I found an interesting post by Bill Thompson on the BBC website. It seems that most ‘young’ people don’t bother about their userid, useraccount, and password. If you forget your password you simply get a new ID and setup a new account and start over. This, in contrast to ‘us’ ‘older’ people.
I can find myself in Bill’s remark that he tries to setup accounts with similar names and tries to hang on to his email address. I’ve had my email address for some eight years. Before that I had to change it every time I changed ISP. Thank god that is in the past.
Photo montage
Artwork by Peter Kennard.
Insight at last
It is about time that we restrict the emissions of airplanes. I was in Canada on September 2001 when all the flights were grounded in the US because of the attack on the Twin Towers. The effects on the temperature and the clouds during that period were staggering. A clear indication to me that the effects of emissions by airplanes is underestimated.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | EU to tackle aircraft emissions
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Is the Netherlands going back 20 years?
So, it looks like we are going to have a new government. A coalition consisting out of Christian Democrats (CDA), a Socialistic Party (PvdA) and a back socks Christian party (Christian Union). A rather strange mix which is not a true representation of the Dutch society.
What will probably change:
- Shops closed on Sunday. Sunday should be a day of rest,
- Abortion restricted (back to the knitting needle),
- Euthanasia restricted,
- Increase of the high tax bracket,
- Use of soft drugs not allowed anymore,
- …
Yes, this is what the Dutch people asked for, NOT.
I have won (I think)
Wouter Bos, nobody will be send home. Everybody is welcome (I will be the next premier).
Rita Verdonk, I’m not reponsible anymore.
Italian situation in Dutch parliament
Oeps, Shell
Russian watchdog may claim $30 bln Sakhalin damage
Can you believe this? It’s all about who is in control.
The end of the analog transmission
The Netherlands will stop using analog TV signals by the end of this year. If you don’t have cable (which 80% of the Netherlands has) you will have to switch to satellite (DVB-S) or terrestrial digital (DVB-T).
Election 2006: Biggest party per council
How to shoot in your own foot.
Yesterday our newly elected representatives in parliament tried to force the Minister for Integration and Immigration to change here policy. Objective is a general pardon for all immigrants who are still trying to get a permit to stay in the Netherlands since 2001.
In 2001 the rules for getting a permit became more strict. As a result some 29.000 people got into limbo because they could not show any papers or other means to be eligible for a permit. Many of these people have been granted a permit after review by the minister and many have gone back.
As we do not have a government at the moment, the minister is not allowed to make any big decision. She is only allowed to keep house and act according to the policy she followed before the elections. Part of that policy was the strict rules and no pardon.
The new parliament did not ask the minister to change her policy (she would not be allowed to according to the rules) but asked her to hold all decisions regarding the granting or denial of a permit because they expect the next government to implement a general pardon.The minister did not agree and said that would be a change of policy.
As the majority of parliament agreed with the proposal, the government (keeping shop) will have to indicate what they are going to do. If this say no to the proposal, the minister could be send away. That would not help very much because she is only keeping shop and it is very doubtful whether a replacement would agree. A compromise is also very unlikely as both parties who make up the government (CDA & VVD) are both against a pardon. The first of the two is in negotiations for a new government with the parties who want the general pardon. If they would compromise the VVD would probably step out of the government and nothing would happen. It would only frustrate the negotiations for a new government. So, every body looses.
Very clever Mr. Bos! Not only do you shoot yourself in the foot but also in the foot of Mr. Marijnissen.
Election 2006 the Netherlands
Largest party per municipality:
Green: CDA
Red: PvdA
Yellow: SP
Blue: VVD
Incredible.
You get what ask for!
On November the 22th, the Netherlands held their elections for a new parlement and government.
The result: no result.
No result because both left wing parties as the right wing parties resuffled their seats but are still in balance. So no majority. So this probalbly will mean that we won’t have a new government for a couple of months. It normally takes a couple months so that is nothing new.