friedkitten.com - insanity included.

Statement : "Men don't break out the vacuum cleaner and tidy the place up unless they think it helps them score pussy."

Agree, Disagree? Discuss.

More importantly... does it work?

For those of you that have been hiding under a rock for the past couple of days, this entry is all about Kimberly who supposedly got tattooed with 56 stars instead of the three stars she requested. If that still doesn't ring a bell, click here for a ton of links, photographs and other fun.

Being tattooed myself (about 12h in total) - not in my face though - let me set some things straight :

I can't imagine anyone falling asleep during a tattoo session. There's needles poking ink in your skin at a rates of up to a 100 punctures per second. Some describe it as the worst pain ever, others compare it to being scratched by a cat. Everyone is different and yes, the pain does fade a bit as endorphins are released and your body gets accustomed by the sensation of the stinging, but when another section of your skin is being worked on, it starts all over again.

(Update : Kimberly now claims that she didn't fall asleep, but that she passed out, caused by the tattooist putting the needles too deep into the skin on her head. Right...)

You don't fall asleep, unless you're drunk or under the influence of drugs or whatever. Should that have been the case - seriously, I don't know - the tattooist as well as the customer deserve to get shot. Don't take permanent decisions whilst under the influence. Don't tattoo on people that are not within their mind (which includes people being unconscious). Not too hard, is it?

Now Laurette Onkelinx (PS) wants to change current tattoo law following a number of questions/suggestions posed by Katia della Faille (open VLD) :

* The size of the tattoo must be documented in the contract between the tattooist and client beforehand.
* All tattoos should be thought through during a one (or more) day period in which the client can change their mind.

Sure enough, these new proposals sound balanced and not too ridiculous, don't they?

I've never visited a tattoo artist to get some "off the wall" flash art tattooed into my skin, so what I'm describing here is how things usually go for a unique piece of art, also referred to as "custom" pieces.

The customer walks into the tattoo shop, usually with a very detailed idea about what they want, and where they want it. A long conversation with the artist follows in which a couple of things are verified : is the idea technically possible? As an artist, am I capable of doing it? Is the customer certain about their idea and placement? Does the design (in case one is brought in) fit the intended placement? Does it need alterations? Etc...

Most of the time, the artist has nothing but a couple of rough sketches to work with, descriptions and ideas, and that's when the real work starts : not by picking up a tattoo gun and going to work, but by drawing out the full piece on paper, often over the course of several days after which the customer is contacted to come in to take a look. This may very well happen a couple of times before everyone involved is satisfied.

Once the drawing is approved, it is transferred to the skin and last minute changes may be done to make sure the lines and images flow properly with the body structure. Only once all that is done, the actual tattooing can commence.

I've always found that I need a bond with my artist in order to be able to work with them - I don't just walk into a random shop or artist asking for this or that tattoo.

All that taken into account, the new proposed laws won't change much for those who have thought things through and are getting custom work done.

The "I'm-on-vacation-and-the-sun-is-out-and-that-tattoo-looks-so cool/cute/sexy/hardcore/badass" kind of people though will be affected. No more walking in and out 30 minutes or an hour later.

Laws don't prevent stupidity, believe me. If an idiot wants to get tattooed, they'll find a way. If they find out that they'll have to wait and come back a day or two later to get that tough "Taz" tattooed on their butt, they won't come back at all. They'll end up at a shady scratcher that works in the living room in conditions that are far from sterile and whom doesn't care about the law. The idiots will just end up with worse tattoos, which in itself is a good thing : it makes them easier to spot.

Maybe I should support those new tattoo laws after all?

With the elections past us, I'll be pointing out why some political parties got handed to them exactly what they deserved, why some didn't and my view on things. This is based on global trends, not withstanding that there may be very large discrepancies on a local level, and focus is on the Flemish part of the country. The situation in Wallonia is totally different.

CD&V : A clear winner in this election. People seem to fold back to what they've known for a zillion years and apparently where swayed by the "good government" slogan the party has been waving around. Replacing Yves Leterme with Kris Peeters has proven to be good marketing and diversion - people tend to forget quickly. Fortis anyone?

open VLD : Massive loss and not all that unexpected. If the people smell fraud or feel left out, rest assured that it will be dealt with swiftly in an election. Fortis stock sale anyone?

Vlaams Belang : Massive loss. Voters have left Vlaams Belang and flocked to N-VA and LDD, which could mean that their "Our Land, Our People" theme is not as strong as they'd have figured. I remain convinced that Belgium is a country that is open to new people, not matter where their origins lay. Internal bickering probably didn't help either.

LDD : Relatively new party, lead by big mouth Jean-Marie. Has been shouting and making bold statements all the time, but offered very little solutions. It's very easy to yell that something is wrong, but unless you actively work on a solution to fix it, shut up. People have seen right through the charade, and don't they make the 10% cut the party itself had hoped for.

N-VA : Relatively new party that scored very well. Probably attracted all the voters that are convinced that Flanders needs more liberty and independence, yet were not all that convinced by the other themes Vlaams Belang was shoving down their throat. Results of N-VA + CD&V are better compared to 2004 when they formed a cartel, which is rather strange.

SP.a : Pretty big losses and I don't really see a reason for it as of yet. The fact that they were in the current government probably dragged them down along with open VLD, yet CD&V managed to escape that same trap.

Groen! : Small loss at some levels, yet gain 2 seats in Parliament. Not even close to the 10% cut Mieke had hoped for. Their alternative "green economy" plan didn't rally the people as much as it could have. In times of uncertainty most people fold back, and only few push towards new horizons. Without the current financial and economic crisis, things might have been different.

SLP : New party, didn't make the 5% minimum anywhere. Since I don't know anything about their program and have been following politics in regards to this election, this could very well mean that they've got an issue with profiling themselves.

PVDA : Didn't make the 5% minimum, and was not included in most debates nor election overviews beforehand, while SLP was. Doesn't seem all too democratic to me - either you include all parties or you include none. Paying attention to just the same old established parties only enforces the brick wall new ideas and parties run into.

Something that was very obvious is that even though these were European and Flemish Parliament elections, people voted for people and not for programs! Take a look at how the results differ from region to region depending on whether or not a top politician lives in that city or region. I fear that this will only make the inclusion of local or regional "celebrities" more prevalent. It doesn't really matter anymore what it is you stand for, or what program you support, but how marketable you are. Poor Belgium, poor people, poor judgment.

I was thinking about writing a relatively long and complex post about a proposal launched today by Hugo Vandenberghe (CD&V) - look up his name and you'll probably turn up enough information about his proposal regarding bank management and taking decisions to make up your own mind - but after thinking it over, I've decided not to waste my time on it.

When politicians launch proposals such as this, they shouldn't wonder why they are seeing a huge drop in votes on election day.

Should Opel and Fiat merge, their first family car should be named "Opiate". Market it using the tag line "fun for everyone".

Things you shouldn't say in Holland right now : "I'll be buying myself a new Suzuki Swift, because I keep on missing my bus".

Rather tired, but while browsing the international section of The Pirate Party, I noticed this quote and found it very to the point :

"Authority questions you. Return the favor."

Feel free to discuss.

I just got back from the cinema where I saw "SM Rechter". For those unaware about the plot, the movie is based on a true story where a judge is convicted and stripped of all his rights and pension because he agreed to practice SM with his wife. She was the initiating party and asked him to perform these things on her. For the record, they are still living together and still very much in love, even though the judicial system chewed them up and spit them out for following their most intimate and private desires.

Doesn't it strike anyone as curious by the way that a search for the name Koen Aurrousseau or Magda De Herdt results in little to no information about the original case? Sure, back in the days internet wasn't used as much to blog or express opinions but I consider the case to be one of the most important in regards to invasion of privacy.

Anyway, the movie only makes my anger grow stronger, for how this couple has been treated, and for that reason I would like everyone to think really hard about a couple of things. I'm not even expecting feedback or a comment... the mere fact that you've given it a couple of minutes of your time is enough for now.

Question # 1 : Should laws exist to regulate all things in life, whether it is public, private or somewhere in between?

Question #2 : If these laws should exist, who would you consider capable to create those laws and where possible prosecute cases based upon them.

Question #3a : If a certain excess or an extreme case pops up, which is not yet covered by a law, would you want a law to be created in order to stop these excesses in the future?

Question #3b : Even if such a new law could also lead to prosecution of cases that are - for the time being - considered "acceptable" by a (silent) majority?

I think most of my readers already know what I think about the Aurrousseau case depicted in the movie, or how I feel about invasion of privacy and the continuing battle to safeguard the rights of the individual, free speech and free thinking. Anyway, I've left the answers to those same questions in a comment, so feel free to glance over them AFTER you've come up with your own :)

PS : If you come back from the movie and only recall seeing ropes, boobs and spanking, you've totally missed the point and I suggest you rent some bondage or SM movie that was created specifically to arouse you. The SM content is nothing but a clothespin that holds the much more prying and important underlying theme up : do we still have the right to decide about our own body for ourselves?

PS2 : not as unrelated as you may think in these days of digital imaging, video and communication - Surveillance Self-Defense (site created by EFF)

This will be a bit of a game related post, so if that doesn't interest you, skip it :)

I've just finished the Love is in the Air seasonal achievement in WoW, entitling me to carry the ServMe, Love Fool title proudly. In a matter of minutes I'll complete "To All the Squirrels I've Loved before" which probably won't get me a title but was fun to do anyway.

In Second Life - yeah I was still sort of active there as well, though at a very very low level - I've taken the final decision to sell the SoulManager sim off. In the rare case no buyer is found, I'll return it to Linden Lab and take a good USD350 bill off of my monthly cost.

Yeah, it has been fun even though I never got to run the sim break even, the friendship and residents I found there made it worth every cent. Since I had mentioned a potential sale to my residents - I like being open and honest - most of them decided to move out right away, for which I definitely don't blame them. However, losing the income only makes the monthly tier harder to carry myself, making the final sale decision easier.

Easier is only figuratively speaking though as I did shed a tear when I was talking to the last couple of residents and bringing up memories. It will not be the end of my SL life as such, but I doubt I'll ever get that involved in SL again. It's been a fun two years, but the time has come to finalize things and tie up loose ends.

Totally unrelated but worth a mention : my work jacket smells like woman, lol. Hot Chick wore it today as her jacket was borrowed by accident by another colleague and she needed to go out for some tasks and it was raining. I offered her mine and even though it was way to large for her, she accepted. Now it smells like her, which definitely is not a bad thing, grin.

A black woman visits her OBGYN and when she's in the stirrups getting an examination, the doctor says "yes, everything is fine", followed by "oh, I see it too now" a fraction later. Immediately, the black woman asks with a scared voice what is wrong, but the doctor doesn't reply. "I'll have to get my wife in so she can take a look too", he says. Feeling rather uncomfortable, the woman stays in the chair while the obgyn goes to get his wife.

They both return and the wife starts looking at the black woman's nether region and then says to her husband "See honey, I was right!". Now running rather scared, the patient once again demands to know what it is that's wrong. "Oh, nothing really", the doctor says. "It's just that we ordered a new black Porsche and we were thinking about getting the red leather seats and interior, and it has now become very clear that it is not such a good idea".

Today is what many people would describe as "an important day". In that regard, they are quite often referring to the - as this post is written, upcoming - inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th president of the United States of America on January 20th 2009.

However, let's not forget that the man has become more of a symbol then anything else. He personifies the change that can be achieved, but he can't do it alone. He'll be fighting against huge expectancies and will most likely fail just because of what people expect him to accomplish overnight.

Symbols and Icons are very powerful aids in accomplishing goals, but they are easily taken down and disregarded. A realistic point of view would be to see that Barack has accomplished something extraordinary, but if you want to see actual change for the better, now it is your turn to step up to the plate and give it your best shot too. Change is slow and steady process, which has to be supported by a mass, not something that happens at the flick of a switch or the snap of a finger.

I almost was about to end this entry with a seemingly mandatory "god" reference when it comes to speeches in the USA, but I'm not. I can think for myself, thank you.

I'd like to start off by clearly stating that I think the right to strike is a necessity, and not a privilege. With that out of the way, let's take a look at today's national strike in Belgium which is organized to put pressure onto employers and politicians to make sure the wages an average Joe and Jane make keep up with the ever increasing cost of living.

I left home at 6h45 and was back home at 09h00. I was planned to have a training session today, which fell through due to strikers denying access to the plant where I work. A quick calculation tells me that 2h and 15 minutes of travel would cost about 31 euro based on the average hourly rate I get paid. Then there is the cost of the trip itself which is - based on official rates - good for another 12 euro. Total cost : 43 euro.

We're not even taking into calculation the resources and trainers allocated for the training that fell through, not forgetting it will need to be rescheduled. As far as I can see, my net purchasing power has taken a dip due to the strike, opposed to being safeguarded.

If you think I have missed something essential here, feel free to let me know :)

The number of posts on this blog have been dwindling lately and though it seems that I no longer touch some of the more serious topics here, this doesn't mean that I no longer care or don't have an opinion about them. Let's take for instance the debate and commotion about the financial crisis, not only in the USA, but also in Europe.

While it may seem that it all started with the sub-prime bubble bursting in the US, I'm convinced that if you believe that, you are missing the whole underlying issue. Most - I'm no financial expert - European banks have not issued sub-prime mortgages, yet they did invest in institutions that did. Take away a certain amount of support beams from a building and it loses integrity and collapses. If you build your house on quicksand, should you be surprised that even after years of relative stability, suddenly cracks appear and minutes later the whole place tears apart?

What we see right now is not the result of the sub-prime market collapsing, but rather symptoms of a fundamentally flawed way of doing business. It's always about "more for less", extending credits for which there is no security, consumerism and meeting expectations.

The past week(s), both in the USA as well as in the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg) politics and central banks alike have been fabricating over the top plans to "save failing banks". Last time I checked, banks were companies that worked to earn cash, they are commercial entities. If you are willing to take risks, you should not come knocking on the door when things go wrong, but refuse interaction or sharing when you rake in the big bucks. You can't have all the benefits, but none of the potential risks.

Now, let it be clear that while I would most definitely support seeing one of the current players in this crisis fail, it would also have a serious impact on people that "assumed" their money was safe. If I deposit money into a bank - yes, I do that too - I get a return on it. That return is the payment for letting the bank use my resources to generate more for themselves, however, that also means that I carry at least a part of the risk involved of doing business. If there is no risk, there is no reward.

I guess that what I'm trying to say here is that even John Doe should think twice before accepting an offer, before signing up for yet another credit, or at least try to know what exactly he is investing in. If we all took a bit more responsibility for our actions and choices, there would be less need to clean up the mess later.

According to a recent demographic study, Australia is suffering from a shortage of men, and especially the coastal area's (cities) are affected. I always have been interested to visit that faraway country, why not consider moving there? (Link)

Who am I kidding - as if it would change anything, lol.

Director Stephen Sommers demanded actress and overall hottie Sienna Miller to use bra padding while playing her role in the yet to be released GI Joe movie. According to Stephen the role required a woman with a full chest (read "big boobs") in order to be portrayed as "hot". Well, have I got news for you, Stephen Sommers : there is no direct correlation between breast size and hotness.

Luckily for you, there is also no direct correlation between brain size and taste (or the lack there of). Anyway, I'd like everyone to let Sienna know that she is totally hot and that I like her breasts the way they are! She wasn't mentioned in my FMH Top 10 without reason...

As I was quickly skipping over a ton of spam messages - I know I'll be flooded by the time I get back - one caught my eye : "Mariah Carey wants to have your kids".

I know better then to actually open or click around spam mails, but if the topic were true : "where and when baby?" That is assuming she hints at the actual act of making babies, not trying to steal kids (I don't have).

Lol, writing blog posts at six in the morning is always a bit of a challenge and I'm probably too tired to make much sense. But still, if Mariah asked, I wouldn't mind trying a couple of times; grin.

I just called my site supervisor to verify whether he managed to change two shifts for me, giving me an extra two days of holiday, and much to my surprise, he told me he did. But let me start from the beginning :

On Tuesday, he came to me to see if I could work nights on the weekend of the 10th and 11th instead of a late shift. I explained to him that while I was not opposed to it, it would cut into my planned holiday, starting the 12th, and as I already had few days of leave, that would only complicate things further. So I proposed to him to cover those two nights for him, providing he'd find a way to cover my night shifts of the 19th and the 20th, which would give me an extra 2 days off.

He's happy, I'm happy, so that's all good I suppose. Of to Joco's now and they we're off to actually book the damn holiday, lol.

For those who have been wondering about the question "who’d be my 2 favorite “fuck” choices according to you", the answer is quite difficult. Joco suggested Cameron Diaz and Rihanna, while Nadia picked Sienna Miller and Jessica Biel. I think my top choice however would be Halle Berry, and any of the others would be a still very enjoyable second fuck.

Cameron is totally hot in reality, but really doesn't look all that good on the picture used in the Top 100. Halle looks stunning anywhere and anytime if you ask me and Jessica is the hot girl next door, but her boobs are too big. Though I must admit they fit her frame nicely and look all natural. Sienna looks like a classy lady in the photograph and Rihanna in her leather (or is it latex) suit could get even a dead man hot I guess. Rachel Stevens looks like the perfect girlfriend but Vanessa Hudgens and Holly Valance win me over with their smile and twinkle in their eyes.

All things considered, I think my top two would be Halle and Sienna.

Note : The flight and hotel have been booked, and I've left a pointer as to where we're going in this post.

It's been a long and busy day, but in the end everything nicely fell in place. I'll sleep like a baby though (unfortunately, that doesn't mean I get to suck on nipples all night long, lol).

Fitna - the (controversial) movie about the Islam by Geert Wilders has been released and can be viewed on liveleak.com. I'll be providig a direct link to the english version as well as a link to liveleak using the coral content distribution network, which would save them some bandwidth : Liveleak through CDN. If the latter works, please use that link.

If anyone wants to leave a comment that I'm promoting hate or anger from or towards certain social, religious or racial groups, feel free to do so. I am an avid supporter of free speech, and also support it when a message I don't agree with is being sent. I haven't seen the movie yet, so can't comment on it. If I find the time to actually watch it and write something about it, you'll be able to read it here.

Note : I also think that anything and everything should be allowed to become the subject of humor, even if it could be considered offensive to some. Feeling offended by something that is being said, written or depicted means you take yourself or your ideas too serious anyway. People don't make (good) jokes about things they don't understand, or at least have thought about. Humor can be subtle, in your face or extreme. Even if it seemingly makes fun of your beliefs, consider it a form of flattery. If your beliefs were unimportant, no one would bother making jokes about it.

I'm not an American resident, nor do I have a vote in US elections, but if I had, I'd lean very much to the side of this man : Barack Obama. I've been reading both the programs and ideas of Hillary, as well as Barack and think the latter would be the best choice overall. Now, let it be clear that both candidates make a lot of promises and that - as with every politician - it remains to be seen how much of their program they will remember when they are elected, but as that issue is equally present for all candidates, that doesn't influence the equation at all.

Apart from the fact that I think the current political system in the US lacks a lot - I think everyone should get up, register and vote. Not because I tell you to do so, but because you should realize that it is your future you can help shape.

Barack Obama '08

Normally when my alarm clock goes off, I jump out of bed and am awake - not so today. I turned around, listened to at least one more song on the radio and then just knew that if I didn't push myself to get out of bed right that moment, I'd fall asleep again and miss work. Not that I'd terrible care about that, but I'm looking forward to Wednesday when I'll be making a 12 hour switch in my sleeping pattern and go from early shifts to graveyard shifts.

Today is election day over here, so this afternoon I'll probably be watching TV, sucking in all the results. For some strange reason I love seeing the results flow in, see who did well where, and how the party leaders react to these figures. Unfortunately, I can't go vote myself today due to work, but Joco has kindly agreed to go cast a vote for me, and I trust him with it. Yeah, I'm strange like that as well : most people think of voting as a pain in the ass, but I even took the necessary steps to make sure that I actually can have my voice heard instead of just using my get-out-of-voting-duty-free card.

When I consulted a vet when I adopted Tai, she said he was a European Shorthair. I think she may be wrong, I'm quite convinced he's an Australian Vegetarian Tiger instead. How else do you explain him catching and chasing kiwi's through the house? I had put some kiwi's on the counter to let them ripen and I could understand him checking them out and throwing one to the ground while being a bit overly enthusiastic. But two? Nah... only the Australian Vegetarian Tiger does that :)

Too bad the rentawife.be site is nothing but advertising. It that kind of spoof site I could have come up with, or a service I could use. Sure, I admit it's quite disrespectful, but it could be so much fun at the same time ;-)

Question from a journalist : "Did you know the woman very well?"
Answer from random interviewee : "Oh yes, I knew her very well. I often saw her in the street. Her kids went to the same school as mine."

Excuse me, but seeing someone in the street doesn't fit the definition of "knowing someone very well" if you ask me. I wonder why some people don't realize they're making a fool of themselves, nor why the journalist doesn't realize that no story is better than a story that doesn't make any sense, or contains no facts at all.

I suppose I'm asking for too much...

The Airport Security Game

Maybe fretting over the problems to be with my ADSL connection is pointless when one realizes that some people still don't get it : Bush Administration Plans to Bring Back Nuclear Testing.

Which reminds me that I still have to finish reading "The Bomb : A Life" by Gerard DeGroot that focuses on the race towards nuclear arms and their development, and the scientific as well as political evolution that lead to these weapons or were caused by them.

Then again, maybe not all is lost : Sunswift III: Fuelless Transport - Exhibit A. If that was too extreme or "not practical in everyday use" (to which I agree, but the development will trigger new applications), maybe Venturi Eclectic: Fuelless Transport - Exhibit B is more acceptable?

But, is everybody with it yet? Apple has toxic core: Greenpeace. Steve Jobbs reposted during the slideshow presentation of the new Apple iPhone : (the lobby group should) "get out of the computer business [and] go save some whales". I believe the ongoing GP campaigns towards Apple must be hurting, otherwise I can't think of any "good" reason to come up with a tasteless comment as the one Jobbs made above.

This story may not seem quite interesting to any of you (Mitchell Wal-Mart employees upset bomb threat didn't lead to evacuation) but I suggest you read Bruce Schneier's comments on the story here : Wal-Mart stays open during bomb scare.

Who gets to make the decisions about what threats are serious and how to react to them? Can management disregard the recommendations of police officers and not evacuate? Is it acceptable that if it goes wrong, management can externalize the cost of the damage? Would it help that if management decides to go against the recommendation of government agencies, and certain damage occurs, that management has to absorb these costs?

I assume there will be little to no feedback on this issue from most of my readers, but I urge you to think about it, because it'll affect you sooner or later.

Can anyone explain to me what is incomprehensible, offensive or inappropriate about this site? I decided to sponsor the Levenslijn actie by sending an SMS message to a special number, and in return my message would appear on the Boerentoren in Antwerp.

Great - or so I thought at first - way to help out and promote the site at the same time. So, I entered the message www.friedkitten.be and sent it off. Notice the .be extension that I used, to make sure the "message" would be more localized and fitting to the audience.

The "screener" which according to the rules published on the site is an independent person, didn't approve my message. They gladly accepted my money though!

I can't help it but feel a little ripped off by this whole thing. Maybe I shouldn't have tried to get something out of it apart from just the knowledge that my text message/money could help others, but that's not how things like this work for me. I'm perfectly fine doing things for free for people I love and care about, but when it comes to multi million euro non profit organizations, I expect something in return. No more sponsoring Levenslijn for me, that's for sure.

I'm getting more and more pissed off at recent decisions made by our current government. Today it was announced that in order to close a 600 million euro gap in the budget for 2006, they are considering selling 62 public buildings, which then will be leased back from the new owners. Especially since the whole operation needs to be completed before December 29th, the potential new owners are getting a superb deal as there will be no margin to solicit higher bids.

In short and normal words : "How do we replace a medium financial hole in 2006 with a huge financial gap in 2007 till the end of time?" Very mature and solid political thinking.

Now, I wonder how can we do something about it? Any ideas?

Marisa (lawyer, muse, blogger, superwoman, cauliflower and columnist) recently said she loved the My Puss video by Margaret Cho. I just watched it and indeed it is good. Watch and Love!

PS : My Puss is a tribute video to Mickey Avalon, who created the My Dick video.

For those of you that don't know what this is all about, allow me to explain. A couple of weeks ago, a new "bank" appeared in Belgium, promoting itself as a subsidiary of a large financial group that wished to remain incognito for the time being. Ace Bank is transparent and goes for high profit margins, by investing in the defense sector, in corporations that heavily rely on low wage labor, ...

Customers were offered the choice to reap the profits of these investments, check out their website at www.ace-bank.eu.

Watch the Ace Bank documentary here : Ace Bank Movie.

Note : Ace Bank doesn't exist. Or does it? Is your bank an Ace Bank without you realizing it? Ace Bank documentary and concept by Netwerk Vlaanderen.

Don't hold it against me, but as I was watching Beauty and the Nerd, I really wondered where they found the contestants. Allow me to give some examples of questions posed in the elimination contest.

Where can you find the bikini line on a female body? Possible answers : around the shoulders, around the chest, around the groin. The nerd answers : "the chest". No score :)

On a car with a manual transmission, which pedal is used to brake? Possible answers : The right, the middle or the left pedal. The Beauty answers : "the right". Crash! No score.

By all means, if these two would mate, you'd get average looking dumb offspring, grin.

I can understand not knowing everything about everything, but these questions ain't hard. They're common knowledge - as far as I know. Maybe I'm just not nerdy nor beautiful enough :)

It's been a while since I wrote about politics, hasn't it? Lately I covered quite some technical subjects, I wrote about my crazy cat, my broken car and my lack of a love life. All pretty boring, so why not revive a topic that's been off the blog for too long? With the upcomming election in Belgium - tomorrow - I thought it was a good opportunity to take a look at all parties and decide who I'll be voting for. It's not as if I have no clue yet, but the details ain't set in stone.

First of all, tomorrow I have to work. Which is a perfectly legal reason not to vote, I even have a letter from my employer stating that I'll be working on sunday and am thus exempt from casting my vote. Belgian citizens are obligated to vote, it's madatory. Unless you find a way out of it, that is. That's the way most people see it, but I disagree. I don't have the obligation to vote, I have the right to do so. I can express my choice in the votingbooth, I have a "democratic" voice in the ruling of Belgium. I'm a small nut or bolt in the complete and complex mechanism that makes things work - or not work - in this tiny country of ours. And I'm glad to be part of it.

So, even though I have a way out, I'll do everything possible tomorrow to go and cast my vote. It's not an obligation, it's my right.

Let's take a look at the options and parties :

For the district I can choose between VLD - Vivant, sp.a - spirit - groen!, Vlaams Belang/VLOTT, CD&V/N-VA and PVDA+. VLD - Vivant have no topics or ideas that attract me, so I probably won't be voting for them. Vlaams Belang and VLOTT are the right wing extremists whom never have actually "ruled" and play the underdog because "the majority is denying 30% of the voters their right to participate". Whether or not the "Cordon Sanitaire" is a good thing or an instrument of the devil remains to be seen, but they certainly won't be getting my vote.

PVDA+ is located quite far left on the political scale, and I know little of their ideas and programs. Dirk Van Duppen is a local doctor and candidate for PVDA+, and I've read one of his books, which was very interesting. Interesting enough to give my vote to them, I don't know. Probably not.

Which leads me to sp.a - spirit - groen!,a tri-party setup, that looks promising. I've voted sp.a in the past, I have also voted groen! in the past, which makes 2 out of three. Not bad an option. Quite likely to get my vote.

CD&V/N-VA has become the hype of the town, with Yves Leterme scoring well in polls. But is their program strong enough to convince me? Maybe, maybe not.

Does it come to anyones surprise that I'll probably be voting left'ish? Who will you be voting for?

I'm about to write a post containing quite some negative feelings, so for those of you looking for the positive things in life, skip this entry.

When sellers on ebay promise a shipping in 1 to 2 days, I expect to see my goods show up in under a week. When I buy something on sunday evening, and pay the same day (using PayPal), I'd say the seller should ship on tuesday at the latest. Adding 2 more days for delivery, the objects should arrive friday, possibly monday. When I contacted the seller, he said the courrier had picked everything up, and delivery was to happen on tuesday (9 days after my purchase). Today is wednesday and I've yet to see the first delivery arrive. I mailed them again today, so far without reply... It does piss me off, can you believe that? I dislike it even more when suddenly this very active seller has no more objects for sale on ebay, something is fishy here!

Cats that tend to want attention all the time piss me off as well - so Tai, this one is for you - if I'm home for a day I'd like to do things I enjoy and while cuddling with you is one of the things I like, I don't feel like petting you 24 hours a day. Get the picture already and go the fuck to sleep and leave me alone. Warning : Playing with and in your waterbowl is not an acceptable replacement activity for sleeping!

The first episode of the new Tragger Hippy season was funny, but not nearly as funny as before. I can usually see the plot from a mile away, which makes some jokes plain boring. Too bad.

If people only know me and mail me because they have computer problems, I tend to get pissed off as well. Let's take D. for instance. I've been to her place a few times, fixing both the computer she and her husband use, as well as the kids machines. All for free. Last time I charged them, but only a fraction of the real cost. She mailed me again last week, asking if I could come over to fix yet again a problem. I replied with what I thought was the problem, and how she could fix it. If she still wanted me to come over, I would charge a certain amount of money.

She never replied, not even to say the problem was fixed using my solution offered by mail and for free. It's weird how you don't mean shit if they don't need you and when they do, they don't want to give anything up in exchange for the time and effort you spend solving their issues. I really have to get more firm with users and abusers to weed out the crap. Seems D. won't be requiring my services anymore :)

It may be me that's weird, but I found this quote rather funny :

"It's supposed to smell like a cunt, not a fucking rain forest!" (unknown female)

And, I'll throw in a joke as well (blatantly ripped from someone else, of course).

A woman and her boyfriend are out having a few drinks. While they're sitting there having a good time together she starts talking about this really great new drink. The more she talks about it, the more excited she gets, and starts trying to talk her boyfriend into having one. After a while he gives in and lets her order the drink for him. The bartender brings the drink and puts the following on the bar -- A saltshaker, a shot of Baileys, and a shot of lime juice.

The boyfriend looks at the items quizzically and the woman explains. "First you put a bit of the salt on your tongue, next you drink the shot of Baileys and hold it in your mouth,and finally you drink the lime juice." So, the boyfriend, trying to go along and please her, goes for it.

He puts the salt on his tongue, salty but OK. He drinks the shot of Baileys - smooth, rich, cool, very pleasant. He thinks - this is OK. Finally he picks up the lime juice and drinks it....

In one second the sharp lime taste hits...

At two seconds the Baileys curdles....

At three seconds the salty curdled bitter taste hits.

This triggers his gag reflex but being manly, and not wanting to disappoint his girlfriend, he swallows the now nasty drink.

When he finally chokes it down he turns to his girlfriend,and says, "Jesus, what do you call that drink?"

She smiles widely at him and says, "Blow Job Revenge".

"We are apalled and disgusted that 72 hours before the cease fire between Israël and Lebanon, 90% of the attacks with cluster bombs occurred."

"All the weapons we use 'are legal under international law, and their use conforms with international standards.'", Israeli Army states.

Tons of countries produce cluster bombs (PDF File), but the USA is the world's largest manufacturer. There are international standards for the use of these devices, hence there seems to be a standard and agreed upon regulation on how to kill people using a device that knows a 30% failure rate.

Don't come claiming to be disgusted that these devices are used, when you don't ban the production of them! Some sources state that right now, Belgium is the only country to have issued a ban on the use (carrying), transportation, export, stockpiling, trade and production of cluster munitions, yet there are some companies active in Belgium that produce cluster munitions according to a study conducted by some NGO's. Especially Forges de Zeebrugge, a subsidiary of Thompon Dasa Armaments (TDA), is mentioned in this regard. TDA is a joint venture between Thales and EADS GmbH. I'll leave it up to you to dig up more info...

As I was reading Vixen - The Daily Dildo I stumbled upon a reference to Jack's Raging Mommy, who asks "Do You SWOP?". If you have no idea about the meaning of the acronym, go read the entry. It'll be bloody obvious in a matter of seconds. If you feel less adventurous and wish to know beforehand what you're getting into, hover here : SWOP. Then again, if you first hoovered here, you probably don't SWOP :)

I usually don't SWOP, as there are tons of other possibilities, but I have no moral objections against it. Never say never and all that, you know?

Although the heatwave is over in Belgium for now, I'm glad The Mighty Geek shares tips on how to deal with it. Go read his advice : What I Do During A Heat Wave.

Enjoy!

I'll have to teach Tai how to perform a drop kick onto the mailman from the third floor. I haven't been out till 11h30, yet I find a note in my mailbox that an attemped was made to drop off a package but that no one was home. I think the belgian postal services use very bizarre methods to determine if anyone is home. Let's compare my method and theirs, shall we?

Mine : "Ring bell, wait for reaction. No reaction, ring again. Wait. No reaction? Leave."
Belgian Postal Service : "Sneak up to mailbox, drop card using stealth, run away."

I can understand they can't wait around forever to see if anyone is home, but you have to admit that it's mighty convenient to have customers come pick up their parcels instead of delivering them again. I could fill out the card, send it to the post office and request a second attempt to deliver it and then camp near the mailbox, but for some reason or another, I don't really feel that's the way it's supposed to be.

I'll go pick it up tomorrow, I've got to head into town for new photographs anyway. My ID is up for renewal, and I'll be getting one of those nifty electronic ones. Maybe I should try to hack it to see how smart it really is, or find a way to lift information on it that is not supposed to be accessible by everyone. Makes you wonder why they'd try to safeguard data on it in the first place...

Lebanon firing missiles at Israel, Israel moving troops, bombing airfields. Soldiers being ambushed, civilians dying. Is it all worth it?

I really don't see what any of the parties involved have to gain from this conflict? A moral victory while survivors are cleaning up the rubbish and dead people are being burried, in both countries. Accepting the beliefs and ideas of others is so simple a thing to do, even if you don't agree. Apparently, talking takes more effort than pushing a button and ordering people around as if it were toy soldiers. Crazy!

As you may notice, I don't take a stance in this matter, I don't decide who's right and who's wrong. Who should win and who should back off. My time is too precious to waste on trivial things like this. Yes, I just wrote that a war between two countries is trivial, at least it is to me. It probably is not to the people involved in the conflict, that is for sure. I'd rather focus myself on doing what I believe is good for me and those around me. I can't change what happens 3000 kilometers away, but I can certainly put my own circle of influence to use.

I was inside the bank, checking some accounts and statements when I suddenly noticed my neighbor walking by. Well, walking maybe ain't the correct word for his uncontrolled movements, stumbling would describe it better. Surely enough he had been on a drinking trip and was now trying to find his way back home. Which is not really that hard considering the distance from his favorite pub to his place is less than a kilometer, but if your legs decide to walk left, your body leans back and your brain - or what's left of it - yells "bollocks!" even a hundred meters suddenly become a real olympic challenge.

Needless to say, I kept an eye out for him while I was finishing my business, and then started walking about 10 meters behind him. Not because I was scared he'd trip over and fall - hell I couldn't care less - but exactly because I was hoping he'd trip over and fall. It's not like drunks know what hit them anyway, and the bruises and cuts, they can deal with the day after. Unfortunately for me and luckily for him, he made it home in one piece though he barely missed some streetlights I must say. I got into the elevator after he had already gone up and was out of sight, and I was greeted by a nice mixed odour of sweat, booze and cigarettes.

Yeah, not really nice of me to write all this, is it? But hey... I've got a real problem with drunken people, does it show?

While once again lots of people are blaming violent videogames for recent events in some major cities, I think it is too simple a statement. People do what they feel like, they decide for themselves and while some environments - as for instance portraied in videogames - can make belief some actions are acceptable, there is a huge difference between a videogame and the real world.

If videogames can alter the state of mind of some people, so can (kick)boxing, auto racing, pistol shooting and other extreme or violent sports. Does anyone suggest banning football matches from TV? Hooligans are not the nicest of people, I'd say.

I don't think it's wise to ban everything that may or not may affect people, instead we should teach people that there is a place and time for everything.

While you're down there, shine my shoes...

Yepz, I played too much DefJam fight for NY ;)

I don't know if anyone has really been following the Ayaan Hirsi Ali story as it unfolded in the Dutch press the past few days, but I think it all makes perfect sense. Let's see what has been happening so far. In 1992, Ayaan Hirsi Ali requests and is granted asylum in The Netherlands. She claims to have fled Somalia, where at the time a civil war was going on. She is granted asylum and gets the Dutch nationality as well. After studying politics, in 2003 she is elected. Her first political party is the socialist "Partij van de Arbeid" (PvdA), which she leaves later on to join the liberal party "VVD".

So far so good, wouldn't you say? It's the success story everyone is looking for : a young woman escapes the war, builds a life of her own in another country and she lands a high profile job thanks to all her hard work.

However, the story is slightly different. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is not her real name, Ayaan Hirsi Magan is her birthname. She didn't flee from the civil war in Somalia when requesting refuge in Holland, but she was in fact living in Germany for a short while and before Germany, she lived in peaceful Kenia for 12 years. "I made up a story that would get me the necessary asylum and papers", Hirsi admits now. The fact that she wasn't born in 1969 but in 1967 is just another simple bump in the road.

Now that shit is literally hitting the fan, Ali decides not to wait for heaven to come down on her, but rather "flee" to America where she'll have a job waiting for her, working for the AEI in Washington, a conservative think tank that advises - amongst others - president Bush.

Am I surprised to see a woman go from liberal to conservative, (ab)using every rule and opportunity possible to benefit herself, join a conservative advisory group? Not really. Nor am I surprised to see AEI accept these kind of people...

Principal bars Coral Springs student from singing anti-Bush song at talent show. (link found through TalkLeft)

A small Dutch article about it can be found here : Lied tegen Bush geweerd van talentenjacht op basisschool (source : GVA)

Things like this always make me wonder... what's next?

Freya Van den Bossche (sp.a) today gave a speech where she announced that the energy bill for people should be lower, and the difference should be paid by the energy producing sector. One company in particular was mentioned - Electrabel - which really suprises me. Sure enough she may just have wanted to make an easy statement, singling out one company to make it more understandable, but I think that results in quite the opposite effect. Apart from such a communication fluke, the idea itself is pretty insane - instead of taking hard(er) path to a long term solution, once again politicians opt for the short term ideas that will get them votes in the upcoming elections (october 06).

There are two ways to lower energy bill for consumers :
- force companies to charge less and thus lower their profits (and possibly investments in the long run)
- make consumers aware of ways to save energy, thus lowering their energy bill

I think we should first follow option 2 before looking at option 1, even if companies sometimes make an insane amount of profit. Companies have a legal obligation towards their stockholders to maximize profits, no matter what, as long as it makes economic sense.

This is entry number 2550, and because the last one was rather serious, I'm opting for something a little less challenging today : BloodRayne, featuring Kristanna Loken (Worn like a Tattoo, Terminator 3, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek Voyager, ...) and Michelle Rodriguez (Lost, Fast and the Furious, SWAT, Girlfight, ...). There are probably other actors involved as well, but they ain't as hooooot ;)

Yummy.

Talk to and play with the ladies : De Ultieme Fantasie & Temptation Island

I may write a long entry about the whole day - which turned out awsome - later on, but for now I want to focus on the last 4 hours or so. When we got back home, we had cheese and coffee and started talking amongst each other. Over the course of the evening - and night - people started leaving for home until it was just 5 people left. Two couples : B&H and N&H and one single : me.

We did some mental ping pong, verbal tennis... If you don't know what that is, it is very simple. It's not really a game, but rather lots of wits flying around, making fun, throwing verbal punches and receiving some as well. There is no scoreboard, but there is loads of fun to be had.

How does it happen? One just throws a topic in the group and then sees who runs with it. It's a bit like running with scissors : fun and exciting, but potentially dangerous. Every topic is a start, a chance to score and outwit the others, but also a potential danger as your wits bounce back and slap you in the face. I love it...

However, you can't play this with everyone. You need people you know, you are comfortable with and who play on the same level. If you play fast and the others just don't get it or are constantly outwitted, there is no match, no fun. It's punch, dodge, score, duck. Give and take.

Hans is relatively new in the family and I know we can be a bit intimidating sometimes, especially when goes at it full force, but he really stood his ground. There are lots of things he hasn't picked up yet, but that is quite normal : only if you play it a lot, you get to like it and get better at it. So, Hans... keep it up, you're doing great. Just don't keep digging your own grave when you're in deep already. Allow us to do that for you ;)

PS : friedkitten is now also reachable through www.friedkitten.eu!

A fine selection of idiots around the world in the news today :

- Former South-African deputy president Jacob Zuma, currently on trial in Johannesburg for rape, declared that he "took a shower after having unprotected sex with a HIV-positive woman to lower the risk of infection". I wonder what it takes to become president in South-Africa? Showering does not lower the risk of HIV infection after having unprotected sex, let that be clear. Furthermore, Zuma is a former president of the South-African National Aids Council, which makes one expect he knows something about aids and hiv, doesn't it? Apparently not. I guess he wasn't thinking straight. If he doesn't get convicted for rape, he should at least get convicted for being a fool, and for setting the wrong example. Update on May 3rd by "Nyx" : outcome of the trial is expected May 8th 2006.

- On tuesday afternoon, a 41 year old male was electrocuted in a transformation station in Charleroi (Belgium). An accident you may say, but not really. He was probably trying to steal cables in a live transformation station, to which he forced entry using a screwdriver and a crowbar. He probably saw the light, although very briefly. His connection was cut for sure :)

Lol, helpdesking over the phone is so much fun. My dad just called me to see if I could figure out why his mail stopped working. He could still surf the web, so the link itself wasn't totally dead. We quickly went over some account details, but it all checked out, yet no connection to the mail server.

A telnet session to the server failed as well, even though I had no problem connecting to it, coming from an IP address that doesn't even belong to the provider my dad uses. When I asked more questions as "what caused your mail connection from failing" and "did you change anything lately" the answer I got at least gave me a clue : oh yeah, I used some tune-up utility to get rid of old crap and make my machine faster.

I told him to have the program undo whatever it fucked up and then try the telnet connection again. There is little point in reinstalling his mailprogram if even a basic function like telnet ain't able to get a connection. His next computer comes with only webmail, I joked ;)

I just finished watching a very interesting documentary about spiders, narrated by David Attenborough and titled "The Silk Spinners", part of the "Life in the Undergrowth" series made in 2005. I was totally fascinated I must admit and I think even people that have a serious dislike for these extraordinary animals would find it interesting.

Yesterday we had a meeting with all the people living in our apartment block and one of the things on the agenda was the fact that a couple renting on the first floor has been stationing an electric wheelchair in the hallway. Apparently they had asked the owners of the apartments on the ground level, but no one else was informed or asked if they minded. They also contacted the person appointed by all the owners, and he replied that he'd put in on the agenda on the yearly meeting, which was yesterday. On the one hand the couple claim the wheelchair is a necessity for her mobility, yet hardly any of the neighbors recall it being used more than once or twice a month. I for instance only noticed them using the chair twice last year, most of the time they walk to the car and leave.

Yesterday I also found out that some of the other neighbors have been having quite some problems with the couple, and they claim the man is quite disrespectful and rude. I for one cannot confirm this as the few times I've run into them, they were friendly and so was I. Needless to say, the bad blood between various parties involved did have an effect onto the vote whether or not the electric wheelchair could or could not remain stationed in the hallway. After votes were cast, I believe 5 people voted against, 1 in favor (the father/owner of the apartment the couple lives in) and 3 abstained.

I was one of the people that voted against, because while I do support mobility for disabled people, I also believe a better solution can and should be looked for. As far as I see it, the chair has been sitting there for a year, is hardly used and was stationed there without consulting everyone involved. Due to the decision of the owners, the couple has 2 months now to find a solution which I do find quite reasonable.

When I came into the hallway today, someone had taped a paper to the chair reading "these are my legs!", so I can only assume the couple did. I find it quite distasteful to see them try and weigh on our consience by playing the "poor disabled" game. Yesterday a decision was made, and they'll have to respect it or fight it using legal means. If they had asked everyone in advance, or slipped a note in the mailboxes explaining, it probably wouldn't have gotten to this. Now, no matter what argument they bring up, people will object.

Editors of newspapers are being fired because they published cartoons and pictures mocking religious leaders. I find this quite disturbing, and with "this" I mean the fact that they're fired, not the fact that the images are being published. I believe everyone has a right to think and express their opinion, and as such those opposed to seeing these images published also have a right to protest. However, being opposed to something doesn't give you the right to threaten anyone.

This time the cartoons are about the islam, but in the past pictures of the pope have been published, and if tomorrow another religion or person is "cartoonized" there are two ways to go about it : laugh with it and show that you're beyond being insulted by a stupid cartoon, or go bezerk and try forcing your opinion onto others. Guess which is the smart thing to do? Guess how you can show the world you are mature and able to accept criticism or humor.

And the strangest thing about this riot is that the first pictures were published in september last year, and only now people are going all postal over it. The more someone opposes something, the less others may be tempted to comply with the opinions in question.

I just caught "2013 : La fin du pétrole" on Canvas in Lichtpunt. It's a french documentary made by Stéphane Meunier, focussing on what happens when in 2013 attacks are carried out on several oil delivery and production facilities simultaniously, and how it impacts the availability of transport, food and medicins to name only a few things.

Very interesting documentary, though I cannot say whether or not it was sensationalized or just showing the real future. Because, even without any attacks, sooner rather than later the last drop will be spent.

Osama says : "withdraw from Iraq, or you'll be attacked in your own country again.' Bush replies : "we do not negotiate with terrorists." My opinion? Osama wins anyway, since now Bush can't withdraw troops from Iraq, because that'll make him and his cohorts look weak. If the USA is attacked again, Osama will claim they had every chance to avoid it.

2006 cleary is an election year in Belgium, coz there are tons of promises and improvements being suggested. Since Belgium has a shortage of homes for the elderly, suddenly with some financial technics there is enough money to have 53 new homes built, because grants will not be paid in full right away, but instead spread out over 20 years. Which is as much as saying "look, we had 53 new homes built and an additional 900 beds available, but others will have to pay for it for the next 19 years". Sounds like a very solid financial plan to me.

In a couple of minutes I should leave to go pick up Olivier and then we'll head off to the Autosalon. The weather sucks bigtime though, and with my windshieldwipers still not fixed - appointement tomorrow, remember - I'd rather just stay home. Furthermore I forced myself to read and reply to a bunch of mails, while I wasn't really feeling in the mood for it.

Sometimes I'd just like to say "fuck off, world. fuck off, everyone, leave me alone" but ten minutes later I feel better and then it becomes "go away". Which is much more gentle if you ask me. Luckily most of the time I'm still thinking positive and open to suggestions, even if at times I don't seem to care much. Which is probably true at the time.

Ah well, ups and downs - something for everyone.

Now, fuck off, I'm gonne grab something to eat and then I'm out of here.

According to a recent study, the size of the breast of Flemish women keeps increasing. Where 15 years ago a 75B was an average cupsize, this has now increased to a 75C, due to a changed eating pattern and up to 5% of women having their breasts enlarged. To put that into perspective, roughly 1 in twenty women that you come across in your daily life sports a couple CC of silicons - or should that be "sillycones" ?

I for one am not a fan of this since I'm an avid lover of a set of small breasts, but on the other hand I do encourage people to do what makes them feel better and if women feel better after having their breasts lifted, enlarged, reshaped or downsized I can only be happy for them.

As long as the world ain't full of nothing but women with a DD cup, that is :)

Women are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Most men don’t want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they just take the rotten apples from the ground that aren’t as good, but easy. The apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they’re amazing. They just have to wait for the right man to come along, the one who’s brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

Now Men… Men are like a fine wine. They begin as grapes, and it’s up to women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

So, I believe the tip here is - learn to climb trees without falling down too much.

I ran into Marisa online today and she wanted to grab some pictures, but was stopped by some erm... technical limitations. I offered to take a look at the setup and see if I could help out, and somehow I managed to put my brain into the correct gear to "crack the code". Looking at it in hindsight, it is fairly simple once you know where to look, but I suppose it's the same with all things : they're easy once you know how they work.

Anyway, she thinks I'm a genius, and is urging women to - how did she put it? - "Go get him anyway!!". Suits me fine :)

I was watching some TV - or rather had it playing in the background as I was working on the laptop - and suddenly I heard this computervoice reading x-mas wishes that people were sending in. The funny thing is that a computerprogram has a hard time interpreting what is being written, and just reads whatever is written down. It gets totally hilarious when a voice program for Dutch starts reading English and French texts, and short texts such as grtz and tnx are included.

I decided to check if a little ad disguised as new years wishes would be filtered out, so I sent in my message as well... Now I'm just curious to see if it appears. They claim to filter out "inappropriate" messages, but I doubt mine fits that label. I just hope they don't filter out URL's too.

Two bored casino dealers are waiting at the craps table. A very attractive blonde woman arrives and bets $20,000 on a single roll of the dice.

She says, "I hope you don't mind, but I feel much luckier when I'm completely nude."

With that, she strips from the neck down, rolls the dice and yells, "Come on, baby, Mama needs some new clothes!"

As the dice come to a stop she jumps up and down and squeals... "YES! YES! I WON, I WON!"

She hugs each of the dealers and then picks up her winnings and her clothes and quickly departs.

The dealers stare at each other dumbfounded. Finally, one of them asks, "What did she roll?"

The other answers, "I don't know - I thought you were watching."

MORAL: Not all blondes are dumb, but all men are men.

According to a Belgian judge, one can no longer sell, broadcast or listen to the song "Frozen" (of the album Ray of Light) by Madonna because it was plagiarised from a Belgian composer. My first reaction? Where's my legally purchased copy of the CD?!

As I write this entry, Frozen is blasting through the speakers and I'm sure the neighbours can hear it as well. Does this make me guilty of fencing off stolen goods? Being the quickwitted geek that I am, here are some alternative lyrics to Madonna's Frozen, to reflect the new situation :

You only hear what the judge says you hear
How can notes be similar and near
It's stolen
When those notes ain't paid for

You're so consumed with how much you reep
You waste our time with hate and much greed
You're broken
When her wallet doesn't open

[Chorus:]

Mmmmmm, if I could melt your CD
Mmmmmm, we'd never agree
Mmmmmm, now give money to me
Mmmmmm, the judge holds the key

Now there's no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose this
My album will be broken

Music's a bird, it needs to fly
Let all the agony inside of you die
The public gets frozen
Their ears can't be open

[chorus]
[verse]
[chorus, repeat]

If I could plea my case to you

LAWYER : "On the morning of July 25th, you went from your farm to the duck pond by foot?"
WITNESS : "Yes."
LAWYER : " So, you passed by the shelter at only a couple of feet distance?"
WITNESS : "Yes."
LAWYER : "Did you notice anything unusual?"
WITNESS : "Yes."
LAWYER : "Good. Can you tell the court what you saw?"
WITNESS : "I saw George"
LAWYER : "You saw George, the defendant in this trial?"
WITNESS : "Yes."
LAWYER : "Could you tell the court what George was doing?"
WITNESS : "Yes."
LAWYER : "Well, please tell us?"
WITNESS : "He had his thing in one of the ducks."
LAWYER : "His 'thing'?"
WITNESS : "You know, his... I mean his penis."
LAWYER : "You went by the duck shelter, there was ample light, you were sober, you've got good eyesight, and you clearly saw what you just described to us?"
WITNESS : "Yes."
LAWYER : "Did you say anything to George?"
WITNESS : "I did."
LAWYER : "What did you say to him?"
WITNESS : "Hi George."

Yesterday, I was over at my friends place and he's got a little bit of a problem walking. At one point he asks me "Hey, could you please go upstairs and fetch my slippers, my feet are getting cold."

Being the good person I am, I go upstairs and enter a room where I notice his two sexy daughters, aged 27 and 29. I immediately forget why I'm there and say to those two babes "Your dad has sent me upstairs to fuck you both silly."

"Yeah, right!" they answer me at the same time.

"What, you don't believe me? Allow me to prove it!" I reply and while standing in the doorway, I yell down to my friend "You want me to get them both?"

To which my friend answers "Of course!"

The package that I just picked up had been held hostage by customs. Yes, hostage is the correct word here, what else do you call a fee of €8.68 on a networth of €45? Only a few weeks ago I accepted a shipment worth over USD400, and the fee there was €9.90, which is acceptable - everyone has to eat, don't they?

I really wonder what would happen if I made claims at the European Council that these taxes present an obstacle for the free flow of goods and services in the EU? Well, I have to admit that in this case, it wouldn't fly because the seller lives in Canada and last time I checked, the canadians weren't part of the EU. Maybe they should consider it though, it's not like they have much to gain from being allied with the US.

To make long stories short(er) : I've now got issue 45 and 46 of the deceased PFIQ magazine in my possession. Issue 47 was purchased earlier, and I may get my hands on other issues as well some day.

Oh, my complaint dating from October 5th concerning spam from B-----P------- NV has been accepted by the Federal Public Service Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy. Hopefully that'll teach B-----P------- NV from spamming people. Updates as I get them.

Today was like my cock : long, hard and slightly twisted. Modesty was never my strongest point, does it show?

Ah well... I got my schedule for next month and while it's pure evil, I can live with it. It's not too bad when taking a quick glance and I'll be putting in quite some hours which means good pay. It'll be up soon - probably today.

Today is Joco's birthday so I gave him a call around 12:50 or so and after a few rings Eef picked up the phone. I said hi and asked if I woke them up and the answer was "erm, not exactly", after which she passed me Joco. I said hi and happy birthday matey, and then told him to go on doing well... Eef. Grin. I'm evil like that.

I've got an instinct for knowing when to to call them, or rather, when not to call them ;)

Just got a call from Ingrid, seems she got off at the wrong exit and is now parked somewhere in Ekeren. I gave her directions to the highway and what exit she has to take and she should arrive in about 30 minutes I think.

(Eddie and Richie are out in the woods sleeping in a tent when a thunderstorm bursts out and Eddie wakes up and panics)

Eddie : "Where the bloody hell am I?"
Richie : "Calm down, you're in a tent."
Richie : "Eddie, I think there's something outside."
Eddie : "Yeah."
Eddie : "There's bound to be something outside, Richie."
Eddie : "You can't expect the universe in it's entire contents to be contained within the confines of a small canvas tent."

Does anyone else find this incredibly funny? There must be others out there that enjoy Bottom as much as I do, right?

Some people want to sell goods internationally, online, yet fail to accept online payments. That's something I just don't get. If you want to be serious and sell online, do it properly : I don't want to have to to leave my house to complete any part of our transaction. If I felt like doing some old-fashioned shopping, I'd drive over to a local shop and browse for what I needed there, pay and come back home. I think that takes too long and involves too much crap.

Because "schokomadel" refuses to accept online payments, I'll have to wake up during opening hours of my bank, go there, stand in line and get the person behind the desk fill out a bunch of papers to transfer a mere €12 to an account somewhere in Germany. My time alone is worth more than that.

Note to self : avoid online sellers that ain't "with it".

Je kent ze wel, want je bent ze ontgetwijfeld al eens tegengekomen : in Spanje, Ibiza of dichter bij huis, in Metropolis bij voorbeeld. Meestal in groep, maar zelfs alleen hebben ze het grootste bakkes en denken ze dat de wereld van hen is. Jaja, de hollanders zijn weer in aantocht. Deze week werd er een grote uittocht gehouden, via de Kennedytunnel, richting Belgische Kust. En als je zo met je hele gezinnetje, de schoonfamilie, nonkel Jaap en tante Trees op reis gaat met je aftandse roestbak, dan moet je gewoon een sleurhut meenemen, anders kan je immers je wc-papier, zwembandjes en liters bier - nou ja, bier? - niet kwijt. Het is immers niet de bedoeling dat je de economie van een vreemde mogendheid spekt, weet je wel? Soit, dat alles even terzijde gelaten...

Sinds maart van dit jaar zijn er werken aan de gang op de Antwerpse ring. Iedereen weet dat, er zijn talloze campagnes gevoerd zowel in binnen- als buitenland. En toch denken alle keeskoppen dat die werken voor hen niet tellen. Lekker effe met de hele bende aanschuiven aan de ring, met de sleurhut tussen paaltjes manoevreren die eigenlijk net iets te dicht bij elkaar blijken te staan, en dan met een slakkegang door een tunnel met versmalde rijstroken waar nog maar eens blijkt dat je sleurhut toch breder is dan 2 meter. Jaja, straffe jongens, die kezen!

The Belgian Chamber has taken first steps towards approving a bill concerning the right of gay parents to adopting children. The only thing changed in the previous bill was the striking of three words : "of different sexe".

Yes, it's as simple as that and I really don't understand why anyone would consider same-sexe partners to be less fit to adopt and raise children as "traditional" parents. Apparently a few political parties still differentiate based on sexe : Vlaams Belang (no surpise there), cdH and CD&V. They wanted to keep "of different sexe" in and then regulate the situation for same-sexe parents in another way.

This is such a non-issue that I wonder why so much time spent discussing these things over and over? Either you're fit to be a parent and raise a child, or you're not. My opinion? Stop looking for problems that don't exist and stop wasting valuable time. End of discussion.

The new computersystem - Phenix - being used by the Justice departement is a total waste : insecure, incomplete and not userfriendly. That is the conclusion reached today in a first report auditing the system that was supposed to be live and functioning in 2003. My advice : ask Group 4 Falck (oops, that should be Group 4 Securicor now) about introducing new computer systems next time. They know all about it! My opinion? Think and evaluate before, during and after. Stop wasting our money on things that don't work.

You know what I just realized, much to my relief? That real idiots will selfdestruct over time, thus solving the problem. The only question that remains is how long it'll take - if possible I'd prefer they die before they manage to reproduce.

Excerpt from a diary entry to prove my point (unedited) :

PArty.. with the white bacardi, and the mickey's of CC...
I*heart*liqour!!!

It's my poison.

The half of the night went nuts1!!

Everyone I mean everyone was doing KAY, and Coke... And everyone was WASTED!

When I noticed that Elia was doing an IPO, I immediately signed up for some of their stock. I used bank A to do so. The IPO was a superb success, in such that the demand was 10 times higher as the offered stock. This of course results in less stock being awarded to buyers. I got 15% of what I intended to buy :(

Had I known in advance - or did my homework better maybe? - I would have gotten 50% instead of 15%, simply because then I would have asked bank B to perform the buy for me. Anyway, today was the first day the stock was available for sale on the stockmarket and upon introduction it rose close to 5% (which is a good think). Water under the bridge I guess... I'll have to pay closer attention next time when purchasing IPO stock!

Note : Covenant's "Dead Stars" Live Version totally rocks!

Time to react once again to various actual news tidbits - some international, some national.

"After France, also The Netherlands now say NO to European Constitution" + "Belgians would vote YES to European Constitution"

I don't really know what all the fuzz is about. To be honest, I have no clue myself what exactly is in the proposed European Constitution, and I believe that I'm far from the exception. Do you know? In detail? What I find rather irritating though, is that two countries had a popular vote - where the people decide instead of politicians - and when the results turned out the wrong way, everyone is scrambling to see if they can find a way around it.

Either you let the people decide and then accept their vote, or you do as the Belgian governement did and decide that you don't care about what the population thinks and do what the governement thinks is best. Hence, the title "Belgians would vote YES" is totally irrelevant since we will not be allowed to speak out anyway.

Would I vote yes or no? I don't have a clue, because as I said, I don't know what the proposal entails. However, would we be asked to cast a voe, I'd try to get as much information about it upfront, and would probably vote yes. I think that a stronger Europe will be more beneficial in the end, and one European currency is only one of the benefits we already have. Are there disadvantages and is there much work to be done in/on the European idea? Yes, certainly. Can it be done? I think so.

"On January 1st 2007 smoking will be prohibited in restaurants. Pubs and bars are excluded from this new rule."

What's the point here people? Do you want to increase the air quality and lower health risks for people, or don't you? Don't start by drafting a new law, and then excluding 75% or so of all establishments. Just think for yourself : how many times a month do you go to a restaurant? How many times do you end up in a pub/bar? Will this new law really change anything? I really doubt it. One of our politicians tried to defend the exclusion of bars and pubs like this : "there is still a too thight relation between alcohol, a good atmosphere and tobacco in Belgium, therefore we can not force a no smoking law in bars and pubs yet".

How about this, mister politician : "air is still polluted and filled with stench and fumes in bars and pubs wherever you go. This is a good reason for me to stay home and not spend any money at these establishments, thus not improving the economy". If a total ban can be established in Sweden (which became effective June 1st 2005), why can't we get it done?

I'm eager to see what happens on January 1st, 2006 - when all workplaces should be smoke free. Lots of employers started enforcing the new rules already, yet lots of smokers just give everyone a huge "fuck you" and light one up anyway, especially if they think no one sees it. This could be an interesting period to come, especially at my place of work. What about the rights of smokers? What about my right to breathe freely?

What goes through the minds of drivers that do a hit and run? I really wonder, but it almost seems as if it has become a new sport in Belgium. Yet in most cases the drivers are apprehended only days later, if it takes that long. Don't they realize that running after an accident just proves immaturity, a total lack of responsability and respect?

Even if you were drunk, or have something else to hide, do you really think fleeing helps your case? I'd say it certainly doesn't, but hey... what can you expect from someone dumb enough to drink and drive anyway (the same goes for people under the influence of drugs, medications or whatever...)? I think I'll have to drag my ass into politics and propose a new law :

If you are involved in an accident and flee the scene - and don't give me that crap reason "I panicked and didn't know what to do" - your license is automatically revoked for 90 days. After you pass an exam, you can regain your license. If you get into an accident while under the influence, and run, you'll be a pedestrian for at least a year, no exceptions. Maybe that'll teach people to think twice before doing stupid shit and endangering others.

As I've got nothing terribly interesting to say today, I leave you some things that really fit friedkitten.com : Two public service announcements and a game ;)

Save that kitten - or don't (Game)

Remember... if you ain't seen it here, it ain't real!

Lol, I know spammers don't care where their spam ends up, but this one is really not meant for me I think :

Are you Christian? Are you Single? We have the solution for you! At "nameremoved", you can meet like-minded Christians that are also single! This isn't an ONLINE dating site full of fake profiles! These are REAL PEOPLE just like you. Click the link below and meet someone REAL today!

http://link.removed

This service is only for Christian Singles, so you are sure to meet others who have the same perspective on life as you do, visit us today.

http://link.removed

Are you tired of sifting through thousands of profile and NOT finding anyone who meets your standards? We are absolute Romance Professionals! Let us solve your problem! We guarantee to find your PERFECT match.

http://link.removed

Don't delay, your perfect match is only ONE click away!

http://link.removed

Besides the fact that I don't believe in anything but myself and that I dislike religious nutcases with a passion, they are clearly targetting their spam at a computer challenged (not to say illiterate) audience. Why else would they include 4 links? Afraid they didn't "get" it the first time?

Appropriate song to go with this post : The Cocky Sticks - I'm a catholic girl of course I suck

Now, in that case...

I think it's about time I reacted to some of the current or recent headlines in the news. Where possible, I'll link to the article in question that I'm reacting on, so everyone can decide for themselves who is right or wrong.

Bush can visit Holland without fear of being arrested

Apparently a group of concerned Dutchies had filed a complaint with the courts to have George W. Bush either denied access to the country, or have him arrested for multiple violations of the Geneve Convention. The court ruled that the visit was a political matter and should only be decided upon by politics, rather than courts or citizens. Which just proves the fact that when one brakes the rules on a grand scale, one makes history, instead of committing crimes. Kill one person, go to jail. Kill a thousand, or bend (and break) regulations/conventions as you see fit : Hail our Leader!

Finally they managed to reach an agreement as to which conservative idiot would be an appropriate sequel to the recently deceased old fart.
At least they managed to replace an old (dead) pope with an 78 year old new pope. Things are moving in the right direction, would you say? Only 25 pontificates or so and they may have a pope under the age of 50, with hopefully some realistic visions, although that may be asking too much.

Now can we please get on with our lives without getting Pope shoved in our face all the time? Sheesh!

I still haven't accomplished anything of todays to-do list up to this point, but I'll go out shopping for food in a few minutes. First I want to gripe a bit about alternative telecom providers - not so much about their rates or existence, but rather about their fucked up marketing efforts.

Today, I was called on my landline twice. Once by Tele2, and once by CityCall Belgium. I told both of them to piss off, although I suspect they'll call back in a matter of weeks. I've had it with them - and others - calling me to push their products in my face (or ear in this case). If I'm interested in your stuff, I'll get in touch with you, not the other way round.

I just mailed CityCall and requested a complete removal from their marketing, mailing, prospect or whatever other lists they have. I tried doing the same with Tele2, but of course they don't list an e-mail address, only an online webform powered by some (shady) company based in Luxembourg. Nevertheless, I mailed to an address I hope exists and am now waiting for a reply. I doubt I'd get one from either of these companies but if push comes to shove, they'll know soon enough who they're dealing with. I don't like being harassed, nor do I like being forced to react in ways more difficult as needed.

CityCall and Tele2 : you've been warned. And this extends to all other directmarketing companies as well.

Note : Yes, I'm aware of something called The Robinson List, although I find it a bit too drastic a measure because some companies fuck up. I did however just submitted my personalia and phonenumber to the Robinson Phonelist in order to have some piece and quiet in my personal time again.

Oh, and here's some - thanks to Broomhilda for the link - disturbing but funny Lemming Gymnastics (Click the Live and Let Die II link).

Update 2005-04-07 : CityCall Belgium conveniently returned a "message displayed return receipt" and I even got a confirmation of Tele2 that my request would be forwarded to the correct department. I'm curious :)

Once again, it's time to react to some recent developments and events that made the (local) news. First I'll give a quick outline of what happened, followed by my view on it.

17 year old boy is released (for lack of space in specialized youth institutions) after raping a 12 year old girl, while having a prior "conviction" for armed robbery.

That armed robbery conviction was about a week old when he commited rape on a 12 year old girl. The judge was forced to release him after the armed robbery and this week again - after the rape - because there is not enough place in special institutions that deal with juvenile delinquents. I'm sure that's the solution... release them back on the street. If you're "man enough" to pull off armed robbery and rape, you shouldn't mind being tried and locked up as the adult you think you are. Case closed.

Pope calls for ban on Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code.

Ain't it wonderful how the first words he publicly speaks after his recent operation, are the same crap as before? Can someone please explain to me - or rather to him - how banning a book (or video or content of whatever kind) actually accomplishes anything? It's not because someone asks not to look or read certain things, that the work itself disappears, or the problem is solved. Neglecting things never worked as far as I know, even though it might seem so at first. You're only fooling yourself. It would be much better if the Pope would tell people to read the book and then form their own opinion about it. But I guess that leaves the odd chance that people might actually disagree with him.

Dear mister Engineer,

I certainly hope to never ever run into you anytime soon, for you will be severly punished, beaten, tortured and mutilated. Why you might wonder? Because in your infinite wisdom you decided for it to be a great idea to reduce the Antwerp ringway from 5 lanes to are miserable two, which consequently lead to me wasting two hours and fortyfive minutes to get home. A drive of about 25 miles that usually takes me 30 to 35 minutes, max.

Would you like me to bill you for two hours and ten minutes? I guess you just enjoy seeing cars get stuck in massive traffic jams, don't you? Well, one thing could plead for you though : you sheduled the maintenance outside peak hours when it comes to traffic. I'm glad to be home at 00:45 (yes that's AM for you non-24h folks) instead of 22h35 PM, and finally being able to eat something. My deepfrosted pizza is in the oven right now, and as soon as I muched it down, I'll head off to bed. After all, I have to work again tomorrow - wait, today I mean - at 14h00 and no one knows what you'll have up your sleeve for us today, right?!

Please rename BAM to a more appropriate name. May I suggest AMM?

No explenation needed I suppose :)

I just received the new Electrabel Energiek magazine in my snail mail box, and after reading their "Electrabel Green" section online, I must admit they've outdone themselves. The amount of advertising, marketing and pressure they are currently throwing at it is quite impressive, but that is just about it. I think they jump on the ecological bandwagon because it sells, period.

They present themselves as the biggest supplier of green energy in Belgium, yet in 2004 Electrabel Green Products Flanders (EGPF) sold 4 of their waterpowered powerstations, because "these small scale waterpower stations don't fit our production" to Ecopower. I don't have current production figures for these stations, but the waterpower station of Rotselaar alone produces close to 500.000 kWh/year, good to cover the energy need of about a 150 families.

I can accept that it may economically be not too interesting to keep those stations running, but then please don't shout that you're doing whatever one can do, for the good of the environment. I welcome everything that takes off pressure and gives the environment a break, even the smallest break, yet I do have quite some distrust when it comes to their "Green Power" marketing campaign. Especially because it'll lead to people thinking that Electrabel is the only/best/biggest producer of green energy in Belgium, while there are lots of alternative small scale solutions, often better suited to ones needs and much more responsible when it comes to green energy production.

Ah well... capitalism and marketing at it's best I suppose. Which reminds me : is anyone going to Batibouw this year? Maybe we can hook up and all go together?

As you might have noticed, the president of the United States will be visiting Belgium starting tomorrow, for three days. He's scheduled to leave on wednesday, after having met with various "important people" (my choice of words, not his).

At least three different protests are planned to show him that his politics don't fly here, and that most people would like to see him take a less egocentric path, and take into consideration that there is more to this world than just the USA and it's policies.

According to a recent article in GVA - one of the major newspapers in Belgium - at least 2500 policemen will be dispatched to keep the thousands of protesters away from Bush and NATO as wells as EU headquarters. I think the way politicians and governements handle protests says a lot about their democratic values, doesn't it?

Shelter those who can make a difference on the highest level from every kind of protest and different opinions, and you're doing well... or so it seems. To me it seems those are the tactics of chickens, running. If you are certain about your policies and open to criticism, one doesn't run nor does one keep protesters confined to guarded areas far away from the actual summits. Sooner or later some people will decide they've had it with all those limitations and sneak through, break through or take up different forms of protest, possibly less peaceful. Remember the saying : back a dog into a corner and he'll bite. Democracy is nothing different and as soon as a critical mass is reached, changes cannot be stopped anymore. In the best case one can try to guide them, gently.

I'm working on sunday, monday and tuesday, but I might head off to Brussels on tuesday afternoon, depending on what info I can find in regard to protests going on.

Links : www.bushwanted.org - www.stopusa.be - Greenpeace Belgium

It's "love everyone around you and spend lots of cash or you won't be the true lover" day again. Go forth and replicate, multiplicate, procrastinate or whatever you feel like, just don't irritate me with your fuzzy feelings.

Yes, I know I'm not rational or objective about it. Yes, I know I'm probably just frustrated and jealous. So, what's your point?

update : I'm usually a shiny happy people person, but today I don't feel like it. My ISP seems to be having mailserver problems (again) so even the constant stream of spam has been diminished to just a drop. When I opened the snailmail box, there were three letters and a bunch of advertising in it, and two of those letters ain't even for me. Why the mailman always picks out my mailbox to drop off everything he doesn't know where to deliver remains a question though. It also makes me wonder where *my* mail ends up on a bad day...

Letter number 3 was for me, and once again contained proof that my employer seems unable to add 1 and 1 and get 2 as a result. In short : they fucked up the hours I worked again. I'm getting used to it though, but I must say that they got my hours of December 2004 correct, and it only took 1 recalculation. Joy Joy.

Off to grab something to eat and then off to work. Be back in a couple of hours.

I just got home after helping Nadia move between places. It all went pretty well, but I've got one thing to say. It's not wise pissing off people when they've just spent 5 hours on their (rare) free weekend helping you out. Honestly, I came *this* close to just saying "Fuck it bitch. If you know and can do it all better, what am I doing here? I'm off.", but the situation was slightly defused after I decided to let it rest and we were pretty much finished anyway.

Whether or not I was right, or you were right doesn't even matter - it was up to you to just say something like "oh, yes that might be it, I'll just call someone and have them take a look at it, don't worry about it". You don't start arguing with people that go out of their way to help you, and you certainly don't snap at them.

That's it, it's off my chest now and I don't need or even expect an apology. It just bothered me for a while but is forgotten now.

After Prince Harry (UK) wore a "nazi symbol" to a party, European Commissioner Franco Frattini (Justice departement) is considering a ban on all nazi related symbols in EU.

The symbol they're referring to here is of course the Swastika. Let it be clear that in ancient times, the Swastika was a symbol of life, luck, and was widely accepted by many cultures. Since the Nazis adopted this symbol, it is often viewed as a symbol of oppression, hatred and violence - exactly the opposite of it's original meaning.

Therefore I am convinced that banning the Swastika would be a very foolish thing to do. It would be much better to educate people about the positive meaning of the symbol and thus have us all reclaim what was stolen from humanity by the Nazis.

Links : ManWoman - The Gentle Swastika (book)

Songs I think would be quite appropriate for a Tsunami Relief CD. If you know of even more fitting tracks, please let me know so I can add them.

R.E.M - Nightswimming
Clouseau - Nat Van Binnen
Andre Hazes - Een beetje vermist
Bobby Darin - Splish Splash
ABBA - SOS
Alphaville - Big in Phuket
FriedKitten - The tide is High
Beastie Boys - Sneakin' out of the hospital
Kevin Costner - Waterworld
Caviar - Where's my Tangerine Speedo?
Ome Henk - Opblaas Krokodil
The Beach Boys - Wind Surfin'
Dead Can Dance - The flood that shakes the barley
The Clash - Flood the Casbah
Elton John - I'm still standing
Fiddler on the Beach - If I were a rich man
Lionel Ritchie - Dancing on the Ceiling
Murray Head - One night in Bangkok
Peter Koelewijn - Kom van dat dak af
Queen - Who wants to live forever
Scooter - How much is the fish?
Smoke City - Underwater Love
The Clinic - Deep Water
Thompson Twins - Doctor! Doctor!
U2 - Walk to the water
Vader Abraham - 't kleine cafee aan de haven

Note : It's a frigging joke people! Get a life...

Nadine has written quite a post about the recent Tsunami disaster (in Dutch only), but she covered the aid gathering and funding even better. I have to agree with her that the amount of pressure put in individuals or governments is immense. If you don't "give, help, send aid, or donate" you're basically not a human being, heartless and evil. As we all remember, peer pressure is one of the hardest things to fight and stand up against as a teenager or twen, yet that same technique is now used worldwide.

I fought peer pressure and made my own decisions when I was growing up, and I'm doing it again. I agree that the disaster that happened was a catastrophy, that lots and lots of lives have been lost and several countries are in shambles, homes destroyed, public services disrupted and chaos everywhere. Will I be donating money to relief the pain? Will I be sending food or medicins to fight hunger or diseases? No, I won't.

Some of you might not be surpised when they read this, other may conclude that I'm a heartless bastard that should suffer immensly myself in order to "understand" what these people have to go through. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I will respect whatever comment you may or may not leave here.

I prefer aiding people and thus humanity on a long term. Sure long term aid will not solve the problems posed today, but it'll prevent those of the future, or at least make tackling them easier. Most aid is just a bandage, to stop the bleeding, but it doesn't cure the patient. It just barely keeps them alive, makes the images more acceptable for mass consumption and takes care of our guilty feeling. Think about it, admit it : this disaster is mediatized, sold, resold and used as a carrier to sell products, all in the name of aid.

Do you hear about the hundreds of victims in other countries - either dying each day because of famine, diseases or wars? No, because their story is too hard to compact, exploit and sell. Thus their market value is less than a spectacular event such as a tsunami and the destruction it caused.

I pick where to give, what to give and how much to fund. And those of you thinking that I'm all talk and no action are free to mail me (e-mail address is available on this page) and I'll tell them what I've done in the past, how my investements are spread out and why. Just make sure you can back up your own choices before one criticizes the choices others make.

In other news : Six Apart aquires LiveJournal

After reading this article in the newspaper today (dutch only), I have to say that I don't agree at all with the conclusion made at the end of the article.

It's not speed that killed him. His own sheer stupidity did.

Gamesindustry.biz and subsequently The Register report that New Zealand has banned the game Postal 2 - produced by RwS - from being sold in the country. In fact, if you (already) own a copy of the game, you'd be in violation and could be fined NZD2000.

Similar things happened in Australia when they banned Manhunt.

Let me be clear about something : I've played Postal 2, and yes it's gory, violent and freaky, but at the same time it's incredibly funny, sarcastic and makes fun of everyone and everything. I guess it just takes education and openmindedness to see beyond the shallow violence and enjoy the finer puns in the game. Yes, RwS mocks the Middle East, but they mock Catholics as well, and all Tree Huggers are served a round of the same. If you can't see that humor is nothing personal, but just an enlargement of the differences that make each and everyone of us unique, I pity you.

Why is everyone up in arms about all of this? If it ain't your thing, don't buy it. Please stop forcing your "noble" mindset onto others, for you may not truely realize what a beast you've unleashed until it turns against you. The most sickening part of this all is not the fact that these games exist, but the fact that more and more similar behaviour is appearing worldwide. Conservative members in the USA are planning a giant campaign against pornography and China is coming down hard on adult entertainers and site owners as well.

If porn ain't your thing, don't look at it. Your kick might be my sick and vice versa. I don't go running around telling people they can't go to church, that they can't do drugs, or can't love someone of the same gender. None of the above examples interests me in particular, but I'm not offended if others make a choice to practice any of them. Their choice personal of freedom doesn't infringe my personal freedom and therefore I have no right whatsoever to get involved in their personal freedoms.

While it is true that personal freedoms often interfere with each other, please don't go looking for problems and intereferences that ain't there.

I suggest you watch The People VS Larry Flynt - I did, once again last night - and think it all over.

Recent events - such as the killing of Theo Van Gogh in Holland - as well as older events - Pim Fortuyn for instance - got me thinking. Has anyone ever given any thought to the fact that referring to terrorists as (for instance) muslim terrorists, or in the Cold War period talking about Commies doesn't solve a thing?

The only thing it accomplishes - if you ask me - is to make sure that even those who are not involved in any "illegal" activities (of course always depending on what side you're on) are tossed into the same corner as those who think violence and armed resistance will result in a solution. Imagine being called "insert derogative description here" for extended periods of time, while you as a single person have got nothing to do with it. You are a victim of generalization and thus will sooner or later take a them-vs-us stance, willingly or not.

No one stands up to prolonged exposure of such behaviour and that is exactly what more extreme forces in any culture or movement feed on. That's the tiny spark they need to convince otherwise very sane and realistic people to join their "cause".

Don't you think it would be better to just talk about terrorists instead? It may only be a very small change, but the step from it towards the generalization of a complete religion, race or group is less likely to happen. I think fear has proven to be a bad advisor, yet it is a very powerful emotion that is (too) easily exploited by others.

Well, the more I think about it, the less I recall what my point was. This is just a confused post by a confused mind I suppose, although somewhere hidden deep inside, a valuable point has to reside. If you spot it, let me know...

I came across the image when reading comments on Cy's blog entry WTF'04 about the elections. Jeanette Winterson's November post touches the same subject, so if you're tired of this election stuff already, skip it. I promise to include something else in this entry, especially for you.

Something else.

I feel utter disappointement in those who really think that getting Bush re-elected was a wise move. If you are one of them, may God be with you, because that is exactly what you'll have to rely on in the next decades. Don't expect the rest of the world to stick out its hand and help. Flipping everyone the finger can hardly be seen as constructive conversation, and while we tend to forgive and move on to more important things in life, we don't forget. We really hoped you would have learned something from the past 4 years. Apparently you didn't. Will it take another 9/11?

Four more years. Let those letters do the talking :

Fear mongering
oppression
unilateralism
religious zealots

media concerns
oil
rabid
environment

yokel
egocentrism
attacks
revenge
stop!

From this day on - and until the current administration is terminated - I will refer to America as USE instead of USA.

Note : I am fully aware of the fact that a fair portion of Americans actually know their stuff, they are not pleased with the outcome of this election either, nor are they looking forward to the future. These people are probably looking into emigrating from the USE as we speak, and I can't blame them. However, even whilst being an informed and open minded American, it won't be easy the next decade, as a majority of ignorant fools just made it harder for everyone.

I'm sure most of you have either read or noticed that the "official George W Bush" website is not accessible to non-US or Canadian people. Yes, that is correct : Georgey and his team have deliberately chosen to exclude everyone but American and Canadian visitors. Sure, there are ways to avoid the filtering, in fact simply using an american proxy will allow you to bypass the ban, but what is the point of it all?

Do you really trust a president who considers himself the "Leader of the Free World", yet gives the rest of the world population the finger? If that's the way it's gonna be, we all know what's gonna happen when he gets re-elected, don't we? Me, me, me, us, us us. Or should that be I, I, I, US, US, US?

If you're non US or Canadian, try reaching the George W Bush official site. If it fails, simply use this IP address instead (I wonder how long it'll take before they close that loophole) : http://65.172.163.222.

If you want to have a laugh instead, read GeorgeWBush.org

These jokes are probably not policitally correct, but neither am I. If you think you might be offended, don't read them.

Son to his daddy : "Dad, what's a transvestite?"
Dad : "An intelligent woman."

A huge Moroccan bloke, athletically build, reaching a height close to 2m, weighing in at just under a 120 kilo, is sitting in his favorite pub when suddenly a gay man enters the pub.

The gay dude - in awe about the phantastic looks and sun burned appearance of Jamal - sits himself next to him and orders a Bailey's.

After a couple of minutes he gathers all his courage, scrapes his throat and whispers in the ear of Jamal : "would you like me to give you a blowjob?"

Jamal reacts in a split second and punches the gay right in the face, throwing him of his stool and flat onto the ground. Our Moroccan stands up, and kicks the gay bloke out of the pub, as if he were taking penalties.

Once outside him kicks his ass even more so the gay man is left for dead next to the garbage container. Finally regaining his composure, Jamal re-enters the pub and sits back down in his favorite spot.

Then the pubowner says : "Damn, Jamal, I've never seen you so mad before! What did that gay dude say to you to make you go beserk like that?"

To which Jamal answers : "I don't think I totally understood, but it was something in regard to getting a job."

Found this at another blog and considered it funny enough to post here. I've italicised (is that even a proper word?) those that I found real beauties.

We always hear "the rules" from the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules!

Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing", we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or monster trucks.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round is a shape.

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

I think I've gotta use some as taglines in my outgoing mails... Oh, and just so you ladies understand : We know we often act like little kids. We're perfectly fine with it.

I doubt most of my readers care about it, but I really think they should, at least if freedom of speech and free news collection and journalism means anything to you.

What am I talking about? The seizure of two indymedia servers on wednesday morning when Rackspace (one of indymedia's hosting providers) was served with a subpoena. Apparently, the court order originated from governement sources in Italy as well as Switzerland, but as of now, Indymedia still has not been informed why the servers were taken down, nor has it any clue what the charges are. With the two servers gone, at least 20 local indymedia sites have been silenced, amongst others all Belgian indymedia sites, all of France, Poland, Portugal, part of Germany etc.

What disturbs me most is the fact that Rackspace is not allowed to disclose information about it all, they only stated "In the present matter regarding Indymedia, Rackspace Managed Hosting, a U.S. based company with offices in London, is acting in compliance with a court order pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which establishes procedures for countries to assist each other in investigations such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering. Rackspace responded to a Commissioner's subpoena, duly issued under Title 28, United States Code, Section 1782 in an investigation that did not arise in the United States. Rackspace is acting as a good corporate citizen and is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities. The court prohibits Rackspace from commenting further on this matter.". (Taken from the indymedia site)

Actually, when I started a LiveChat session with a Rackspace employee, and asked about the URL for the press release in regard to the indymedia servers, his answer was "I'm a sales person, I'm not aware of our press releases." When I inquired further as to who'd I have to talk to then, I was promptly served with a Page not Found error in the LiveChat window. How convenient.

Does this make sense to anyone? When did anyone lose the freedom to tell others what is being done to them? When did we give that up? If I'm ever being served with whatever lawsuit, intimidation or threats imaginable, I won't back down and shut up, since that's just what they want. If no one knows about it, how can anyone back you up, support you or even discuss the case?

If it it me getting old and grumpy, or just them being total fools? Or the combination of the two? The text below is an entry I came across, written by an 18 year old. I left typo's and errors uncorrected in order to keep the authenticity of the text.

Well... I went to the Evolve festival. It was honestly one of the best expereinces of my life. I was amazed by everything. The first night we got there I hung out mostly with Vern. We had taken thr same pill and we're enjoying the same buzz. It was really different than usually. I didn't really dance cause I was way too interested in the trails and just walking around. I took another pill when my buzz wore off and we went to bed at 8. I slept for 2 hours and woke up feeling sick. Vern doesn't want me to do coke, so when he left I hid and snorted a line. He came back and I felt a little better. But I still needed food. So we went to the mall nearby and ate. When we came back I did some mesc and some more coke. We hung out all day in the tent talking to people walking by. At 8 I took my first pill of the night. Vern and P-L wanted to sleep a bit, so I left with Jeff. We talked and walked around. By the time I got back to Vern at 12, I had already taken 2 more pills. He said he would join us later and we went dancing. The music was AWESOME. I wish I knew who the DJ was... Anyways, I took another 2 pills. I was loving it! Vern never came to join us, so I went looking for him. He had done 5 grams of shrooms and was really fucked up, so I let him sleep. It was now 3 AM and I took another pill. I met some guy who had just done Acid for the first time... it was cool. I didn't sleep all night. The next morning I took another 2 pills. We hung out all day and that night I took a pill, and some guy offered me a line of MDMA free. So we partied all night again.

This was the best thing I have ever done. It was crazy!

So... is it me, or is it them?

I've missed most of the Idool 2004 hype so far this year, and in fact didn't pay any attention to any of the preselections, but as I was watching TV tonight, I came across an episode featuring 10 of the 30 final contenders.

The people that were in tonight's episode were :

Ingrid : had to kick the show off and was pretty nerveous. She underperformed as in it was too static for the song she did.

Jessie : a very mature and solid performance. Has a very warm and soothing voice.

Sabine : Quite stunning although she lacked a bit of "clarity" in her voice to bring a (difficult) song like "The Rose" from Bette Midler. Impressive for her 16 years of age though. Might be too "light" to stand up to the others at this point in life.

Leslie : Looks like a 1930's player to me, but his singing was ok.

Toon : Started nicely but went totally overboard in every line past that first one. Not a contender according to me.

Robby : Does anyone remember that contender in one of the previous shows that had to flap her hands behind her ears to be able to sing? If Robby does that, he flies away. Sure, I admit that it's a low blow but I had to have something to notice while he attempted to sound like Barry White. And failed.

Siham : I don't doubt the fact that she can technically sing quite well, but she's got a terribly stuck up attitude. Unless that changes considerably, she's out for me.

Joeri : this bloke can sing and should return in one of the next episodes, possibly all the way up to the finals.

Born : Looks like a total nerd, but tries to use that different look to his advantage. His performance could use a bit more "swing", though his singing was good.

Sarah : Sang "My Immortal" from Evanescence, which is a hard song to do, especially when cut back to just over a minute. She did totally wonderful though and she has this look/attitude that just makes you long for more.

The three that should pass into the next round if you ask me :

Sarah, Jessie and Joeri.

Let the voting and flaming begin!

Update : I got 2 out of 3 correct, not too bad if you ask me. Jessie came in at 4th place so only barely missed the finals this time, and Joeri and Sarah are in as I predicted. Born was the winner.

I just stumbled upon the blog of someone who is obviously quite religious and honestly, I just can't wrap my head around it. Let's see what they write in their last entry :

Last night as I worked with the 5/6th graders, my friend who leads the class talked to them about prayer requests. She told me I needed to put "we need a car" in the box. I did. As she went through each prayer request, she got to the car one and told the kids, we know God answers prayers and we are going to pray for a car. She said every time you see a car, you say "God can provide a car!"

Now... who thinks God provides cars, raise your hand. Last time I checked, car manufacturers make cars, car designers design cars, dealers sell cars, and you buy them with money you (usually) worked for. Nowhere in the equation I see any notice or pointer to someone or something that resembles a god.

Followed a bit further in the entry (these actually are the closing words) by :

God is good. All the time. Thank you Lord for the blessings in our lives. A home, pets (3 cats), a truck to drive while we look for a car, a job, incredible friends and church family. I'm thankful for the rainbow we just saw. The one that means God will never flood the earth again. This is a good thing to remember as it rains. :o)

"God is good." I can't nor won't argue about that, as for me there is no point in arguing about something I don't believe exists. Rainbows that mean that "God" will never flood the earth again are next. Tell that to all the people that were flooded and had their homes and the little belongings they had washed away. I bet they'll have a totally different understanding of this "God" creature.

What happened to believing in yourself, making decisions on your own and standing by them? No, instead every little thing that goes wrong is blamed onto someone else (Satan for instance?) and everything that is considered good is attributed to God.

Wake up people. If "God" is omnipresent, created the world, sees everything and spreads good and defeats evil, explain to me several hundreds of dead children in Beslan, a continuous fight between Israeli and Palestinians, not to mention all the terrors the Christians have committed in the Dark Ages.

Don't get me wrong : if you feel the need to believe in a unknown, never seen, very vague "presence", go ahead. Just don't expect me to actually think of you as a totally sane person. You can pray for me if you want to :)

Rolling Stone has this article about Anti-Abortion militants harassing the employees of a clinic that offers abortions. I suggest you read the full article first, since it will give you a better idea what these people are up to.

Since they were legally forced to stop blockading the abortion clinics, they now "aim to cut off the supply lines to abortion clinics and demoralize their troops." - in short, they make your life a living hell because you don't happen to support their idea on abortion. For these (often ultra-religious) people only one one point of view is acceptable, and anything or anyone that opposes them must be brought down.

I have no doubt that they'll manage to "convince" (terrorize) some employees into quitting their job, so they can claim that they've won a soul, saved a condemned one, or whatever they want to call it.

While I totally agree that if you can't take on the "enemy" itself, you should try to bring down it's support lines (basic guerilla tactics) in order to make it crumble before your very eyes, these people are blinded by their drive to stop abortion that they look past the possible consequences.

Right now we've got controlled environments where the procedure - which is not to be taken lightly, please read "Cunt : A declaration of Independence" by Inga Muscio if you have no clue - is performed by medical professionals. While one could argue that this still is not a good outcome for the fetus, the mothers' life is in much less danger, opposed to a D-I-Y abortion at home or in much less favorable conditions.

If you believe that scaring employees away from their jobs is the way to go, you actually cause more problems than you solve. Even if you don't like it, abortion is a part of this world, and I believe will still be an option in the distant future.

If this entry made you think - whether you are pro or anti abortion - it has done its purpose. I'm pro choice, pro believing in yourself and the decisions that one makes, and in favor of an openminded attitude. Need I say more?

Just arrived, will be off for the next few days, starting again on saturday morning. Have to adapt to a new sleep schedule, which will suck bigtime. Otherwise everything fine.

Having a large chunk of tiramisu right now. Why? Because I can and because I felt like it. There you go. Millions of people starving in the world and here I am, eating tiramisu at 06h30 in the morning. Whatcha gonna do about it? No one comes between me and my food.

As I was watching the news on TV today, they had this very new and exciting fact : viruses are spreading rapidly amongst Belgian e-mail systems and users.

They claimed that it all was due to an ongoing war between virus creators, causing a new virus to appear every 20 minutes instead of every 2 hours last year. 4 out of 10 e-mail are infected according to BIPT (Belgian Institute for Postal services and Telecommunication), and when taking spam into account, 80% of all mail traffic is a waste of time and bandwidth.

Where in the first half of 2003 nearly 500.000 computers were infected with one or more viruses, the first half of the year 2004 shows 2.4 million infected machines.

I'm sorry to bring you this new, but the ongoing war of virus creators is not the cause of this all. The constant influx of idiots on the internet is. Everyone should be online, everyone should be connected permanently (either with DSL or cable access) and blah blah blah. The internet is not for someone who just sits around behind his desk, opening every mail they get, downloading executables and files from unknown servers or entering creditcard details on the website because a mail stating :

"We UR bank, and accont verrification is need ed. Pleeze enter ur details and pincode on our webside :

http://www.namefsomebank.ru@giveusyourmoney-fool%%youareanIDIOT

Tank U."

told them to do so. Those people fucking deserve to get their machines infected. common sense is the first line of defense against viruses, scams, phising and trojans. Secondly comes staying up to date on patches, anti-virus software, firewall and the use of alternative programs (browser, newsclient, mailprogram, instant messenger etc).

Until people get that into their thick skulls, we'll see the amount of infections and spam rise exponentially over the next couple of months - and there is no reason to yell "but that won't affect me!" because as long as the idiots remain online and keep doing what they do, your well protected mailbox will keep on being flooded with spam, viruses, spoofs, bounces and complaints from people that claim you infected them.

I am well aware that not everyone is capable, nor interested to properly read and analyse the header of a mail they received, but please... if you don't know what you're doing, get the fuck off again. And please - don't make babies.

If your not ready to read a incoherent rant about all kinds of things that have no relation to each other, but that I just have to get out of my system right this minute, fuck off, go do something else.

All was good today, work was kinda slow although I've had my duties. The massive amount of stress I'm suffering from right now was generated in the past hour - while travelling home. It first started off when I encountered a mother duck with her baby ducks, on the left hand side of a two lane highway, squeezed as close to the divider as possible while traffic zoomed by at speeds of 60 miles. I can only imagine the terror and fear they all must have been suffering from and as I slowed down and went out of my way as much as possible to avoid them, I just knew that my efforts to avoid and save them would mean nothing in the greater point of life. I doubt they'll make it to a safe place. I know the highway there, and there just is no escape for them, apart from crossing the busy highway (two lanes) and not be teared to pieces.

What can I say? I saw them, reacted by avoiding them, yet the only thing that my mind could process was

100% mortality rate

It made me sad, even though I don't know whether or not my "premonition" is correct. It makes me wonder what the fuck we're all doing?!

Then as I travelled on, through dense traffic, I noticed a sign that said that one of the exits I can take to get home would still be opened, even if it was said they all would be closed. I decided to believe the sign, but the fuckers indeed closed it. I had to travel way further in order to be able to get off the highway, and that's when I noticed the yellow motorcycle that had crashed. First image in my mind again is "crap, is that my sisters bike or not?". I had no way to verify whether it was so as I continued through the traffic jams all over the place, I just kept going over the possibility. As soon as I got home, I mailed her to check and she just called me. It wasn't her, phew.

Then as I was waiting to turn left somewhere, the old fart in the dutch car before me decided to light a smoke. Listen old fucker, if you wanna poison yourself and your sorry ass, feel free to do so, but at least have the courtesy of killing yourself in your car with the windows rolled up, so you don't spoil the last bit of fresh air around for me. I so wanted to get out, and yell at him, but I think it wont matter a lot, again when seen in the bigger picture.

100% mortality people, remember the poor ducks.

I'm very much looking forward to Fahrenheit 9/11, Micheal Moore's newest documentary. As you may or may not know, distribution of this movie has been a pain in the ass, after Miramax (owned by Disney) was told by it's parent company it couldn't distribute a movie that criticizes Bush and his henchmen.

Luckily two companies have stepped up - Lions Gate Films from Canada and IFC Films from the USA - and will aggressively promote and distribute Fahrenheit 9/11.

Where does democracy end? Does it end when companies are so afraid to distribute products that criticizes those in power, or should we look at who actually runs a country? If you think a country is just ran by politicians you elected, you should crawl back under the rock you've been hiding under for the past decade and go back to sleep. Corporations and companies run at least half the country, even it may not seem like they do. They are big and powerful enough to say "we want this and that, and we want it now".

If anyone decides to oppose them, they just hand out a press release that due to the opposition of insert name/political party here they are forced to lay off employees, relocate or reorganise.

Look, I'm not against corporations or legal structures since that's how capitalism and the western world works, but the balance between the people (the mass) and what they require and the power the corporations hold is completely lost. It has shifted to the wrong side, although there is something you can do about it : we, the people, gave them their power, and we can also take it away again. Just make a choice when you buy from stores and companies. Support the local businesses who live and thrive with the support of the local community, and who also hire people locally.

Money talks, remember?

[Sorry for the crappy title, but that was about the only thing I could come up with, without making it all sound too serious!]

With elections coming up on June 13th, most political parties are once again at it : promises, promises and even more promises.

I do recall the last elections though, and I guess that with me, a lot of people do. I certainly hope that the majority won't fall for it again and realize that promises have to be backed up by real solutions, and most solutions by hard cash to support them.

I usually don't get too agitated by politics but the more I hear things, the more I think "what a bunch of idiots!". I don't think that the recent (political?) conviction of Vlaams Blok for being a racist party will help much when it comes to stabilizing the political climate in Belgium, nor will the requirement for parties to get at least 5% of the votes. While most Europeans agree that the (factual) two party system of the USA stinks, it almost seems that the big 4 (VLD, SP.a, CV&V and Vlaams Blok) are trying to do the same. I doubt that Groen!, NV-A or Spirit will have any chance of survival, unless they team up with a bigger party - often resulting in assimilation over time.

While the June 13th elections deal with electing candidates/parties for the European Parliament as well as the Regional "powers that be" (Vlaams Raad), I think for most people it's all the same, and they don't make a difference between local, regional and european elections.

Anyway, the more I read and hear, the more I'm pushed towards one or two parties that appear to make less promises and instead come up with solutions. As I said before, solutions require money, and nobody likes paying too much taxes, but I'd rather pay 30% tax and see it be used well, as pay 20% tax and see it be wasted and thrown away.

These are excerpts from someones online page, and how she describes herself. I'll let them speak for themself.

Kimberly - 22. I won't let anyone close.
<snip>
I support President Bush.
I'm a smoker (8 years). I'll never quit
I drink alcohol whenever possible.
<snip>
I crave intelligent conversations.
Infomercials can entertain me for endless hours.
<snip>
I don't like people or public places.
<snip>
I was in rehab 5 years ago and it opened my eyes to a lot
I have depression, OCD, and borderline personality disorder.
<snip>
I spit, swear, belch and act perverted.
I spend all my money on shoes and pocketbooks
<snip>
Onions, snakes, and ferrits should be wiped out.
I have a very strong dislike for receiving oral sex.
I love sleeping...all day every day if I could.

Now, I said I wouldn't comment, but I can't stop myself. How do you breed this kind of stupid people? Well, at least we know that with her supporting Bush, smoking and drinking as much as she can, the chance that she procreates becomes quite a lot smaller, statistically seen - or at least, that's what I hope.

Oh, Kimberly, dear moron... If you want all ferrets wiped out, at least learn how to write the word properly.

Yummy.

I would like to think that in this day and age people would know better than to open executables in an e-mail. I'd also like to be able to flap my arms and fly to the moon. Opening attachments in e-mail is one par with group needle-sharing after having unprotected sex in a Third World orgy. Yet, with an estimated 30 per cent [peak] of world-wide e-mail traffic being Novarg, it is clear that millions are willing to blindly point-and-click their way into infection while a tempest of white noise rages in the part of their brain where conscious thought should be.

I couldn't have said it better. Read the full article.

Has anyone seen the american Superbowl? Did you notice Janet (Jackson) and Justin (Timberlake)'s performance where Justin rips off a part of Janets clothing at the end of the song?

Oh my god... it showed her left right breast - with pierced nipple - in front of several million american people, on national television. According to CBS who was broadcasting the show, they received "lots of angry calls" in regard to the incident. The NFL said that MTV - who were responsible for the half-time show - would not be asked to do more work for them in the future.

Now take a look at the clip yourself (DivX5, 1.3MB), and I ask you : "what is all the fuzz about?" All humans have nipples, they serve a few distinct purposes and whether or not you like seeing them, they are a reality. Now get a frigging life and stop being shocked. One nipple on TV causes more controversy as a 100 deaths - talk about bad priorities.

What I find rather "daring" is the fact that Janet chose to wear a spiked nipple shield. If you take a closer look (Overview, closeup) at the size of it (the shield I mean), those spikes don't seem to rest at her skin, in other words : far from a nice tight fit.

Imagine Justin reaching too far under the bra with his fingers and actually pulling both the bra as well as the shield off. Now, that would have been a painful, bloody and unplanned for performance. In order to prevent that, they must have rehearsed the "grab 'n pull" quite a few times to get it right. Good to know : Janets new album is sheduled to appear March 30th.

Oh, and I've replaced my desktop wallpaper with something new that I quickly threw together. You know where to find a link to it, don't you?