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