Weekend

I skipped the paper for some days now. I read them but I was not in the mood to brief about it.
My conclusion what the headlines are concerned is that they don't tell the news. Not all of it. Then you got to read it all. Something I rather brief you in plain Dutch.

This weekend I tried to override my total cycling distance of last year. I succeeded with 12 kilometer to a total distance so far this year of 7,189 kilometer.
I was good weather today and I rode over 3 hours in good temperatures. After 2 hours I was a little tired but happily I continued. Now I feel very tired.

The newspaper made it's own news

In the last weeks political parties were campaigning and the newspaper tried to give an impression how the parties were doing when the election was at that moment. The papers and other media followed the opinion pollers. What they didn't follow was where it was really going to. One opposition party lost 25%, the other got 3 times bigger. One right wing party from square one got 9 seats. Also the animals are represented in our House: 2 seats.

And the paper only showed us polls and published behind the story interviews. But it didn't say where the election was heading for. The opposition will not get the ruling party on it's knees begging for help. Only one ruling liberal party got aches, the confessional party still rules the waves though has not many allies.

This election will continue with a very difficult formation of a new cabinet.

Close call??

Last night was the big debate I told about. Nobody from the media has published a result who won the debate. They're always so quick. But now they don't say a word. Is this the unsuspected ethics the media has?
I don't think so. Tonight, 10 minutes before polling stations will close, a media station will publish a exit poll.. If you hurry you can be an important voter!!!

20.50 Pm, 10 minutes before closing time of the polling stations I hurried to my station. Not to vote but to check the finishing of the voting process. It's very easy. The chairman shuts the station and dismantles the voting machine. The machine contains a disc which is ejected and being sealed. One member of the voting committee bring the disc to the town-hall. The voting machine also gives a survey how the votes were divided. This is the back-up if something goes wrong with the disc. It should be put in a sealed envelop. There was some confusion when the envelop wasn't there. The members solved the problem. with another smaller envelop.

I think the members have to prepare themselves for these things. This should not happen. Also the transparency should be larger. Also there should be an independent surveyor at the polling station.
Also the important disc shouldn't be brought by one person to the town-hall. This should be done by 2 persons.

It was good to see how it worked. Next regular election is in March 2007.

The whole election is a shame for the party I voter for. Next time I choose the party Holland doesn't need most but I need most.

Newspaper cover: Rotterdam doesn't know what to vote

The cover today, 12 hours before opening of the polling stations people don't know what to vote. More than in other election years there is a large number of floating voters. Probably there will be a high turn-out because people want to vote.

Tonight at prime time an election debate between the leaders of the 6 biggest parties was broad-casted. Very amusing to see the thin lines on which the biggest in power defended the result during it's term.
It's likely that party has to form a coalition with the largest party from the opposition. So they have to stay good friends with that opposition party. On the other hand they possibly might continue the present coalition with the other party. That party has nothing to loose and want it's coalition partner to give in on certain subjects, such as economy, taxes and employer-matters.

In tonight's debate the environment was discussed thoroughly. Maybe it was the campaign of Al Gore what triggered it. Possible the sharp division of opinion between progressive (the left, social, liberal parties) and conservative, confessional right parties.
For instance, Amsterdam airport should be situated in the North sea to make growth possible according to right. Left wants a stop on air traffic by rising prices or cleaner air traffic with new technology.
Left wants Government money for new technology and make it possible for new companies to create. Right wants the market to do that.

Newspaper cover: profitwarning for buildingcompany BAM

The stock quotation of BAM, the largest Dutch builder, plunged with 15% in the morning after a profit-warning. Also the company announced an inquiry of the company after possible irregularities with their German branch.

In my opinion this is not front-page news. It's more important for the economics-section.
Instead of the BAM-news I would like to see the news about the Iraq-debate more prominent on the front-page.

The Dutch ministers came to a Burka-ban. Now the Malaysian foreign minister criticized the intention of Holland to ban the burka. It divides Holland Sunday Times wrote. The Times of India said that Dutch Muslims are outraged. Not really, but women who think they ought to wear it have their point to be outraged.
The Los Angeles Times informed that everything in Holland is possible except wearing a scarf. (a scarf is not the same as you know)
The burka is a cover up of the body. It is for public order, safety and protection of civilians, openness, etcetera, etcetera to ban the burka. I don't know for how long it'll be banned. But the left wing of politics doesn't want it this way.

Yesterday it was weather when I was cycling but it was almost at sunset when there was a spell, the sun opened the sky and lit up the rainclouds. A mysterious colourful setting of orange, blue and dark. It's a pity I had no camera with me.

Newspaper cover: Responsible minister: no punisable offence in Iraq

The responsible minister of Defense said as far as he knows no punishable offences have occurred during the interrogation of 15 Iraqi prisoners in October 2003.
The Defense minister will start an independent inquiry after possible misconduct of Dutch officers. Hopefully he'll do it transparently.

Today was a real good day. Waking up at 8.15 am I could do the things I wanted. In the afternoon I made a cycle tour to Soesterberg, a well-known airbase in Utrecht. Actually the tour wasn't really a great tour. However in Holland you can see a lot of tiny villages. Today I cycled through Bunnik, Zeist, Den Dolder, Soesterberg, Bilthoven and Utrecht, only a trip of 55 k.

Today it was a children's day because Sinterklaas, St Nicholas, is back in Holland and in the minds of many children. In the villages there were parades of St Nicholas and his Zwarte Pieten (his servants). It's an old fête de jeunesse here in Holland and this man almost lost the competition of Father Christmas.
Of course both parties are commercial ones but the first has the most pleasant atmosphere for children I should say. Christmas is a welcome 4 days off, including the weekend.

Good weekend

Newspaper cover: Dutch army commits warcrime

The Dutch corps of SFIR (Stabilization Force in IRAQ) did some nasty things interrogating suspects in the Al Muthana region in the south east of Iraq.

The Military Intelligence and Security Service did expose Iraqi prisoners to strong light, kept them awake by spraying the Iraqis with water, exposed them to high sounds. Also the prisoners were forced to wear dark glasses.
This could be seen as torture, at least it looks like it.
The Defense Ministry confirms "that the military went too far in their duty."

Of course the responsible minister called the information shocking.
He also said "...an association of the Dutch acting with the Abu Graib is ridiculous." it's very weak to say this, especially by the minister. Nobody made this comparison yet and he calls it ridiculous.

See this in perspective with the election next Wednesday. Loosing seats of the ministers party in the House of Representatives and the fact that he didn't inform our House correctly (very sinful for a minister), makes his position not any better.

Newspaper cover: Joseph Kabilla

Maybe the electronic newspaper on the net is even better. At least for the environment. Why should I have a newspaper if the news can be obtained via the internet. It is much cheaper too. Good plan Ocean.

Hurray, The newspaper was delivered this evening.
It has an article about Joseph Kabila, the winner of the presidential election in Congo. It seems that he's capable to lead that nation to anarchy. Time will learn.


This morning I parked my bike between the other bikes. This is the result on tape.

again no paper II

I'm getting tired of it. Again no paper. This is no business.

Here is the video I promised.


It's a part of my way to work on my bicycle. This path is actually one way direction. You see that some people think differently.

again no paper

I'm dissatisfied with the eveningpaper delivery. I send an e-mail to the correct department to complain about the delivery. It's the third time already in the third or fourth week. NRC handelsblad will not keep me as a subscriber. At least they should understand that, I wrote.

This morning when I went to work I made a kind of detour to cycle in the direction of the Dom, the church which is in the middle of the town of Utrecht.
I took my camera and filmed a short while. I'll link the Youtube video asap.

Newspaper cover: Netherlands again a save haven for companies

I read the paper and it informs that Holland has the lowest effective taxes in the western world. Companies pay 5% tax on their interest income. Didn't we know that already?
I know that the party I'll choose is loosing in the polls. However today the party said it'll abolish housing transfertaxes for newbees on the market. That's for me! Okay, a reason to vote! This party will have a more agressive campaign.

Bwahhh, aggression at work the lady made my colleague very pissed had a day off. But you could feel the tension... there are more who have a problem with her attitude and shifting her problem to my co-worker. He should introduce the P&O-functionary or have a confindencial person.

A Youtube video clip


I made this video 9 months ago. (February 9 2006 at 17.55pm)



the following one on April 1 2006 at 15.45 pm)... the mill on my way to the city.

Sunday: youtube 1st time

Let's see if Youtube works. A short video of a rainbow seen from my house.

Dutch tolerance

An ad of Heineken?
It doesn't count less the sells. I found it on Youtube.

Wanna safe tax money for your company? Open a post office box in Holland. You get the discount, we get the taxes and the work is done elsewere. Pollution is not our problem, haha.
No really, this might be a problem for the countries were the production is because the country where it happens doesn't benefit from the taxes. It's said that the Netherlands earn 9 billion Euro with the hosting.
This might look like the VOC mentality (the VOC made Holland rule the waves in the 1700's with their entrepreneurship, initiative and not so fair trade) of which the minister president said we don't have it anymore.
Well, we just do it differently, synthetic drugs are made in...exactly low cost countries, we do the sales and logistics. People trafficing, we got a fair share. The Government facilitates tax avoidance abroad. This will benefit enviromental pollution.
Maybe the commercial was right, are we really tolerant?

The Netherlands today; newspaper cover: gays and sports still taboo

I read something written by Gorbatsjov (former Sovjet leader) this morning and noticed that the world has changed.
For example, he wrote that we enter the 4th decade after WWII without war in Europe.
I wondered if he ever thought to rewrite his book and give his vision on the world with the globalization of today. Could be interesting.

Today I didn't do anything yet. Thursday night I visited a wedding party... at 3 am I was in my bed. I drank much but controlled everything, the beer felt like water. I can't say I was drunk but I certainly was.
But okay, after 4 hours of sleep I woke up and went to work. Some of my department were invited and nobody who stayed till the end was at work. They all took a day of.
Okay not me, I didn't feel sick or what. Only I felt being on a ship in rough weather. At 4 pm the ship I felt I was aboard was on the middle of the ocean. I was time to go home.

I still go to read the paper of today, do some shopping and write some thought down.
So I expect another post today.

Well I read the paper yet. The front page opened today with an article about a Dutch bank which went bankrupt in 2005.
There is not much news here or it must certainly be the election campaign here.
The polls say that the opposition party PvdA is losing seats in the Dutch house of representatives, de Tweede Kamer. The ideas the party has are approved by the people but this does not reult in votes. That is very alarming for the party.

Troubles at work

I hate it when I see people using wrong arguments to accuse someone else at work.
Especially when it concerns me or a colleague and when authority, capability and power is involved.

Today my co-worker was on a collision course with the financial policymaker of our department. She has the opinion that she could drop some of her tasks on the desk of my co-worker. Now the something hasn't been done she went to the interim manager without talking about the matter with my co worker.
Today she and my colleague had a discussion with the interim. The result is that the policymaker dropped her case my co worker has not sufficient skills to fulfill his function!

That is unbelievable! She dropped tasks without telling how and what to do. Besides when she delegates tasks she always should keep control and definitely has responsibility no matter what.

This matter uses a lot of energy and is a dirty policy.
I know that she told me years ago that some people are not really qualified for their tasks and she doubt about my co worker to give him more tasks.
That doubt was 3 years ago and now she uses it as a stick a hurt. This is so mean!

newspaper cover Wednesday Nov 7: Dem's get a majority in the House of Representatives

Bush pays the price for Iraq.

It's like I hoped. A president should work together with the people, not only with whom elected him. After the last Presidential election it was clear that America was no longer united on all fronts. Every President, whoever that is, even the Dutch Minister President, should find the consensus.
The dynasty Bush had the chance to rule the US as an one party system. That is the worst thing of the last 6 years. There were no impulses from the inside for the system to change.

Rumsfeld (where is he pointing at? Finger pointing seems to be a bad habit.) for example just built up his empire. As long as the US is in Iraq in the way he likes to see it. His associates are doing business as usual.
A war? No, we're making profit, this is big business. Thanks to the Republic.

Of course nothing will change immediately but there is more pressure to change and the new policies can be blocked. The work hasn't been done.

The latest news I heard is that Rumsfeld will resign because of the criticism on his Iraq policy. Great news, finally Herr Rumsfeld will join Herr Flick.

Newspaper cover Tuesday: Gazastrip still occupied

It says enough, a picture of dozens of tanks after an military operation waiting near the kibbutz of Mefalsim.

And the US-election? Of course the dem's won. How will the economy respond on it? Because the US could be drifting on a mighty ocean without direction.
Now the ocean has the power.

Go-to-work, have a nice day!

Newspaper cover Monday; divided reaction on SH verdict

The West has a different view on what to do with the verdict in the lawsuit against Saddam Hussein. Europe is critical of the verdict and reacts not to execute.
The Netherlands however said (by the mouth of our mp) that justice has won, but the Netherlands the death penalty is something about which the Netherlands said that should not be.

We are in the midst of an election campaign so any word the mp says will be weighted. These words were qualified as disgraceful and opportunistic. Mr. Balkenende showed understanding for the verdict.

The opposition accused him "He creates the impression that revenge, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, is more important according to him than keeping the international legal order.

A cartoon in the paper.
One duck remarks "deathpenalty?"
The other asks "But what if he didn't do anything after all?

www.foksuk.nl

newspaper cover Saturday October 4: relief of spindoctors

Where are Dutch politics going to?

I ask this question because it has all to do with the cover of today's newspaper.
The spindoctors of the Social Democrats are relieved. The leader of the Labour party (PvdA) showed he can still debate after a bad radio debate a week earlier. He showed more effectiveness in a television debate between him and the minister-president of our country.

This was the first time in the multi party system of the Netherlands that the 2 biggest parties send their candidate to debate on television.
Politicians of other parties are less happy with this attenuation of politics.

A two party system? No of course not, the other parties are important too. Is it an election of a president? No, but if so then it's a silent revolution. The Netherlands is still a monarchy. (if you like it or not)

Luckily voters know that and they go for the content and not for who is going to be minister-president.

Voices in the right wing of the political spectrum ask for a two party system. I don't hear those voices on the left wing. The Dutch are to divided to bring the opinions together in two parties.
A reformation in the political structure is likely for example a treshold for parties (like in Germany to prevent small parties to enter the Bundestag), or a smaller The Hague Parliament. Even transformation to a district system like the British one is possible. These reforms will take a long time.