteristic geography and CENTCOM's defensive mission. The metaphor of the shield was well chosen because it emphasized not only US deterrence but also Iraqi aggression, for a shield is only necessary when a sword has been unsheathed. In the context of the metaphor, the deployment of US troops was necessary to deter an Iraqi sword that had already bloodied itself in Kuwait. Such careful and effective wordsmithing played well with domestic and international observers

First, make it meaningful.
Second, identify and target the critical audiences.
Third, be cautious of fashions.
Finally, make it memorable.

How to talk to an Extraterrestrial

EXTRATERRESTRIAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: "A Handfull of Coins, A Loop of String, a Flashlight, and Two Magnets"

EUROPOLL by Reader's Digest

RD polled the Europeans about their favourite cities, countries and people,
France and Paris score really well!

Economist.com - CityGuide to Brussels

Economist.com - Cities Guide: "Tax evasion is something of a national sport in Belgium, which has some of the most punitive tax rates in the world. In particular, Belgians are adept at squirreling their money abroad, so they do not have to declare it or pay tax on the interest. But moves to end bank secrecy across the European Union have made Belgians nervous about their Luxembourg accounts"

thanks to Q for the alert!

Bomen met een verhaal

Evil... Movie Clichés debunked

Peter's Evil Overlord List: "I will not include a self-destruct mechanism unless absolutely necessary. If it is necessary, it will not be a large red button labelled 'Danger: Do Not Push'. The big red button marked 'Do Not Push' will instead trigger a spray of bullets on anyone stupid enough to disregard it. Similarly, the ON/OFF switch will not clearly be labelled as such."

How to destroy the earth (not)!

Sam's Archive: "How to destroy the Earth"

Blow Both Your Brain Hemisphere out

truly a brainbreaker

BTK arrested! Eat this Fourniret

Latest developments in the case of the elusive serial killer BTK - Blind/Torture/Kill

Dennis L. Rader, a 59-year-old municipal worker suspected of being the BTK killer responsible for 10 murders, is believed by authorities to have led a Jekyll-and-Hyde existence.

He was also, according to police, an insatiable murderer who tortured and killed strangers over 17 years, boasting about his crimes in taunting, gruesome letters and poems that he mailed to police and the news media.

More on serial killers, but not only in the USA: this one lived and operated in our own backyard:

Today, Fourniret's wife Monique claims her husband was responsible for another 6 to 10 murders, committed during his séjour en Belgique, bringing the possible tally to +20 victims attributed. Fourniret himself admitted to being guilty of 9 kills already. The story of the Franco-Belgian Serial Pedophile continues to develop and seems to lead to a higher body-count than what Dutroux left us with.?

For accurate info: go Wikipedia

The "Dulce" cover-up

(note: a few of these links thru Metafilter)

UFOs, Cover-ups, Black Ops & Technology! Indulge yourself

Sur mon commandement, ... démerdez-vous!

A database of Corporate Commands, inciting you to eat your brain out

And yeah, Al Pacino was not right in Donnie Brasco..."Never blend in"

Paradgim Shifting

Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific revolutions remains a breakthrough philosphickal piece of writing that will kick you brain into sensory overload!

Garfield - Complete Cartoon Overview

Bono for President ... of the World Bank

After earlier post, it appears that Wolfowitz has serious competition from ... Bono!

Thru his efforts over the past 25 years, lobbying for Debt relief for the developing countries, the LA Times decided to push him forward as a possible successor to Wolfensohn.

Together with Blair, Bono teams up with Bill (Gates) to spread the word about DATA.

Let us all join in in this campaign!

Wolfowitz to follow up on Wolfensohn?

It seems that the "Wolf" is shortlisted to head the foremost important bank in the world!

Need something to brighten your day?

Always good for a quick laugh

Moet er wat meer cultuur zijn?

Vlaanderen is rijk aan cultuur, zo rijk dat we het zelf niet beseffen.
Zo rijk ook dat we er teveel vanachter onzen teevee naar kijken en niet meer de moeite doen om door weer en wind, regen en ijzel, de podia te bestormen, koesteren en over te nemen.

Dit weekend in Flagey een majestueuze vertolking gezien van EL BACHA, die het integrale, chronologische oeuvre van Chopin voor piano ten berde bracht. Prachtmuziek, prachtzaal en meer dan 13.000 mensen die aan de marathon van 5 dagen deelnamen.

Edoch, waar zitten de Vlamingen? Komen zij niet meer uit hun kot? Is Brussel echt een steriel artefact geworden dat de Europese instellingen huisvestigt en waar de Vlamingen forfait geven? Dichtbij genoeg om met de wagen een uur en half in de file te staan, ver genoeg om er niet te veel last van te hebben?

Daar moet toch iets aan te doen zijn?

Hier een paar tips
http://www.brusseldezeweek.be/
http://www.fmbrussel.be/
http://www.flagey.be

The revolution will be FirexFoxed !

Finally a good alternative for MS I.E vXXX.
Firefox actually works!

It's quicker on startup, faster in displaying pages, fully customizable, and a lot less vulnerable to internet related threats than IE.
Plus, you can browse multiple pages in one window!

101 reasons by Frank to use FirexFox

"Het Eiland"

Most hilarious television show, involving the life and pains of 3 guys working at an open space desktop.

Lang geleden dat ik nog zo met den teevee gelachen heb, aflevering na aflevering.
Je houdt het niet voor mogelijk, maar het pijnlijke wordt zelfs grappig, zeker als je met zijn allen op weg staat in de file en je bedenkt dat het leven niet al te veel verschilt van wat onze helden meemaken...

Rat-a-plan in the Congo

Whoah, his Excellency Karel De Gucht went to the Congo, for the second time this mandate. As Belgian's Minister of Foreign Affairs, he plays a major role in following up on the goodwill created in our ex-colonies by Louis Michel, his predecessor.

And you would think that the Congolese would be happy to see Belgian Diplomats coming... with major contracts, shitloads of grease monney, ...

Oh no, our proud and efficient diplomats do bring all the goodies, and more....

For the second time, M.De Gucht and his incompetent staff stepped on a lot of cholera-striken toes:

- upon arrival, they distributed a press file on M.Joseph Kabila, supreme head of allied command (no strike that) - DICTATOR of Congo, claiming "that he was very probably not the son of his father, the late President Kabila... and that it was more likely than not that Kabila JR was of non-congolese origin...." Tell that to a bunch of tribal and tribe-obsessed dudes: your President is a bastard, and he's not even coming from your own country....

De Gucht's team defense: "it was written by an intern"....

- Last time he went to the great Congo area; M. De Gucht, - Charles pour les amis, claimed that he had yet to meet the first single competent politician.... (after touring the whole fucking area for days)...

Wacondah says to the tribe: just like in the old days - let's cook De Gucht for dinner.


More diplomatic incidents: the arrival of Condi Rice in Brussels Airport last week. Another high ranking diplomat is shown on prime time TV yelling at a Diplomatic Service Security Agent: you are in Belgium, fuckface - and I'm the boss here.... REad the full story here at lvb.net and make sure you check out the SD Guys own version of what really happened on the tarmac.

It makes you wonder: what kind of stunt are the Belgians gonna pull off next Sunday thru Wednesday, as the Real Supreme Head of Allied Command visits Brussels. Yes, Yes, Beavis, Bush is coming to town, for the second time, and he's throwing lotsa parties with his ol' pals Chirac & Verhofstadt.

Bearing in Mind that we already have an excellent reputation/understanding/working relationship with the fellows of Texas and assorted colonies, could we please NOT have a senior statesman standing in front of Bush yelling to the crowd: "this guy's NOT from Texas, I repeat NOT from Texas..."

- Embarrassed to have a Belgian Passport... )-)

Things You'd Like To Say At Work, But Can't

Other great motivational quotes on http://www.stamey.nu/Humor/workhumor.htm

home [Wikipes]

Wikipedia, the online collaborative encyclopedia launches an online collaborative recipe / cook-book! bon appétit!

Researchers Map The Sexual Network Of An Entire High School

Very interesting research conducted over 18 months: mapping the sexual/romantic activities of an entire high school... More interconnexions than you'd image.

Too bad, we were in an all boys' school ;-)

Company fires 4 employees for refusing smoking test

Hardliners in the US do not want their employees to smoke, even on their own time, for fear of having to pay for their medicare....

Tell that to the millions of Chinese and Indians...

Robots deployed in Iraq!

US robot warriors to head for Iraq in spring

ISN SECURITY WATCH (24/01/05) - Eighteen robot warriors equipped with
cameras and operated by remote control are scheduled for deployment
in Iraq this spring, where they are expected to by used by the US
military to help fight insurgents, the US Army reported late last
week. The 1-meter high robots are based on a previously designed
robot warrior, the Talon, used to disarm bombs. According to the US
Army, the robot soldier, known as the SWORD (Special Weapons
Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems), will be fitted with
automatic rifles and will be capable of tracking enemies swiftly.
SWORDS will be operated by human soldiers, who will order the robot
to fire by remote control. According to the BBC, the robot warrior
has four cameras with night-vision and zoom capabilities, can travel
over rocks and barbed wire, and can run on batteries for up to four
hours. The remote control device has two joysticks and a video
screen. The robot soldiers cost US$200’000 each. The SWORD will be
the first robot soldier used in actual combat situations. Their
deployment is expected in March or April, according to The Associated
Press.




Reading: The System of the World, part III of the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson
Listening to: Zornik, Zita Swoon, Gabriel Rios, Novastar, Stash & Ozark Henry (Belgian Nouvelle Vague!)
Thinking: Full Moon, Bright Stars, Lotsa snow and a murdered sheep
Travelling: to and fro Paris
Last picture: Shoah (Documentary) - in commemoration of the Liberation of Auschwitz, 60 years ago

Best.Protest.Ever

madeyouthink

Countdown to Environmental Whipe-out

Now that we left the Nuclear Cold War, we may develop another countdown 5-to-Midnight Environmental Armageddon ticker... Only this time, it's about irreversible global warming...

Assorted links & terrorist blooper videos

Some easy going surfin' safari

http://www.teatrobastardo.com/projects.html

The World Famous German Joke of the day


Fat Boy Slim covers the "Joker" - with kittens

Belgian Blogs on the Map!

Belgian Blogs on a Map!

Hoorah! Find us under "Conform-Mystik & Sub-Versive..."

When the character ...

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends."

Japanese Proverb

Mafia Name Generator

Mafia Name Generator for great laughs

Some of my nicks: The Heartbreaker, The Mad Russion, aka Twenty Eyes....

Gamma ray burst - Death of Galaxis

Gamma ray burst - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Gamma ray burst"

something scarier than killer asteroids

"Lucy memorialized": On the death of a city goose

Fantastic story about Chestertown's mascotte: Lucy the goose, who sadly passed away.

As I sat with her that last morning, trying to coax her with another bite, Lucy leaned against my shoulder and gently laid her face against my cheek. There's not a doubt in my mind she was saying goodbye.

A Theory of Power, -Swarming-

A Theory of Power, Jeff Vail's Critique of Hierarchy & Empire: "Swarming, Open-Source Warfare and the Black Block"

Great reference in case you need to counteract a violent attack: 3 key principles:

1. Elusiveness, in the form of mobility or concealment
2. Standoff Firepower, relative to the opposing force
3. Situational awareness of the local environment, relative to the opposing force

Freya is de moeder, maar wie is de vader?

Freya is de moeder, maar wie is de vader?

Dit blogje is een fantastische reactie op de zwangerschap van ons aller minister van Werk, Freya VDB.
Net zwanger, bewust B.O.M., en daarmee koketterend alsof ze het concept helemaal zelf ontwikkeld had. Ze voedt de speculaties over de mogelijke vader... Het mocht maar ne keer uitkomen dat het "nen duits" was...

Voorts zoekt ze het zelf: ze misbruikt haar positie als zwangere mama om zicht te pas en te onpas in het nieuws te laten opmerken. Onlangs sloeg ze een kanjer van formaat, waarmee ze de collectieve net-moeder-geworden vrouwengroep van 't land tegen zich in het harnas joeg: Freya vindt dat 6 weken zwangerschapsverlof "meer dan voldoende" zijn... dwz, als ge over chauffeur, kuisvrouw, een volledige ministerieel secretariaat als babysit & de rest van de SPa als teletubbies kunt laat opdrijven. Bovendien heeft haar pa minister ook ne keer een accident gehad en diene is dan ook ferm blijven doorwerken.

Eens te meer wordt bewezen dat in dit land de ministers net iets meer anders zijn dan gewone mensen... onmisbaar - maar toch misselijkmakend

Cream of the crop- 2004 in review

The Guardian has published a list of 100 sites to be added to your favourites folders...

Personally, 2004 was characterized by
http://www.wikipedia.org/
http://www.metafilter.com/

and - what the heck - enthousiasm with colleagues and friends for online media
Guillaume Féry ... there you go - you're on the right track man!

Whitbread Book Awards

Amazing race this year, and unfortuntely Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke did not win. Note to self: Must buy this "Harry Potter for adults" asap!

Bush raw approval rate

End of the Year

Event of 2004: Europe goes 25 & Birth of Camille
Media of the year: Power to the people: blogging in Iraq, blogging in Ukraine & the USA elections
Person of the year: Dr. Baron Peter piot, head of UNAIDS & Jacques Rogge, head of IOC - 2 crazy Flemish/Belgians

Reading: Stephenson PartIII of the Baroque Cycle: The System of the World
Listening to: Gabriel Rios, The White Stripes
Thinking: about Jef d.B. - Jef van Ballekens, who silently passed away last Friday