Grey skies

Grey days, grey mood.

It's perfectly suited
This uniform grey
There are no bearings
To the day

I've got a psoriasis spot on my hand.
I need the sun, just a little bit...

128, 128, 128

Winter dip starting in early this year, it looks like.

Logisch, Eurlings !?!

We hebben Peak Oil.
We hebben Global Climate Change.

Dus... gaan we de wegennet rond de Randstad even flink uitbreiden!

Minister Camiel Eurlings van Verkeer wil daaraan een einde maken met het Urgentie Programma Randstad. Maandag komt een grote groep bestuurders naar de Ridderzaal in Den Haag voor een conferentie over het plan.

Ontsluiting

Het programma bevat tientallen projecten voor de aanleg van onder meer wegen in en rond de Randstad. Vrijwel alle projecten zijn al geruime tijd in voorbereiding, zoals de A4 door Midden Delfland, de ontsluiting van Almere en de Tweede Maasvlakte.

VNO-NCW is blij.
Ik niet.

Hopeloos Polyanna, maar ik hoop nog steeds op een grote investering in gratis openbaar vervoer voor de Randstad.
Maar in toenemend liberaal Europa, is de kans met de dag kleiner.

We gaan dansend naar ons ondergang.

CO2 ups and downs

So.
Carbon in the atmosphere is increasing, at the same time the two biggest natural processes that capture carbon from the atmosphere: biomass production, and the ocean sink, are falling down on the job.

I'm not getting a happy feeling over this news.
That sinking feeling in my stomach, I'm not sure enough people share it yet.
There is a lot of hot air while politicians weasel out from under the most modest of CO2 caps... (I'm not even speaking of the Dutch who are so deep in denial they need snorkels!)

Human activities are releasing carbon dioxide faster than ever, while the natural processes that normally slow its build up in the atmosphere appear to be weakening. These conclusions are drawn in a new study in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,* October 22-26. The report states that “together, these effects characterize a carbon cycle that is generating stronger-than-expected climate forcing sooner than expected.”

Between 2000 to 2006, human activities such as burning fossil fuels, manufacturing cement, and tropical deforestation contributed an average of 4.1 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere each year, yielding an annual growth rate for atmospheric carbon dioxide of 1.93 parts per million (ppm). “This is the highest since the beginning of continuous monitoring in 1959,” states the report. The growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide is significantly larger than those for the 1980s and 1990s, which were 1.58 and 1.49 ppm per year, respectively. The present atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is 381 ppm, the largest concentration in the last 650,000 years, and probably in the last 20 million years.

While the worldwide acceleration in carbon dioxide emissions had been previously noted, the current analysis provides insights into its causes. “The new twist here is the demonstration that weakening land and ocean sinks are contributing to the accelerating growth of atmospheric CO2,” says co-author Chris Field, director of the Carnegie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology.

Changes in wind patterns over the Southern Ocean resulting from human-induced global warming have brought carbon-rich water toward the surface, reducing the ocean’s ability to absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. On land, where plant growth is the major mechanism for drawing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, large droughts have reduced the uptake of carbon.

Emissions from the burning of fossil fuels constituted the largest source of anthropogenic carbon, releasing an average of 7.6 billion metric tons each year between 2000 and 2006, a significant jump from 6.5 billion tons in the 1990s. Emissions generated by land-use changes such as deforestation have remained constant, but shifted in geographic focus.

The study also shows that the carbon intensity of the global economy (kilograms of carbon per dollar of economic activity) has increased since 2000 at about 0.3% per year, reversing a 30-year decline of about 1.3% per year. Because practically all proposed scenarios for managing future emissions postulate improvements in carbon intensity in the global economy, this deterioration of carbon intensity presents a serious challenge in stabilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide and mitigating climate change.

Source

There is no easy way around this. A few light bulbs and hybrid cars won't cut it.
We need harsh measures and we need to curtail industry.
Who will tell industry this, you think?
Who will ever be able to enforce this?
No politician, that's for sure. The democratic system of elections make this quite much impossible to do. I'm rather attached to democracy, I'd not want to see it go.

I really don't see a way out.

Because I'm feeling silly and happy!

Anja's introductory guide to rugby:
(for my clueless friends in the Netherlands and elsewhere)

Rugby is played by a bunch of men built like brick outhouses.
Now and then you will see a smaller, slender player. They can either kick like a mule and never miss, or they are really fast and maneuverable little runners. Even so, they often are regarded as sissies especially when they blow-dry their hair and have their hairdresser put in sun-streaks!!

Right, now there's these players, and then there is the ball. Contrary to expectations this thing is not round but oval with pointy edges. The reason for this is lost in the mists of time and nobody really knows - though men always pretend they do and that it's entirely logical.

The game starts. The players thunder after whoever has this ball in his hands and pile on top of him - as violently as possible. Somehow, the ball is wriggled out of this mash of humans and the next player picks it up, only to be dive-bombed by another avalanche of heavy players. Now and then, the ball is kicked out of the field and then the players stand in two rows as the ball is thrown back into play and one of the players will then catch the ball. Again, human avalanche. Often the referee will tell them to do the pileup in an organised fashion. This is called a scrum, it's like the full frontal collision of human tanks.
Occasionally the avalanche will happen too late and the surprised player will run off with the ball. Scared shitless, he will throw it to the next player in line who will offload it as soon as possible to the next one. Until the avalanche catches up and hits the poor bastard who is left holding the ball.

Now and then, a player will end up on the far end of the field through no fault of his own and will thump the ball down. That brings in points for his team and many drunken cheers from the fans. This is called a try and it's always puzzled me why it should be so - when the ball is thumped down, the player is no longer trying to do it, he's done it! But, there you go. You expect logic in a game that uses a pointy ball??? Anyhow, back to scoring. What happens more often, is that the referee will be ticked off when some rule of avalanche is broken, and will award a penalty kick to the other team. One of the small guys with blow-dried hair will then trot forward and kick the ball through the middle of poles standing on the back sideline. Everyone is quite happy when that happens and they get awarded points.

This goes on for a while. Then there is halftime, they take a short break, mop up the blood and go on to the second half.

Almost all injuries -and there are legion- are treated with water and tape. It's not considered a serious injury unless the bone is sticking through the skin. At the end of a good game, all clothing should wear an interesting melange of blood and grass and mud.

Men love this game. Mostly they love it from the sidelines or on the couch, with staggering amounts of beer.

It's good clean fun

YAY Bokke!!!!!!!!

heh!
I watched the game on Dutch TV, where the commentator kept confusing the South African team with the Austrian team, and French team. Idiot.
South Africa won from the Brits.
The country will be in full party mode tomorrow :-)

I hadn't watched rugby in years, I had forgotten how huge the players are.
It was fun!

Take a really good look at these people

These are our proud leaders, dragging us into our future.
As always, old white men.


This const...treaty is disgraceful. This shows the actual democratic content of European politics quite clearly. Only yesterday, the news reported the outcome of an European survey by the Financial Times: a large majority of citizens in the five large EU countries want a referendum. So far, only little Ireland has one planned.

It's being shoved down our throats and while it has some excellent points, it also has parts I really dont like. Parts that should not be in a constitution. And even though they gave it another name, this will be the backbone of the great state of Europe. This will define our direction and cast it in stone.

This is going to backfire. at some point, it really is.
When you force such a majority of people into a direction they do not want to go, it's going to backfire.
I'm angry enough that I dont give a damn.

Er komt geen referendum

Basta!

Een grote meerderheid van burgers in vijf grote EU-landen wil een referendum over het nieuwe EU-verdrag, waarvan het ontwerp donderdag in Lissabon door regeringsleiders wordt vastgesteld.

De voorstanders variëren van 63 procent in Frankrijk tot 76 procent in Duitsland, bleek donderdag uit een opiniepeiling van de Financial Times. Britten, Italianen en Spanjaarden zijn ook voorstander. Tot dusver heeft alleen Ierland een volksraadpleging gepland.
bron

Dit kan nog interessant worden...

We kunnen wel willen, maar dit krijgen we niet.
Dat weet ik wel zeker.
Voor ons eigen bestwil, want papa staat weet best.

Fay

died today.

She will be deeply missed.
There are many Vietnam vets alive today, thanks to her.
Even though most of her boys don't know, or remember.
She, with the long red hair, with the unbreakable courage,
she lived her convictions.

She suffered a lot of ill health over the last few years.
Free from the pain, now.

I'm grateful I got to know her.
Bye Gypz, and thank you.

Napster and so on

I remember Napster with great fondness and nostalgia, it opened up the world for me. I'm still a downloader of music, I love to randomly pick a bunch of music from someone's collection and have a listen. That is how I came across Dave Matthews, Damien Rice, Sufjan Stevens, Elisabeth Cotten and so many others. There is simply no way I would ever have been exposed to this music, other than through file sharing. It's made my life so much richer.

Couple of weeks ago, I downloaded this live recording: Urban Creep singing Noah. Holy FSM, did that ever knock my socks off!!! I went hunting on the Internet, so little to be found about this band. BUT. They are South African. Hee!! Unexpected surprise :-)

Now, to find their albums on the Internet and get my mitts on them (Amazon does not carry them, neither does iTunes and so far, no website or fansite. Only found one greatest hits CD from an iffy SA site. Hmph.)


Update 1:
Chris Letcher hangs out in MySpace these days!

Update 2:
Found the Greatest Hits of Urban Creep on Fresh Music and ordered it via gemm.com. It will be very interesting to see if this order actually arrives here. Recent experience with the South African postal service does not make me hopeful but it looks like the only way one can order this CD any more. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Autumn

Al Gore & IPCC & Nobel Peace Prize

I wont pretend I understand the Nobel Peace Prize criteria any more (if I ever did) but I am pleased at this outcome. It will lend weight to the issue and good heavens it does need some weight...

We are not even doing halfway enough,

to come even close to doing what needs to be done,
to keep this planet okay for us humans
let alone all the other life

Even when emissions are stabilized at 90% below present levels at 2050, this 2.0°C threshold is eventually broken. Our results suggest that if a 2.0°C warming is to be avoided, direct CO2 capture from the air, together with subsequent sequestration, would eventually have to be introduced in addition to sustained 90% global carbon emissions reductions by 2050.
source

I just don't know what to say to this.

We need a kind of Manhattan project approach, worldwide. Not only for alternative energy, but also carbon capture because, really, we wont ever get to zero emissions, we'd be lucky if we only remained on even keel the way things are now. We desperately need more sensible approaches than seeding the oceans with iron filings or trying to create an artificial upwelling with pipes...

I know it's probably too late anyhow and on some level I'm accepting of what is going to happen (as a biologist, I can even appreciate the process and the logic) but I don't want to give up.
(anyhow, how can you give up when nobody really even started??!!)

En de Palestijnen, dan???

Mogen ze hun droom opgeven, om ooit weer terug te keren???!!!

Belachelijk!

Hirsch Ballin pakt dubbele nationaliteit aan
Uitgegeven: 11 oktober 2007 20:54
Laatst gewijzigd: 11 oktober 2007 21:46

DEN HAAG - Kinderen die over twee paspoorten beschikken en vijf jaar in Nederland wonen, moeten voortaan op hun achttiende jaar afstand doen van een van hun nationaliteiten.

De ministerraad bespreekt vrijdag een voorstel van die strekking van minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin van Justitie.
bron

Vreemdelingen-angst begint bizarre proporties aan te nemen.
Ik zelf heb ook recht op een tweede nationaliteit. Ik heb de helft van mijn leven doorgebracht in een ander land en natuurlijk heb ik gevoelens van liefde, heimwee en soms ook loyaliteit naar bepaalde aspecten van die samenleving. Toch ben ik Nederlander, mijn loyaliteit, mijn liefde, mijn afkomst. Mijn keus.

Verkapte racisme. Hij wil niet mij pakken, of mijn zoon, of de Palestijnen... dit gaat hoofdzakelijk om Marrokanen en Turken. Toch?

26 million Euro

ABN Amro bank is being sold off, and the chief is leaving - but not with empty pockets.
I wish I knew what I should do, to be kicked out with that kind of band-aid.

This is my bank. I bet, it's going to be gutted.
It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out where all the money will go.
Not in my pocket, for sure.


Good grief, 26 million Euro. I'd never be able to show my face in public again.

Zo, wordt de SP te populair dan??!!

Twee nieuwberichten vanmorgen, die opvallen:

Weblogs kabinetsleden aan banden

RIJSWIJK - Kabinetsleden mogen hun weblogs niet meer gebruiken voor partijpolitieke doeleinden of voor 'persoonlijke imagebuilding'. Dat staat in een kabinetsnotitie waarover RTL Nieuws zegt te beschikken.

Ministers en staatssecretarissen mogen op hun weblog alleen nog maar schrijven over hun eigen beleidsterrein. De teksten moeten bovendien in lijn zijn met het kabinetsbeleid. De notitie wordt vrijdag in het kabinet besproken.
bron

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Senatoren van PvdA, VVD, ChristenUnie, D66 en SGP willen dat minister Guusje ter Horst (Binnenlandse Zaken) onmiddellijk een einde maakt aan de rechtstreekse afdracht van het salaris van leden van Eerste en Tweede Kamer aan de kas van hun partij.

Zij stellen hierover schriftelijke vragen naar aanleiding van berichten over de SP. Ter Horst zei eerder het "niet correct" te vinden dat gemeenten, provincies en het Rijk het honorarium van volksvertegenwoordigers storten in de partijkas, waaruit de SP-ers vervolgens een vergoeding krijgen. Ze onderzoekt of dat in strijd is met de wet en wil zonodig de wet aanpassen.
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Crimineel.

Puur en simpel, dit is zo goed als diefstal van de werknemers die met hun werk dit geld hebben verdiend!
Het zou niet mogelijk moeten zijn, om zo te plunderen.

De bestuursleden Chris Britton en Niraj Mehra van Numico ontvangen beide ruim 2 miljoen euro als de overname van het bedrijf door het Franse Danone doorgaat.

Ze vertrekken uit de raad van bestuur. Dat maakte de babyvoedingfabrikant vrijdag nabeurs bekend.

.......

Eerder werd al het vertrek van topman Jan Bennink en Jan-Marc Huët aangekondigd. Over de forse beloning die topman Jan Bennink van Numico ontvangt na een overname ontstond vorige maand ophef. Bennink zou er bijna 90 miljoen euro aan overhouden.

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The songs i used to sing

and oh! how I loved to sing them!

I had all but forgotten all about them, till someone said something that reminded me,
reminded me of the 9 year old child I was who sang these songs from the heart with eyes closed like there was no tomorrow.

Mrs. Piek, I think she was called, the ex opera singer who was our singing coach at school. She, who tried so hard and trained our wild voices and brought us to Eisteddfords and choir competitions and the like. She, who taught me how to breathe. She who taught me to love music, as I have done ever since, every single day.
I never got to say thank you to her. But, she must have known the joy she brought us.
It was evident.
(sometimes, I miss singing. I really should...)

When daisies pied and violets blue
And lady-smocks all silver-white
And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue
Do paint the meadows with delight,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,
Mocks married men; for thus sings he,
Cuckoo; Cuckoo, Cuckoo: O word of fear,
Unpleasing to a married ear!

When shepherds pipe on oaten straws
And merry larks are ploughmen’s clocks,
When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws,
And maidens bleach their summer smocks

The cuckoo then, on every tree,
Mocks married men; for thus sings he,
Cuckoo; Cuckoo, Cuckoo: O word of fear,
Unpleasing to a married ear!

There were other songs. Greensleeves, I remember well.

And this one. Early one morning :-)

1. Early one morning,
Just as the sun was rising,
I heard a maid sing,
In the valley below.
Chorus:

2. Gay is the garland,
And fresh are the roses,
I've culled from the garden,
To place upon thy brow.
Chorus:

3. Remember the vows,
That you made to your Mary,
Remember the bower,
Where you vowed to be true,
Chorus:

4. Thus sang the poor maiden,
Her sorrows bewailing,
Thus sang the poor maid,
In the valley below.
Chorus:

Chorus:
O, don't deceive me,
O, never leave me,
How could you use
A poor maiden so?

And this little Eisteddford ditty that I just loved so much.

DIE STEENBOKKIE

Woorde: HARPER MARTINS
Musiek: WALTER SPIETHOFF; verwerk: D. HYMAN

Dis 'n bokkie, soos 'n stokkie,
soos 'n kweperlatjie skraal,
wat so vinnig oor die klippe
soos die kweperlat sy wippe
met sy skrale pootjies haal,
wat so vinnig oor die klippe
soos die kweperlat sy wippe
met sy skrale pootjies haal,
met sy skrale pootjies haal.

Soos 'n mikkie waar 'n kwikkie
nou sy nessie het gebou,
soos die kweperboom sy stokkie
wil die mooie kleine bokkie
nou sy fiere koppie hou;
soos die kweperboom sy stokkie
wil die mooie kleine bokkie
nou sy fiere koppie hou;
nou sy fiere koppie hou.

Hy's 'n skrale en 'n vale,
ja, 'n skelme kleine bog,
wat al seilend deur die grassies
of al springend oor die plassies
met sy nette pootjies spog,
wat al seilend deur die grassies
of al springend oor die plassies
met sy nette pootjies spog,
met sy nette pootjies spog.

I'd better stop now. I'm all swamped in memories.