Author: Bob Beela

Enno ter Keurst, Waalre, the Netherlands, IT Consultant with Atos Origin.
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Global warming debate on Dutch TV

After the worldwide Al Gore/Music show and the movie “The unconvenient truth” the Dutch TV program Reporter is showing a program of the opposition (the Great Global Warming Swindle), the one who is doubting whether mankind is (fully) responsible for the global warming effect. The program will be followed by a discussion.
On Dutch radio some journalist reacted to this saying; “This is a bad idea, it will only confuse the public and we know that the story of the other party is wrong, …”.

I think that last reaction is a very narrow minded. I would like to hear Al Gore’s story and the story of the opposition. Yes, I think we are responsible for most of the global warming but I am also sure that there are some other factors having a bad effect and I would like to know what experts think of that. The last thing what journalist should be doing is deciding for us what is the truth. That will only lead to people thinking this is just another hype.

One day later. I saw the program and I followed the discussion. What did I think of it, am I confused now as the journalist feared or am I in the Al Gore camp now or in the other camp?
Well, I think it was a good program and they should have shown this. The discussion was a bit pressed on time but they had the right guests and they asked a lot of good questions.
No, I am not confused quite the opposite it is a lot clearer.
Yes, we need to do something about our energy consumption, waste production, greenhouse gas production, more sustainable way of living, etc. And yes both sides have twisted the truth in and used scientific research order to get their message across.
No, science does not have the conclusive evidence. There are a lot of things which are contradicting and there are a lot of questions about the models being used.

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iPhone

One week after the introduction of the iPhone the excitement has lowered to a more normal level. Prices on Ebay have dropped as most people now understand that the iPhone is a nice gadget but it is not worth paying twice the market price.

What can be said about the iPhone.
It does most of the things it was promised to do. Most of the people who bought it like it, some of them don’t and have even returned it. But the conclusion is, it still is a GSM phone which has a nice User Interface. Dave Winer [link] wrote on his blog ‘iPhone is a Tablet PC’, which it is. Engadget [link] already reported of somebody who wrote some routines on a Smartphone which gave it exact the same look and feel and User Interface.

So what will happen.
The iPhone will reach the market share it was aiming for. Other manfacturers will copy the user interface and produce simmular devices for half the price and more importantly more open and custumizable.

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Connexxion sold

Recently the Dutch public transport firm Connexxion was sold to the French company Transdev. Connexxion was sold because it was owned by the Dutch government and we want competition on the transport market. So, now it is sold to a French company which is owned by the French state.

Who thought of that???

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Scoble and the iPhone hype

I watched Scoble and Thomas Hawk on the ZoomrTV stream getting their iPhone.

scoble.jpg

They stayed their all night blogging and streaming. It was a bit idiotic but at was a big party with lost of fun people in line.
Next thing is checking out ebay and see how much a second hand iPhone goes for. There were 6249 offers the last I checked, prices around the $900.

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Diesel particle filter not allowed

The European court has ruled that the Netherlands is not allowed to make diesel particle filters compulsory on new cars. Instead the Netherlands has to wait till the end of 2008. Making the filter compulsory in the Netherlands would be unfair the the manufacturers because they would have to make changes to the product only for the Dutch market.
The Dutch government wanted to make the filters compulsory earlier because of the problems the Netherlands have with the European rule on clean air. Despite the ruling, 60% of the cars sold in the Netherlands which are equipped with diesel engines are also equipped with a particle filter.

One example of how the market can react quicker than the European politicians and how Europe should not interfere with the activities in the individual countries.

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Prof. Mr. Laurens Jan Brinkhorst

We have an ex-member of the Dutch government who is regularly showing us how thick the plank is in front of his head. When we held the referendum in the Netherlands he was the one who made remarks like; if we don’t say yes war will break out in Europe, all the light will go out and we will fall in complete chaos. You cannot blame the guy because he use to work in the European parliament from 1994 to 1999. He must have lost it then working in a parliament with no power, doing nothing all day.

Now that the negotiations the new constitution are started he felt it necessary to write an article in our regional newspaper, the Eindhovens Dagblad, about the necessity of the European Union. What is striking in the piece is his lack of understanding how he, as a Dutch representative in Brussels, failed to tell his party and more important, failed to tell the Dutch people how important the EU for us is and how important their work is. No, instead he can only say ‘WAR WILL BREAK OUT IF YOU SAY NO’. Furthermore he keeps repeating that we do not understand the issue, that it was never the intention to build a European superstate, and that the flag, the Nation Anthem and the European President had nothing to with. Yes sure!!

One argument he uses, the rising of new economic superpowers like China and India and the fact that the European economy would benefit from more cooperation, is one which I can agree with. We need to cooperate better, made it easier to transport our goods and services but we also need to keep our National identities, our habits, and our approach to life and work. Diversity is one of the strengths of the European countries and economies, that is what made to Germans so efficient, that’s what made the Italians so creative, that what made the Dutch a bit of it all. That is lacking in economies like that of the US. That is all blend and tasteless.

So Mister Brinkhorst, I will vote Yes if:

  • We get a small and simple treaty which provides simple and clear guidelines how the voting power is being divided,
  • More power is given back to the National parliaments,
  • The European parliament has the power to send the European Commissioners home,
  • I have the feeling that the European parliament is representing me and my country and is not squeezing us like an orange.
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Le Mans 24 hours

I could not go to Le mans 24 hours, but I can watch it on RTL Grand Prix who is streaming it on the Internet. Great!!!
Unfortunately Jan Lammers is not doing very well and Audi can not be beaten.