Archives: April 2005

Non habemus papem...

Since now the interregnum rules! :)
Well, let's hope the next pope will accept modern life (read: anticonception, gay marriages, abortion, and female priests.)

Some info for who is interested:

The Interregnum
During the interregnum, it is the Camerlengo who is responsible for the government of the Church. He must arrange the funeral and burial of the Pope. He directs the election of a new pope, assisted by three Cardinals, elected by the College of Cardinals, with three new Cardinals elected every three days.

All heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia are suspended from exercising their authority during the interregnum (and are expected to resign their posts immediately on the election of the new Pope). The only exceptions to this are the Cardinal Camerlengo, the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, the Major Penitentiary (William Cardinal Baum), the Cardinal Archpriest of St Peter's Basilica and the Vicar-General for Vatican City (both offices are held by Francesco Cardinal Marchisano). These continue in their posts during the interregnum.

After 15-20 days of "General Congregations", sermons at their Titular Churches on what kind of Pope the Church needs, and mourning for the Pope after his funeral, the Cardinal Electors enter the Conclave to choose which of them will emerge as Holy Roman Pontiff.

The Conclave
The Cardinals must take an oath when they first enter the Conclave that they will follow the rules set down by the Pope and that they will maintain absolute secrecy about the voting and deliberations. The penalty for disclosing anything about the conclave that must be kept secret is automatic excommunication.

The Cardinals all take seats around the wall of the Sistine Chapel and take a ballot paper on which is written "Eligo in summum pontificem" -- "I elect as supreme Pontiff...". They then write a name on it, fold it, and then proceed one by one to approach the altar, where a chalice stands with a paten on it. They hold up their ballot high to show that they have voted, then place it on the paten, and then slide it into the chalice. The votes are then counted by the Cardinal Camerlengo and his three assistants. Each assistant reads the name, reads the name aloud, writes it down on a tally sheet and then passes it to the next assistant. The third assistant runs a needle and thread through the centre of each ballot to join them all together. The ballots are then burned, as well as all notes made. If a new Pope has been elected, the papers are burned with chemicals (it used to be wet straw) to give white smoke. Otherwise, they give off black smoke, so that the waiting crowds, and the world, know whether their new Holy Father will soon emerge from the Sistine Chapel.

Until the conclaves of 1978, each Cardinal was provided a throne, a table and a canopy (or baldachino) over their heads. Paul VI abolished the practice because, with the internationalization of the College of Cardinals, there was simply no room any more. Whereas there were only 80 electors before then, the number had risen to 120. The thrones used to be arranged in two rows, along the wall facing each other. The canopies and thrones symbolized that, during the sede vacante when there is no Pope, the Cardinals all share responsibility for the governance of the Church. To further this symbolism, once the new Pope was elected and announced the name he would use, the Cardinals would pull on a cord and the canopy would collapse.

To be elected Pope, one Cardinal must receive more than two-thirds of the votes. Except that, under the new rules established by Pope John Paul II, if 30 ballots have taken place without any Cardinal being elected Pope, then the Cardinals may then elect by simple majority. This is an important change and may well be the most important change made. In the past, it has often been the case that a particular candidate has had solid majority support but cannot garner the required two-thirds majority, eg, because he is too conservative to satisfy the more moderate Cardinals. Therefore a compromise candidate is chosen, either an old Pope who will die soon and not do much until the next conclave (which is what was intended with John XXIII!) or someone not so hard-line wins support. The difference now will be that if, in the early ballots, one candidate has strong majority support, there is less incentive for that majority to compromise with the cardinals who are against their candidate and they simply need to sit out 30 ballots to elect their man. This may well see much more "hard-line" Popes being elected, and given the conservative trend of most appointments to the College by Pope John Paul II, it is almost certainly going to be a man cut from the same cloth. There will also be far less incentive for the Cardinals to finish quickly as in the past. After such a long papacy, they may need time to arrive at a strong consensus on what type of papacy the Church now needs. They will also be staying in comfortable lodgings, rather than sleeping in foldaway cots in hallways and offices in the Sistine Chapel.

The cardinals vote on the afternoon of the first day, then twice each morning and once each afternoon. If they have not elected someone within the first nine votes, then they may devote up to a day to prayer and discussion before resuming. They may do the same every seven unsuccessful votes after that.

The Cardinals are not permitted any contact with the outside world: no mobile phones, no newspapers or television, no messages or letters or signals to observers. There will be regular sweeps of all relevant areas for listening devices. The Cardinals will for the first time be visible, at least twice daily, to the observing world, when they move the 350 metres from the Domus Sanctae Marthae to the Sistine Chapel and back again. No doubt, Vatican "experts" will be hired to expound at length on what the countenance of certain key Cardinals indicates as they are filmed moving to and from the Chapel!

Posted on April 2, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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VideoWalk in a refugeecamp

Some seconds of video inside of a refugeecamp. Can be downloaded here (16mb).

The wall is closing. When I arrived near Bethlehem 2.5 years ago, there was no wall.
One year later, you saw it coming closed. Only months ago, there was a huge gap, now the gap is only like 4 meters width.

What bothers me, is the fact Israel builds it on other people's property.
Like I would say 'I don't want to talk to my neighbor, so I build a wall on his property....'
Not only, it is on Palestinians property, it also takes a lot of the property away from them.
It is not build on the Green Line, and although there were like 'accepted' checkpoints, Israel decided to take a 100 metres more. And thus taking like many square km's of land with olive trees.
I goes beyond the limit of my understanding.

A settlement near Bethlehem. I should put a picture next to it, dating 2 years earlier.
You would suddenly doubt when the news announces 'Israel is stopping to build settlements.'
This one grew the last 2 years in an amazing race.
Somewhere in the middle you see a crane, meaning they are still building.

Nur (means light), one of the kids in Dheisheh.

Note: I love this country, I have many Israeli friends. And Palestinians.
But I do oppose what is happening here.

In fact, yesterday, I couldn't help thinking that some weeks ago they opened this Museum for remembering the holocaust, while only some km away, people are faced a situation that sometimes reminds of similar systematization as known in the beginning of the German Reich.
Crossing a checkpoint is in any way most of the time very disgraceful and humiliating.

I know many of you will oppose this and give many reasons why it is rightful to do so, but I can only recommend you to go and experience it.
And then speak.

I am happy to hear and to see that the last months a big chance happened: people are again hopeful, and somehow, the situation has calmed down.
Let's hope Abbas keeps the faith.

Posted on April 3, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Image storing

As a photographer, and these days, as a digital photographer, I am faced with the problem of 'maintaining my photo library'
Negatives were easy. Negatives were fun. Just drop them in a classifier and write the year, date and subject.
Digital files however....
For a few hundred, there is no problem. But for a few thousand?

How do you classify?
What is your magic tool?

Do you file them by year and by month? Or by subject?
Tell me, help me ;)

Soon I have to get busy with it (yep, I postponed it, and it looks horrifying to start now)
I am thinking of filing everything by year and in that folder a folder by month.
But maybe some of you have a better solution...

Posted on April 3, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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In the army...

In Israel men have to serve up till 3 years. But after that, it is not finished.
Men have to return each year for 1 month to serve reserve duty. Until they are 40.
They have to go back to their unit and do the stuff they learned in the army.
All of them.
(All companies know each male employee needs to do this, and the whole system is adapted. It is even so integrated that when you apply for a job, people want to know what you did in the army, and if you didn't do the army, this is seen as a disadvantage.)

A friend of mine avoids going back. According to him, the army does crazy stuff out there, and he doesn't want to be part of it.
So he simply doesn't answer to the calls of the army.
But last year, they tracked him, and kept nagging about it.
So he took the only solution: he went to a shrink and asked him to write a paper that he is not able to do so, due to psychological reasons. It costed around 500 euro.
After that, the army called him to make tests. Which they did. For a whole day. Finally they agreed and said that he did have some psychological problems.

That's how the story could end.
But it doesn't... Because he got a profile 21 (which represents the army code for psychologically unfit for recruitment), the office for driving licenses called him. He needed to some tests because he might not be capable to drive anymore.
They took him for 8 hours of tests. The questions were stunning 'Do you put all your stuff back into place?' and he almost failed it.
In the end he got a conversation with a shrink there, in which they said 'But in the army you said you take drugs, for depression'
On which he answered 'I lied'
'How am I supposed to believe you'
'Well, I can choose between shooting people or lying to the army, so I choose the latter'

Luckily she believed him, and he can keep his driving licence...

Want to know more about profile 21 and other stories: check this

Posted on April 3, 2005
in Living in Israel

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I visited part of the world...

30 countries it said...
I thought I only did 27...

There are 192 countries.
Long way to go ;)

Though, it just doesn't say that much of me.
I still didn't find myself.

(Create your own visited country map)
Linktip through LVB

Posted on April 7, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Back from Gaza.

I should syncro my iPod, so I can upload a podcast and let you hear my amazing experience:
'Hebrew Classes for Palestinians in Gaza'
Yep, there is hope.

Posted on April 7, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Strangest tip ever...

How to make scratched CD run again?

Tip:
Take a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Take a little bit of paste and brush it softly on the CD.
Rinse and dry by softly dipping the cloth on the CD.

Put the CD in the computer, and it should run.

Remark: This tip comes from a forum, you can not take me responsible if your CD doesn't work at all anymore :)

Posted on April 8, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Rafah in Gaza

Posted on April 8, 2005
in Living in Israel

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PoodlesOnSpeed launch

A great company. Check their site

Posted on April 8, 2005

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Thierry De Duve in Tel Aviv

I-Flo7-8
Thierry De Duve just arrived and will be lecturing tomorrow evening.

I guess we'll have an interesting lecture on Marchel Duchamp

Feel free to come if you happen to hang around in Tel Aviv: Sunday at 6PM, in Salamestreet

Posted on April 9, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Israel

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Little Feet

Sigal got her baby yesterday night.

We just back of seeing the little miracle.

Ps: the barcode is there so people cannot steal the baby.
Pps: No name revealed yet, but this is casual over here. The first 3 days there is no name given yet.

Posted on April 10, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Settlers about to protest in Jerusalem

Massive security appears to thwart plans by Jewish extremists to stage a rally at a Jerusalem holy site.

Brought to you by BBC News

Today is a stressful day, since the settlers are going to oppose the plans in Jerusalem.
It might mean the end of the cease-fire of the Palestinians...
Israel is doing what is within their possibilities to prevent it.
Even their right winged prime minister has no benefit from this demonstration.

More news will follow for sure...

Posted on April 10, 2005
in Living in Israel

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On the plane to Belgium

I guess I never had such a beautiful view on Tel Aviv, when leaving it by plane.
Today it was splendid, the view was magnificent.
The amazing thing about this flight is the fact that they actually installed a camera on the nose of the plane, and during departure, you can see the nose of the plane lifting up.
An amazing view. (but off course my cam was in the hand-luggage, in the lockers.)

Nothing but praise for Swiss: space in the seats, a private tv channel with several movies to choose and excellent food. (humhum...)
And... a coop on airmiles with SnAirlines and Lufthansa. My 2 choices on that matter ;)

Big disadvantage: on short trips -like Brussels-Zurich- you need to pay for the drinks. And they are not cheap...

Posted on April 11, 2005
in Linking context

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Leaving Tel Aviv

The planned flight for May is delayed to my regret.
Thus now, I have no clue for when I will be back.
The plane took off and in my last view on Tel Aviv I see the amazing neighbouring building of my wonderful host.
Home is where my heart lies.

The tears appearing in my eyes have to do with the knowledge that it might be for longer than I hoped, and I might have to consider all of this as the closing of a chapter.

A beautiful chapter. 2 years of amazing stories and as many adventures.
And wonderful friends.

In my ears:
Life for rent from the album "Life For Rent" by Dido
Clocks from the album "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" by Coldplay

Beautiful Day from the album "All That You Can't Leave Behind" by U2

I blink :)

Posted on April 11, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Make Up

Learn how to put make-up (in Japanese...)

Posted on April 12, 2005
in Linking context

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Trojan Horse

I guess this is what they call a real trojan horse ;)

Posted on April 12, 2005
in Apple

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Invitation

Feel free to come.

Posted on April 12, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Cloud Poetry

Click to see. Dream away.

Posted on April 12, 2005
in Reconstructed memories

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Strange things

Since short, I receive 'Het Nieuwsblad' in my mailbox. That is my real mailbox. I never asked for it, nor paid for it. I just get it, on my name.
My sister called me to say this (she is actually the one enjoying this, because, since I came back from Israel, I just live at the parental home, not knowing where I'll be in one month).
'Maybe, they'll send a bill', is her warning.
Maybe they will.
Should check this out...
Maybe a sweet person gave me a subscription? -Naaah, couldn't be...-

Another stupid thing to keep myself busy with...

Update: yes, indeed free subscription for 6 months, due to participation of BizIdee.be. Those guys are really bad in their communication. 2 weeks ago, I mailed them to be in an lecture, they never got back to me. So am I in, or not? I dropped in the middle of the contest. Clear communication is key.

Posted on April 13, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Yoav, the flutemaker

I met Yoav through Sobhi, my Palestinian friend.
Yoav makes flutes. Around 50-80 a year.

He showed us around in his little lab and I found myself stunned.
This is not only about working with the wood, it is loving it, hating it, destroying it when it doesn't work. Because more then working with the wood, it is all about the music.

Beautiful melodies are being whispered in that lab...

Posted on April 13, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Where to go

Posted on April 13, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge, Living in Belgium

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Swiss Puke

Just had to show this one: puke bags at Swiss... You can choose: send your holiday rolls to develop or use it against airsickness.

What to do when you already put the rolls and then suddenly feel airsick?

Posted on April 13, 2005
in Linking context

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Israel rocks. In otherone's words.

It was my very first time there and obviously I had some "cliches" in mind. I was told the security was crazy at the airport and I was not disappointed. It started at the gate in Europe, special gate, additional security checks. Arrived there, I spend 15 minutes in front of the police officer asking weird questions. Is this your first time in Israel ? Yes. Do you have family here ? No. Do you have relatives ? Yes. What kind ? Friends. What friends ? Business friends and just friends. What are their names ? Yossi Vardi, Ouriel Ohayon and others. Where did you meet them ? In Davos and at business school. What is Davos ? It is the World Economic Forum event. What business school ? HEC in Paris. Who is Yossi Vardi ? The founder of the Israeli company ICQ (I joked on that with Yossi who said it was an insult). What is ICQ ? Are you joking ? No. It is an Internet company. What kind ? Instant messaging. When were you at school with Ouriel Ohayon ? I told you, in Paris at HEC. Is he living here ? Yes. For how long ? A year and a half etc etc. And now the fun part, I arrived without having an exact address, just the city name, Kinneret. What hotel do you stay ? I don't stay in a hotel. Why ? I participate in a conference. There is no hotel ? No, it is a camp. What is the address ? I don't know. Wrong answer :-) It took me another five minutes... Yat Siu had exactly the same problem, even worse actually as he asked the officer not to chop his passport because he goes regularly to Arab countries that may not like it and he got another special interview for asking that. Anyway, it was not so bad as contrarily to other countries, most police officers are very nice and young Israeli girls... which helps continuing the conversation.

Brought to you by Loic Le Meur Blog

Posted on April 13, 2005
in Living in Israel

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The future...

Robin Sloan and Matt Thompson have put together a pretty interesting vision of the media circa 2014. Basically they see all media becoming totally personalized and decentralized, driven by individual personalities and intelligent filtration systems. And of course, it's all enabled by Google and Amazon. They may take it to a bit of an extreme, but they certainly summarize a direction many of us see on the horizon.

Check out this video which runs about 8 minutes, or just read the transcript.

Brought to you by Josh Rubin: Cool Hunting

Posted on April 15, 2005
in Linking context

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News: UN game teaches kids to feed the hungry

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has released a game called Food Force. Available for download for free, the game is compatible with Macs and PCs. The WFP's goal in releasing Food Force is to educate players about world hunger and the work the aid agency does.

Brought to you by MacCentral

Posted on April 19, 2005
in Linking context

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Guess who...

has to babysit that night.. :( Damn...

Posted on April 21, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Belgium

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PhotoMuseum

Had to be in Antwerp today, and took the opportunity to see the exhibit of Roel Jacobs.
Don't know why, but they are better in digital version than in real.

But the rest of the exhibits were surprising: Paul Seawright has a beautiful series on Afhanistan and makes pictures as i would like to make them: suggestive but yet indirect.

The next series 'Crime in Antwerp' shows images made by the police on crime scenes: beautiful.

Posted on April 22, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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MicroNet Minimate complements Mac mini

I was wondering when they would release these kind of hd's.
Beautiful...

See more here

Posted on April 23, 2005
in Apple

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A new pope

A new pope, some commotion and many laughs.
I guess that is what we do.
In Brazil people are upset...
And maybe we should be too.

Posted on April 23, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Free pop music to fill your iPod :))

Here

Posted on April 23, 2005
in Linking context

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Are you happy?

"But are you not happy?"
"I can't answer that." she says decisively. "I feel like I am living at the wrong speed, at the wrong moment, on a wrong level even. My feelings do not belong to me. How can I say I am happy: I only feel happy when I catch a glimpse of a possibility. To depart. To disappear."

Madame Finistere

Posted on April 23, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Context Free Design Grammar

Figures made by the computer.

Posted on April 24, 2005
in Linking context

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Chocolat

Enjoy the sweet taste of chocolat.
Or enjoy Juliette...

Posted on April 24, 2005
in Linking context

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Silence

Very silent these days. Irl everything is much more hectic than on the site though...
Did some adaptations on a site of a friend, and was even more busy with my frames for pictures.

So for all those unanswered emails: my apologies....

The exhibition opens on May 4th, and you are welcome to sip a drink, if you come and say hello ;)
There will be a blast of a concert later on that night. (Click on the invitation to see it bigger)

Printing pics is pretty expensive... so some weeks ago, I decided to make my own frames (well the last 4 months, I am learning how to be a carpenter at my dad's place, so by now, I was challenged to do the thing by myself.
Frames of 50-75 cm would cost me around 60 euro a piece. 6 pics... You can count.)

By now, I do understand why a frame is so expensive.
And by now, I do hate Gamma Brico and other places where employees don't know sh#* about the right paint.
It totally ruined my beautiful sculptured frames ;) and I could start all over with the sandpaper...

Anyhow, I am sure it will work out fine -by now they are drying and the black turned out to be real black-
Hope to see all the fine friends on Wednesday, so you can enjoy some images, or should I say, frames?
Or maybe just good wine and good atmosphere...

Posted on April 30, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Question for Apple-freaks

Tiger is released, so one needs only one reason to run to the shop and buy that Mac Mini...

But my question is: when I want to connect wireless with my pbook to a harddisk, what is the best/fastest solution?
The MacMini with shared folder, or a HD in the ethernet network?

Don't bother about the space and price, I just want a very workable solution in which I don't have to connect my pbook to a firewire/usb disk.

(Yep, I still didn't figure it out...)

Posted on April 30, 2005
in Apple

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