Europe drops it again

'It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending.'
(Thomas Paine)

American directors pick up the torch as Theo van Gogh had to let go of it. Unsurprisingly, their Dutch counterparts have chickened out.

(Luck willing I'll get permission to be at the Van Gogh memorial ceremony on Wednesday in the Linnaeusstraat, practicing using a PD-150. If anything comes out of it, I'll post a WMV version here.)

11:43

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Dutch Green Party makes sane decision

An advisory board has recommended David Rietveld, the one sane left-winger in the entire country, for an electable slot on the Green Party (GroenLinks) candidate list for the city council of The Hague.

I found this quote in their recommendation to be especially revealing:

'The advisory board is critical about David's reflective attitude. This may make him appear hesitant.'

What the f? So in order to become a left-wing politician in the Netherlands, you can't be too nuanced or they'll select someone else as their candidate? Yes, this explains a lot.

Nevertheless, congratulations, David, and make us neocons (i.e. former lefties who've come to their senses) proud.

11:13

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My kind of invitation

Translation: 'Will you come to my party?'.

Since my fondness for certain things has been well established, RSVP'ing was the only logical choice.

The party, by the way, centers around the presentation of the Quote 500, which is the Dutch equivalent of the Forbes Rich List.

By no means should this be construed as a sign of my affluence.

10:37

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About Indiana

My university cooperates with the Indiana University Bloomington. There's talk about some students going over to Indiana, so naturally I looked up what kind of state it us. Well, it sounds like real fun:

Indiana has voted for a Democrat President only twice.

Indiana's state tourism motto is "Hope you brought something to do."

Indiana is second only to South Dakota in the percentage of the adult population with licenses to carry handguns (6.79%).

Indiana has more covered bridges than any other state, mostly so that the bridges don't go around flaunting their sexuality and frightening the Amish.

Some of the more rural parts of Indiana only accept farm animals as currency. However, a lot of the small-town general stores DO take MasterCow.

The state flag of Indiana consists of a solid blue background with a flaming torch surrounded by 19 stars. This celebrates the state's historical tradition of burning Indian villages to steal land for white people.

Indiana has only 40 miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan, most of which is covered by the corpes of people who hired non-union labor which wash in from Chicago.

13:06

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No free porn here

From my visitor statistics:

Get a girlfriend already (or come visit Amsterdam, we've got a special precinct just for people like you).

14:13

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Brilliant

If you have never been in a relationship, then 'Closer' serves as a harbinger of things that are inevitable to come.

If you have been in a relationship, then 'Closer' might just offer a catharsis of past grief.

'Closer' is definitely not a film for those looking for a date and/or chick flick. It is, however, a brutally honest look at the inadequacies of love, and I for one was happier for seeing it.

(BTW: playing Morissey's 'How soon is now' in the background during the 'club scene' was a nice touch.)

1:49

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Come on, David, you can do better

David Rietveld, the one sane liberal blogger in the whole of the Netherlands (so of course his Green Party won't let him run for Parliament), attacks the conservative VVD party on his blog.

Nice try, but he's not nearly as nasty as he could have been. Take for example this American article about Noam Chomsky's investment policies. Now that's burning someone down to the ground. Come on, David, go west. Surely Dutch political polemics can be equally vicious as their American counterparts?

22:15

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Bluff your way into De Tocqueville

This book review is essential reading for those of you with a grasp of Dutch.

12:16

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Thank you

For your continued support of this blog. Google saw fit to bestow a PageRank upgrade to me (from 5 to 6). This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't continued to visit and link to this blog.

Thank you, once more.

11:14

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Sorry, Elsevier, but they do work

In an article about the illegal sale of Tamiflu weekly Elsevier makes a huge mistake:

'These drugs (Tamiflu and Relenza, ZE) offer no protection against the H5N1 variant of the bird flu virus.'

Yes, they do. The 'N' in H5N1 is short for neuraminedase. Tamiflu as well as Relenza (I've stocked up on both) are neuraminedase inhibitors. That's not news: we knew that at least four years ago. Both offer some measure of protection against H5N1, although there have been cases where Tamiflu has ceased to be effective. Which, incidentally, is why I got a prescription for Relenza as well as I've got no faith in the Dutch government whatsoever to deal with a crisis, should H5N1 mutate into an airborn virus.

I assume the author of the article - none is mentioned - is confusing Tamiflu with a flu shot. The flu vaccine doesn't offer any protection against H5N1, because it wasn't included in this year's cocktail. Still, it's a good idea to get a flu shot annually (I got mine yesterday), even if you're young, because my university says so ;-)

10:30

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So sign the bloody McCain Amendment

'Worried about the potential for anti-American feelings over the incident, the State Department said it instructed U.S. embassies around the globe to tell local governments that the reported abuse did not reflect American values.'

Yeez. Of course, when Bush signs the McCain Amendment the press will make a big deal about how 'America has been humbled' (fill in usual rants about hubris, usw usf). But is that really so important as to not do the right thing?

7:27

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All hail Marco

Thank you for the kind review of my book.

(BTW, I forgot. Did you want the red or the blue Ferrari?)

21:20

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Samir Azzouz pursued chemistry degree

It's nice to know that Azzouz worked hard to better himself. After all, a chemistry degree could have helped him to get a decent job. Which is probably why the District Attorney has revealed that Azzouz had recorded a video testament of himself. This testament was the immediate reason for his sudden arrest on Friday.

9:52

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Prohibition doesn't work

According to former Seattle police chief Norm Stamper:

'It's not a stretch to conclude that our draconian approach to drug use is the most injurious domestic policy since slavery. Want to cut back on prison overcrowding and save a bundle on the construction of new facilities? Open the doors, let the nonviolent drug offenders go. The huge increases in federal and state prison populations during the 1980s and '90s (from 139 per 100,000 residents in 1980 to 482 per 100,000 in 2003) were mainly for drug convictions. In 1980, 580,900 Americans were arrested on drug charges. By 2003, that figure had ballooned to 1,678,200. We're making more arrests for drug offenses than for murder, manslaughter, forcible rape and aggravated assault combined. Feel safer?'

I could compare those figures to those of 'liberal' Holland, but that would be driving the point home. And never mind that, from a libertarian point of view, the government has no business in interfering when I want to use either alcohol, tobacco or - gasp - MDMA; provided of course I don't interfere with the freedom of others by (for example) robbing them or endangering their welfare by getting behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, Tim Worstall takes a shot at the subject as well, by quoting the Torygraph:

'If having taken drugs doesn't disqualify journalists from pontificating as to how public policy should be shaped - and there's no evidence from the newspapers leading the calls for Cameron to come clean that it does; one of them retains the former addict Will Self as a columnist - why should it disqualify politicians?'

Update 18/10: Via AS: there've never been more marihuana arrests. Meanwhile, Canadian researchers find clues that pot may actually be good for your memory (color me sceptical).

Not via AS: this BBC article on the dangers of cannabis smoke.

12:37

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Stock up on that Tamiflu

There's 10 caps already in my fridge. I bought them in March after a particularly nasty bout of flu, so I'd be able to deal with a future flu virus somewhat more easily.
Of course, if that future virus should be the H5N1 variant the stuff will come in quite handy too, but that's not why I bought it.
Though after reading this article by Charles Krauthammer, or this article about vaccine supply shortages or this one about limited Tamiflu stocks, I probably could be convinced otherwise.
You may want to consider buying Relenza as well.

(Fellow Dutch paranoids can email me if they can't get their doctor to prescribe it to them, which in the Netherlands is not entirely unlikely, even if you pay for the stuff yourself. Mind you, these drugs are expensive, and they have a limited shelf life, especially Relenza. Plus, the entire H5N1 thing may just be a huge scare rather than a genuine threat.)

12:14

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Terror suspects arrested in the Netherlands

Samir Azzouz is amongst them. Some of you may remember that Azzouz walked earlier this year, after which he whacked a journalist (the latter of course being a mitigating circumstance - at least no actual human beings got hurt).

21:09

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Time to buy that sailing yacht

According to PCPlein.nl, this blog is worth over 85k.

20:35

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Modern didactics

Yet another late night due to combining my well-paid journalism gigs (see further down), my job as a university lecturer and my attempts to get an MA degree at the same university, so what's there to do for a healthy Dutch guy but to order take-out.
So I'm waiting for my bag of chips, and the friendly middle-aged Egyptian guy behind the counter asks me what I'm up to these days. I tell him about my academic engagements.

'You know, I used to teach in high school back in Egypt.'
'Oh? Did you enjoy it as much as...'
'I hated it. How do you manage to keep order?'
'Well, I've got a pretty big mouth...'
'You mean you don't want to hit them?'
'Er...'
'Back in Egypt, I wasn't allowed to yell at them or hit them.'
'Oh...'
'I don't mean whacking them. Just a slap to correct them when they're out of line.'

Needless to say, I've put his suggestions on the agenda for the next faculty meeting.

23:25

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Cooking the graphics

Tonight Claude Cookman of Indiana University gave a lecture at Leiden University on the proper use of infographics in journalism. His slides are not available online, however, he seems to have a pretty comprehensive website.

Of course, if you want to check out some infographics, you may want to go to this website by Kay Coenen.

22:18

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Boy, does journalism pay well

It's a good thing I didn't throw out that loaf of bread I bought late July.

17:20

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They may cause brain damage after all

'Hi this is Arjan. Can you please call me back at 020 686 08 04 or 06 45 190 < mute >'

And I halted mid-sentence, all of a sudden having forgotten what the rest of my cell phone number was.

(It's 498, in case you were interested.)

21:29

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De opkomst van video (Dutch)

An article which was published in PCM a while ago.

More...

14:51

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Disaster in Kashmir

In case any of you want to donate, a comprehensive list of organizations can be found here. Dutch residents can transfer their contributions to giro 800800.

10:00

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Jalapeno insomnia

According to weekly Elsevier, eating lots of jalapenos helps one sleep at night.

Must be why I crashed about two hours before my normal bedtime yesterday night after eating a very spicy pizza, only to wake up at about 2.30 AM and spend the next three hours exploring various sides of my bed (FYI: there are four) before drifting off again. Fortunately, the gardener decided this morning was perfect to start trimming the lawn at 7AM, though I only needed to get up at 9...

Thanks, Elsevier!

11:33

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Kyoto scepticism

Thanks to Pieter: finally there's an English version of an excellent article by Marcel Crok, a Dutch science journo, on the so-called 'greenhouse effect'. Crok won the 'Glass Griffin' with it, a prize for talented young science hacks.

10:37

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Puff the Magic FBI Agent

According to the Feds, just saying 'maybe' may sometimes be enough.

10:32

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So that's why I smoke only one cigarette every two months

Must have some rodent genes.

13:15

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Autumn music

Aaron Copland's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra.

(This from someone who normally feels clarinets are part of the 'wood' section for a very good reason: they burn better than saxophones.)

(Afterwards, play System of a Down to wake yourself up. Thanks, Peter. Believe it or not, but Ender actually likes it.)

11:23

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We love the royals

Is a nice song by the Australian duo Scared Weird Little Guys.

Pieter explains why it shouldn't hold true for the Dutch royals.

9:36

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What he said

President Bush referred to Mohammed Bouyeri, the assassin of Theo van Gogh, in his speech yesterday. Here's what Bush said:

'In a courtroom in the Netherlands, the killer of Theo Van Gogh turned to the victim's grieving mother and said, "I do not feel your pain -- because I believe you are an infidel."'

And here is what Mohammed Bouyeri actually said:

'I don't feel your pain, I can't. I don't know what it is to loose a child that was brought into this world with pain and tears. It is in part because I am not a woman. But it is also in part because I can't feel with you. That's because I believe that you are an infidel.'

Admittedly, that's a little less suitable if soundbite material is what you're after. But it is relevant to get the full quote, because Mrs Van Gogh, Theo's mother, seemed, in the smallest of ways , somewhat comforted in the notion that Mohammed Bouyeri at least explained himself, which he hadn't until she had challenged him earlier (albeit indirectly) during the trial. This at least seems apparent from his closing words:

'Maybe my words will offer some measure of comfort, a little bit, for Mrs Van Gogh. That's all, I don't care about the rest.'

Call me a sentimentalist or an incurable optimist, but if a religious terrorist can see beyond his own hatred and notice the pain in a mother's heart, then perhaps there is some hope for the human race after all. Despite his incapability to empathize, there's hope in the attempt.

(As I said, I'm an optimist.)

19:58

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Fairweather Friend Award: secretary Ben Bot

(This new award will be given to those that betray their principles in order to gain recognition from others, and who are therefore not the kind of people you'd want to go sailing with, unless to leave them in the New York harbor, Sopranos-style.)

Ben Bot, of the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs, is not my favorite member of the government (not that there are ones I like at the moment, but anyway). He has spoken with understanding about Syria's president Assad in the past, and only recently failed to stand up for the right of left-wing organizsation 'De Balie' to hold a debating night on violations of human rights in China. The Chinese embassy had protested that debating night taking place. It did anyway, but without government funding for it, whereas other approved parts of a China festival that was taking place at the moment did get their euros.

Now Mr. Bot has made the case that the US and the UK shouldn't have gone to war with Iraq. Now I know many sensible people that were and are opposed to that war. I myself was and am in favor of the decision (even though I lament some aspects of its implementation). It's an issue on which reasonable people can disagree.

If there's one thing I hate, however, it's when someone changes his decision on such an important topic because he didn't like how it worked out, and now seeks to gain from his lack of backbone. I strongly suspect this to be the case with Mr. Bot, who made a few half-assed statements about the war 'possibly not having been a good idea', at the same time stating 'the US and the UK's decision was understandable'.

If there's one thing on this planet I hate more than partisan bigotry, and that goes for both the left and the right, it's non-partisan opportunism.

20:27

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Prohibitionism doesn't work

Mark Steyn, amidst his usual anti-Islamism rantings:

'You can be a hippie-dippy hey-man-I-love-everybody-whatever-your-bag-is-cool backpacking Dutch stoner, and they'll blow you up with as much enthusiasm as if you were Dick Cheney.'

He has a point there. I used marihuana (oops, there goes my shot at the American presidency, even if the Schwarzenegger Amendment gets through) a total of six times in my life. Five of those were in Australia, when I was indeed backpacking, and where (the ACT and Nimbin excepted) marihuana is looked down upon a lot more than here. I never had to buy it myself. There was always an Englishman, American or Ozzie around distributing the stuff, eager to share the proverbial forbidden herbs (or was that fruits? orang-utans? sloths?).

It just isn't as much fun when the authorities/your parents/the neighbours don't frown upon you using the stuff.

Now where did I leave that heroin syringe.

10:25

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Any Irish readers out there?

I'm trying to identify the Hiberno-English aspects of this article, but I'm afraid that since I was born in the Netherlands, I've met with limited success thusfar and would greatly appreciate some insights (or craic, if all else fails). It's been too long since I did my BA thesis in fair Baile atha Cliath.

Any and all insights welcome, both through email or in the comments section.

It's for a good cause, you might just help me to ace a course in 'Cross-cultural journalism' (which is required if I want to get my MA degree in journalism anytime soon), or at the very least, prevent me from flunking it.

18:46

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