The Latest

When I wrote seducing the female I ended the article by saying the following about mating: “exchange your fluids, call it love and claim it will last forever”. I think it is illustrative of the strong contrast when it comes to love. At the beginning when the love is huge, there is an intention to [...]

How does one turn an unknown politician into an influential one? First of all, we need a topic that is controversial, but attractive to a broader audience. Let’s make this Muslim integration. The second ingredient: arrange a government and Prime Minister that excels in ‘clumsiness’. They are to say the wrong things at the wrong [...]

Since the beginning of the century the term ‘culture’ has gradually moved to the foreground. After Mr. Bush’s ‘axis of evil’ the line between them and us has become more pronounced. By considering groups of human beings to be evil, they are set apart from those that are apparently not. The good belong to those that call themselves sophisticated and cultivated, the bad to the illiterate and barbarians. Both groups proclaim the others are the uncultivated evil, while they see themselves as being part of a high culture.

It’s been some time since I posted the last time. I am little… out of shape. Inspiration is lacking. In the meantime have been playing with colours of this blog, changed some spacing at the bottom… but I guess you have not noticed. :) I feel an urge to perfect the looks, but every time I realise that my skills are rather limited (and I do not feel like improving them either). Well, it is just a blog… I am telling myself to get off my own back… Apparently, some of you noticed that I am not writing anymore… as I started receiving proposals / ideas. Thanks! :)

Lately Italy has been in the news. Again. With news facts that repeat each other from time to time. Take Alitalia. I do not even need to research the exact number, but Alitalia makes a big loss… every day. On the many flights it makes, most of them are sponsored by the Italian government. Alitalia [...]

‘Liberalism’ presupposes that individuals are capable of taking decisions that make them and mankind in general better off. It assumes that individuals are fully capable of understanding, or at least valuing, things the way they should. There is a deep distrust towards governments and the actions taken by them. I can fully support this distrust. To put it in one simple one-liner: power corrupts. I am pretty convinced it does. Power attracts individuals and groups that try to work politicians and civil servants. There is a high reward for both parties involved. Eventually, power corrupts so much, it (partly) destroys itself.

After a British Airways 777 jet avoided demolishing the perimeter fence, ploughed the grass and kissed the tarmac at London Heathrow airport on Thursday, I was reminded again of the dangers of flying. Of course, statistically flying is one of the safest means of transport. Only about 750 people were killed in an accident related to flying in 2007. Worldwide that is. And then, even most of the accidents take place in regions were flying is obviously less safe. Still, do you prefer overshooting a soaking wet runway in Sao Paulo or two flamed out engines in London. Flying is safe, as long as you are not on that plane that has a curse on it.

Yesterday I made another short trip. This time I went to visit my flat mate Jeroen and his girl friend in Brussels. Just like my journey to Paris two weeks ago, it had been quite a while since I visited Brussels. Actually the last time I was on a trip, I went there. Over three years ago. I got to see the new train station in Liege (where I had to change trains). It was being constructed back then.

Unfortunately there are people around who think they are in control of a moving world. Their pride has taken them beyond human proportions, a fate they are unable to carry. I cannot believe they are sincerely trying to make others better off. I think they like being in control too much. This is why messing with the economy is one of their priorities.

Most human beings take for granted that they are coexisting with others. It will not come to their minds to seek seclusion and to live like hermits. There are no organisations that encourage voluntary isolation by individuals. Even political parties that strive to liberalise individuals from group interference aim at building a free living-together.