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Dutch Identity

The WRR (Scientific Council for Government Policy) recently presented the result of a study about the Dutch Identity. The report, entitled “Identification with the Netherlands”, was presented to the public by princess Maxima, the wife of the Dutch crown prince. Central point in her speech was the conclusion that “the typical Dutch identity” does not exist and cannot be captured in one dimensional characterizations.
Unfortunately, the report also made a connection between Dutch Identity and having more than one passport, something which I think is not related.

What is an Identity? Is it the common habits of a group of people, the language, the food they eat, the history they share, their religion? Yes and No. Identity is something you feel part off or you feel related to.
Just make the suggestion to a Dutchman that the Netherlands should be disbanded and made a province of Germany. Then you will see what the Dutch identity is.

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McLaren bashing continues

I have read the transcript of the World Motor Sport Council about the spy case between Ferrari and McLaren (link to the document). It is a very interesting document because it give you an insight in the way the Formula 1 business is run which you normally do not see.

The statement gives you a nice insight on how all teams look at each other what everybody is doing, how they can copy successful designs and learn why some teams are more successful than others. It also gives you an insight view on the engineering side of the business and how that process is being run and how close that engineering community is.

As far as the spy issue. Judging from the evidence presented in the hearing I can only conclude that there is no factual evidence that McLaren has used data and / or designs from Ferrari in the design of their car.
What is disturbing in the ruling is that the McLaren 2008 car has to be checked for Ferrari design components but that the council has no indicated when this is going to be done en when. So in theory McLaren could be refused to participate in the 2008 competition one day before the start of the first race.

As I wrote in an earlier blog entry, I find this an internal HR problem of Ferrari which they have mishandled and which completely went out of control. Ferrari accusing McLaren of spying is completely misplaced.

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McLaren bashing continues

The World Motor Sport Council has convicted McLaren for spying and using information of other teams (Ferrari). The punishment is $100.000.000 and reduction of all points gained during the year 2007 (construction championship).

I don’t believe this anymore. The fun I had watching Formula 1 is completely gone.

There is a team which has a HR problem namely they have a problem treating their staff correct. That problem is so big that the staff decided to leak information to the competition. And now the competion is being punished for that mismanagement even as they have not used that infornation.
Mr J. Todt please step down and go and produce wine or vinegar in your case.

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Old man at the top

Jan Pronk is going for the leadership of the PvdA.
Some time ago the complete management of the political party PvdA resigned. This was as a result of the assessment of the loss at the elections of 2007.
Now some ‘young’ members of the PvdA have asked Jan Pronk to go for the leadership of the party. They even have opened a website where people can support the candidateship.

Question: will this bring the voters back from the SP?

Answer: No, it will scare away a lot of voters. Pronk can be described as being a difficult person, a polititian not a leader of a political party, somebody with it own agenda.