Cost of the War in Iraq

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Brought by Gazet van Antwerpen - Overzicht

Posted on September 5, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge, Living in Belgium

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FeedBurner

I decided to spread my feeds through FeedBurner, and integrated into my templates today.
If you are reading through RSS, please update your feed into this one: http://feeds.feedburner.com/monuments

Why? Because it is better, and much more fun.
It will even integrate my Flickr account. _which I should fill, I know..._ and show you funny pics inbetween everything.
It allows podcasting -which I actually don't do, but sometimes it is fun for video. A pity my videohoster didn't copy the Flickr-FeedBurner compatibility yet.-

Oh and it counts your readers. Which is just fun to know.

Posted on September 5, 2005

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Telenet PCTV, what a bummer.

Well, last time we didn't even got to this screen:
Sorry the configuration of your computer is not good.

So no internet-movie-renting for me.
Anyone for whom it is working and who tested the free movie??

Posted on September 5, 2005
in Linking context

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Quote

"What we see is possibly different from what it is."

<Ludwig Wittgenstein>

Posted on September 5, 2005
in Quoted

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horror show

Here we are, it's been 8 days since Katrina hit the states and still so much horror going on over there.

Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera were livid about the situation in NOLA (lotsa people locked inside a local sportsdome) as they appeared on H&C. When Hannity tried his usual spin job and said:let's get this in perspective, Smith chopped him off at the knees and started yelling at him saying, "This is perspective!"
It was shocking. watch here

Condoleezza Rice took a break today from her round of Broadway shows and a shoe-buying spree that would do Imelda Marcos proud. Why? To tell the hurricane victims dying hourly in their homes that their prolonged suffering is God's will, not the government's fault, and to lecture them on the virtue of patience:
Asked to say a few words from the pulpit, Rice, a preacher's daughter, said: The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come on time. She added: If we just wait.

also check out this (bittorrent) emotional interview with Aaron Broussard
I'm sick of the press conferences, for Gods sakes, shut up and send us somebody.
-Aaron Broussard, President, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, September 4th, 2005

and to end this blog on a somewhat more positive note, read this heroic story of a young boy who stole a bus and prolly saved a bunch of lives

By braindrain.be

Posted on September 6, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Project and realisation

Click to see big.

Posted on September 6, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Joy of tech.

Eagerly waiting for tomorrow -no, not really for the iPhone, but rather for upgrades of certain existing tools-

From Joy of Tech

Posted on September 6, 2005
in Apple, Linking context

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Skype LT - 1.0.0.49

Lithuanian localization of Skype

First use of Skype API for Mac, I'd say...

Brought by VersionTracker: Mac OS X

Posted on September 7, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Israeli located, 2 more missing in New Orleans

Three Israelis are listed as missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Dana Koresh, Israel's Deputy Consul in Houston told The Jerusalem Post on

Look, this is the advantage of a good system.
In Belgium more than a week after Katrina, there are still 68 people missing.
Well, they don't even know if they are really missing...

Brought by JPost.com Headlines

Posted on September 7, 2005
in Living in Belgium, Living in Israel

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Yesss

Didn't stay up till 4 to see the match. But hey, she beated Williams. Haha! Semi Finals are next. Go for the grand slam Kim.

Posted on September 7, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Osama and Katrina

If President Bush goes back to his politics as usual, Katrina will have destroyed a city and a presidency.

Brought by NYT > Opinion

Posted on September 7, 2005
in Linking context

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Apple 'big' press release?

Well, what a bummer...

No wonder the shares dropped...

Heck, the iPod Nano is a beauty -but I have an iPod Photo 60gb so I am not teased by the Nano-

The Rokr sucks: no synchro with iCal or Mail. A little videocam and no word-worthy camera. 100 songs inside of my mobile? Nice but doesn't convince me.
Wifi would have convinced me. (Bluetooth always convinces me, especially with Apple)

My perfect phone:
-Wifi -with Skype-
-Bluetooth -for stereo headset that can be used on my comp-
-Nice integration of iCal, Mail, and AddressBook (last thing works with bluetooth enabled mobiles)
-A cam that can be used as web cam
-A photocam that has min. 4milj pixels. (Or no photocam at all...)
-Oh and maybe, maybe 100 songs, if you insist.

The iTunes 5 version, is according to me, a reason to settle with the microsoft patent fight. It has some nice features which I'll never use. ;)

But tell me, what would be your perfect mobile?

Posted on September 7, 2005
in Apple, Technical stuff

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Tip

For people that want cheaper than the Olympus Skype Deal:
check this.
Topcom with pretty nice features and, good design.
Available in every Belgian Makro.

Posted on September 7, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Skype Out just rocks

Where before I hesitated to call abroad because of a fear for the bill later on, now you can call with splendid quality to my friends and hear them crystal clear.
Without fearing a telephone bill and with paid in advance credit. So no surprises -like I used to have before... After my first year abroad and calling back, I am telling you, bills were jumping...-

Jippieee.

Posted on September 8, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Skype Widget - 1.0.2

dial calls, look up country codes, check calling rates

together with a new version of Skype, for Mac Users.
The API is being used again...

Brought by VersionTracker: Mac OS X

Posted on September 8, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Israel + PA: 2 states?

The question is rising.
Let have them have a look at Belgium with its solution for Brussels.
Might do for Jerusalem?

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Jusspress.com gone?

Well that was a bad start: all those little neat movies seem to have dissapeared.
Or did they just reach their bandwidth limit??

Posted on September 9, 2005

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PhotoBlog article in Menzo

I wanted to give you a sneak preview on the article -which was with me ;)-

but heck, my scanner is broke.
I promise to do it soon though.

I you are really curious: run to your local newspaper shop and enjoy the pages 90 til 96 -with beautiful nudes, no not me ;) -
I enjoyed p 27-28 :)))
And was nicely suprisced by the intro page and the interesting articles.
Have to say, Menzo isn't the thing I thought it was!

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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PhotoBlog bought by Pixagogo

Congrats Pixagogo! Enjoy the app.

If you want to know the past of PhotoBlog, I advice you to read the article in Menzo.
PhotoBlog grew into something big, and I all hope you enjoyed the app. so far. I remember our enthusiasm to make it running and the excitement of seeing our user database growing into a huge amount of photo freaks.

Me myself, I felt the need to leave the team because of personal projects and the fact that it became too time consuming.
Leaving it, felt like letting down.
But there was no other choice.

Heck, Pixagogo will do a good thing with it. I am sure.
And Ana is still there to be your light in the dark ;)
Enjoy.

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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U want to change the world?

So change it!

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Belgium

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US Open: Clijster-Sharapova Semi Finale...

... starts now.

Update: I hate it when Sharapova does the whuuuoaw sound... Annoying. -every 10 seconds-

Update: 6-2 6-5 for Clijsters. Eagerly watching now. ;)

Update: damn... What a game... -said when Sharapova won the second set-

Update: Clijsters goes to the finals!!! (Reschedule the day..)

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Stuff on my cat.com

Lol.

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Linking context

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Make poverty history

Order now

Posted on September 9, 2005
in Linking context

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On addiction

Aaargh, I am at the last episode of L-Word.

Saving it for tomorrow.

But what after tomorrow??

When will I know if Lara dumps her lover, Jenny commits suicide -oops this must be season 2?-, and the curator reveals her love affairs.
My sis says this series resembles 'Thuis'. Maybe she's right.
It is addictive.
Need a DVD player without codes and the season 2!!!

-Tx to the wonderful angel that borrowed me her DVD's of season 1... All those sinful stories, it's a heaven :))-

Posted on September 10, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Astrodome

Series to see.

Posted on September 10, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Try to understand...

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?

* Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

* The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

* The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents.

* The Red Cross shares the nation’s anguish over the worsening situation inside the city. We will continue to work under the direction of the military, state and local authorities and to focus all our efforts on our lifesaving mission of feeding and sheltering.

* The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.

* The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives.

* As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated.

Information by American Red Cross

Posted on September 10, 2005
in Linking context

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Gay parents.

Tell this to my friends, 2 women, that are pregnant.
You think they are not able to raise a child as good and loving as a straight couple?
I, for sure, am convinced they will.

But I have to admit that it is a little bit scary to read that this organization gathered 13000 signatures against gay adoption.

It clearly shows there are 2 strong movements: one stream in favor of gay rights and one in the opposite direction.
I guess that's the part that scares me.

The fact that our world is polarizing is frightening.
Everything turns out black or white, while actually it should be full of colors.
It sometimes looks as if there is no in-between anymore.

I don't know why, but when I read stuff of the interbellum, in the 20's and the 30's, it sometimes makes me think we are in a similar situation now.
On the one hand these amazing events (artists in 'mondain' Paris started what would be know as the basis of contemporary art, Coco Chanel designed short dresses, women and men in swimming gear, Art Deco, but also pretty active gay life (check here), dance halls. And many more amazing events.)
The after war situation was pretty optimistic in the 20's. It changed, due to economical crisis in the end of the 20's, and polarization started.
In Germany, due to their high debts because of WWI, the situation was worst, and explains why Hitler was very popular.

Sometimes it feels like the similar things are happening now. Bad economical situation, anti-semitism, anti-islamism.
And events that are a perfect ground for fear.
Vlaams Belang say the next elections will be an important milestone for them.
I guess it is a painful truth, which I regret.

They always say that such a thing isn't allowed to ever happen again. -And probably it cannot happen anymore in the way it did, but the ideas of those people never changed.-

To me that's an as important danger as the danger they preach.

(Gay people were sent to Auschwitz)

Posted on September 11, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Which WMD?

Colin Powell, the former US secretary of state who told the United Nations that Saddam Hussein was concealing weapons of mass destruction, has conceded the assertion will always be a "painful blot" on his record.

Asked whether the statement about WMD tarnished his reputation, the former general responded: "Of course it will. It's a blot. I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world and [it] will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now." The soldier-statesman made a dramatic and detailed presentation to the UN Security Council a month before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. It relied on the extensive use of intelligence material, which later turned out to be inaccurate.

That fuelled allegations from Europeans and American liberals that, as the moderate face of a hardline administration, he had allowed himself to be misused.

But during the interview Mr Powell was unwilling to apologise or blame other senior figures. In particular, he refused to attack George Tenet, the former CIA director whose agency provided him with poor information during a week-long briefing before his Security Council speech. "He didn't sit there for five days with me, misleading me," Mr Powell said. "He believed what he was giving me was accurate . . . the intelligence system did not work well."
...

"There were some people in the intelligence community who knew at the time that some of these sources were not good and shouldn't be relied upon and didn't speak out," he said. "That devastated me."
...

When Mrs Walters tried to tease from him an admission that the Iraq war had been a bad idea, he said: "Who knew what the whole mess was going to be like?"

"I'm always a reluctant warrior and I don't resent the term, I admire the term," he said. "But when the President decided that it was not tolerable for this regime to remain in violation of all these UN resolutions, I'm right there with him on the use of force."

Asked whether he had put loyalty to the President above his own judgment, Mr Powell said he had not: "Loyalty is a trait that I value and yes, I am loyal. And there are some who say, 'Well, you shouldn't have supported it. You should have resigned'. But I'm glad that Saddam is gone. I'm glad that that regime is gone."

Link

Posted on September 11, 2005
in Linking context

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Israel declares end to Gaza rule; pullout imminent

JERUSALEM, Sept 11 - Israel declared an end to its military rule in Gaza on Sunday, clearing the way to complete its pullout and turn the territory over to the Palestinians on Monday after 38 years of occupation.

One can only guess what will happen next.
Positive minds think things will get better, let's hope they are right.

When one year ago, the rumor of withdrawal was whispered in the streets Palestinians never believed it.
Now, one year later, it happened. The gate was closed. 38 years of occupation ended.

Interesting side-note: The funny part is that in fact Abbas doesn't want that it is formally end, because then the Palestinians are not regarded as occupied, and thus Israel doesn't have to pay for some things anymore. (The convention of Geneve made this an obligation: the occupier needs to take care of the occupied)

Brought by Reuters: Top News

Posted on September 11, 2005
in Living in Israel

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eBay Buys Skype for $4.1 Billion

Xeni Jardin:
A formal announcement is expected within hours. Link (Thanks, Sean Bonner)

Damn?

Brought by Boing Boing

Posted on September 12, 2005
in Technical stuff

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[Photography] is not

[Photography] is not good at documenting as process,
it cannot explain, analyse, nor make a prognosis.
In fact it is very limited.
But one action it can perform brilliantly: it can influence human emotions.

Witold Krassowski

Posted on September 12, 2005
in Quoted

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Millenium

I keep on linking to these wonderful pictures:

"Ambulantes (Street Vendors) in Buenos Aires" By Brian Daughton

Get on any bus in Buenos Aires, board a train, or merely walk along the street and soon you will see a sight all too common-the street hawker. On buses they announce themselves in the usual daily litany. ’Buen dia senors y senoras, disculpe la molestia . Hoy les traigo una buena oferta’.(Good day all-sorry to bother you. Today l bring you some great offers). On trains, they pace through the carriages, down the aisles, bleating their wares in a hypnotic monotone pitch…."helado…helado.." (Ice Cream) .They are the itinerant vendors of an alternative economy. In Buenos Aires they are called ’ambulantes’ and are one of the quintessential features of the daily grind in that city.

Brian Daughton is a freelance photographer currently based in London who has over the years lived and worked in Argentina. One photographic project l worked on while there last year was a series of close up images of the hands of street hawkers and the products they sell. Due to fear of police harassment most ambulantes were extremely wary of their faces appearing in the photos. For me the ‘Ambulantes’ have become a kind of economic barometer, an indication of how well the country is faring and it struck me - since the crisis at the end of 2001 - how many more street vendors there are. It used to be that the typical ambulante was drawn from the poor in the province of Buenos Aires, who came into the city to make a buck. However now, since the crisis, vying with them is a more middle class ambulante from the wealthier ‘barrios’; all jostling and competing for a space to sell their wares. They are a testimony to the fact that many middle class Argentines saw their savings dwindle to nothing during the crisis with many sinking below the poverty line.

Recent reports estimate that there are roughly 11,000 sellers on the streets of Buenos Aires. As the ‘ambulantes’ are unregulated they are technically illegal. The police exploit this and in return for turning a blind eye they ensure their palms are greased. Corruption is rife and most ambulantes pay about 100 pesos a month to the police just for the privilege of selling on the street. An outrageous sum when you consider the average salary in Argentina is roughly 700 pesos a month.

Brian Daughton was born (1961) and raised in the city of Cork in Ireland. On leaving school he studied architectural design at the Cork Regional Technical College. Since 1983 he has lived and worked in a variety of countries including, Germany, Greece, Italy, the UK and Argentina.

In Buenos Aires where he lived from 1990 to 97 he developed his interest in photography when he enrolled at the Escuela National de Fotografia (National School of Photography) where he studied for 3 years under the direction of Jorge Monaco, who is one of Argentina’s best known photograhers. On his graduation he was awarded a solo exhibition of his work. The photographs, which documented in monochrome the city of Buenos Aires (‘A City in Exile’), were very well received in the local press. In fact, since the nineties the city of Buenos Aires has been a constant motif in his work.

In 1998 he returned to London to complete his photographic studies at Goldsmiths College in London where he completed an MA in ‘Image and Communication’ (Photography). On graduation his work was exhibited at the ‘Fink Exhibition’ in Hoxton Square in London. It was in this period that he began producing the large-scale images in colour for which he is better known.

From 1999 to 2003 Brian was employed at Goldsmiths College as a photography tutor and studio manager in the Visual Arts department where he provided technical and theoretical support to art students working on studio based photographic projects. In 2001 he was selected for the Kobal prize at the National Portrait Gallery. Last year (2004) he won the bronze medal in the ‘Photoart’ at the London Photographic Awards. He now divides his time between working as a freelance photographer from his studio in south London and as a visiting lecturer at the Metropolitan University. He is married to Debora and they have two children Andrea and Valentina. In recent years he has begun to work more closely with design studios in London, creating specific images for interior locations.

Posted on September 12, 2005
in Linking context

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Menzo Article

As promised. -Dutch only-

Click to download.

Posted on September 12, 2005
in Living in Belgium, Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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The Dustbunnies

The Dustbunnies, by Stijn Schiffeleers and Hendrik Leper from Boutique Vizique, is a colony of seven shapes that contain two kinds of sensors, a RF-communication system, two microcontrollers, a big battery, speakers and a motor.

When there's no human around, they collect dust, hair, flakes of skin and dirt and murmur to each other in a mysterious language. But if you walk into their territory, they become quiet and pretend to be dead.

The only way to observe them in that first state is to be motionless yourself. Touching a dustbunny will cause different reactions. If they like the way you treat them they will make an amusing sound according to the movement you cause.

But the Dustbunnies can also become angry. If you mistreat one of them, all dustbunnies will start screaming. The whole group will show their dislike.

For those interested in dirt and art, the dustbunnies will be at the UCI Beal Center (University of California, Irvine) from Oct. 4 till Dec. 10.

Dirty posts: dust furniture, viral architecture.

These are friends of mine and they made it into 'we make money no art': congrats Stijn and Hendrik!!!
Check it out, because they do great stuff.
And they are from Ghent! ;)

Brought by we make money not art

Posted on September 13, 2005
in Linking context

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MT Easy install...

Movable Type released a new version and claims an 'easy set up'

Well...
I think I can install 30 Wordpress blogs in the time I install 1 MT.
So far their interpretation of 'Easy'
A better manual would help a lot. Beta docs indeed...

Update: it took me one full day to get through some of the not well explained adaptations -I feel like a moron doing this trial and error-.
But I have to say: I love the new admin of MT, looks so much better than WordPress.
Loads of nice plugins.

-I truly think the strength of blogs lies in the easy and convenient structure of the administration panel. EE sucks for that matter...-

So tomorrow I'll set up some MT's for clients. Faster than hoped.
And I'll try those Stopdesign photoblog templates. -But that will take some time, seeing those instructions...-

Posted on September 13, 2005
in Technical stuff

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DVD player without zapper

I got a dvd-player as a present.

There was one particular reason why I got it: the remote was missing.

I thought it wouldn't be much of a problem: running to a machine in 3 m distance isn't such a big deal. Good to do some sport once in a while...

Some days ago somebody lent me the L-Word series. A reason to test the DVD player. :)))

Turns out I do need the remote: I can only see the first chapter on each DVD.
-Not being able to change the subtitles isn't such a big deal, since luckily they speak English, and not Chinese or so...-

The thing is: I did see the first chapter of the L-Word before I found out the problem.
Whereas before I wouldn't have cared to have no dvd-player without remote, now I need that remote!!! I need to see the rest of the series!!!
-Damn.-

Posted on September 13, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Katrina and the photo adapation

In my email:

Dear Friends,

Over the past few days someone with an excellent command of digital-manipulation and a sharp sense of irony has been emailing "photo commentary" of the Bush response to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster. As you will see below, Bush & Son are pictured happily engaged in leisure activities on the backdrop of a devasted New Orleans. It's a fitting and frustrated response to a very serious situation.

But these photos speak to a deeper problem: our ability to get at the TRUTH is under siege.
If you happen to be carrying a camera or a microphone in New Orleans right now, it is almost certain a gun will be raised in your direction. There are reports of photographers having guns pointed at their HEADS; their cameras confiscated.
Yes, even the corporate media is feeling the pinch.

WHY are mercenaries patrolling the streets of New Orleans with M-16s?
WHY are they are using a natural disaster as an excuse to implement martial law?
WHY, while doctors, nurses and more than a thousand patients waited in the Charity Hospital for rescue, was the National Guard busy clearing the area of the "enemy"?

The private security firm Blackwater, professional mercenaries, have been contracted by the Department of Homeland Security (paid for with our tax dollars) and deployed to the streets. These are fully-armed, trained killers freshly imported from the streets of Iraq. To bypass the decree that only "law enforcement officials" are allowed to carry weapons, the Louisiana governor is "deputizing" them.

How many more examples of betrayal, lies, strong-arm tactics, and general disregard do we need to experience before we demand more from ourselves and our leaders? These retouched photos offer up sardonic commentary, but how can we answer the call more responsibly?

Documentary photographers are some of the bravest and most earnest people I have ever encountered.
We need to hear their stories, see their pictures. It is their unadulterated work that is especially important at this time.
Citizens all over the world are struggling to find ways to get clear and accurate information about the conditions that affect their lives—let us be part of telling the story with authenticity and truth. We remain steadfast in our continued support of documentary photography and independent media as a responsible action in the recovery of our civil society.

For more background:
•AlterNet: "Overkill in New Orleans"
•Editor & Publisher: "Journalist Groups Protest FEMA Ban on Photos of Dead"
•Democracy Now: "Is the Government Trying to Stem the Tide of Images From New Orleans by Threatening Journalists?"
•Information Clearing House: "New Orleans on a hair-trigger"
•Blackwater USA's website
See Thomas Dworzak's extensive photo coverage


FiftyCrows can be found here

Posted on September 14, 2005
in Linking context

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Palestinian chaos abates in former Gaza settlements

NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Palestinian security forces took control in abandoned Jewish settlements in Gaza on Wednesday, ending two days of anarchy following Israel's withdrawal from the territory.

Well, this is not the scary part, there was nothing left to loot anyway, but this is:

Chaos erupted along the border after Monday's withdrawal as tens of thousands of Palestinians, no longer deterred by a lethal Israeli army buffer strip, clambered walls into Egypt and flooded cheap Egyptian town markets and appliance shops.

But Palestinian and Egyptian police clamped down early on Wednesday, restricting access to seven informal crossing points, security sources and witnesses said.

They said furious Hamas militants blew open a big hole in the border wall with a bomb but Palestinian and Egyptian police swiftly blocked the area.

Mohammad Amees, a Palestinian seen crawling through a small hole in the barrier, said the Egyptian Sinai town of el-Arish had been overwhelmed by visitors from Gaza. "All the shops are empty in el-Arish. There's no food, dairy products, and the electronics shops have been cleaned out," he told Reuters.

Israel expects that Hamas will use sneak roads to get bombs into Gaza, to attack Israeli towns, like the port of Ashkelon.

When talking to Tamar last week, I asked her why they didn't demolish their synagogues in Gaza.
She said it was never done, and Israel never demolished mosques when taking land.She thought that maybe they wouldn't destroy the mosques.
Guess that was a wrong thought...

Strangely the looters also demolish the greenhouses, which were actually left to give the Palestinians an opportunity to build an new economy.
There are already formal agreements on the export to Israel out of these greenhouses...

Brought by Reuters: Top News

Posted on September 14, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Technorati top 100

Some time ago we were talking on Doppler. My table companion said it was not such a good program. I wouldn't know frankly speaking, since I have Apple, and PC stuff doesn't tend to work on this machine.
Today, while looking what all this buzz of Technorati is about I found they are number 52 on the Top100 blogs.

Just wanted to congratulate you guys with that!
Means not all the people agree on the note of that table companion ;)

They even get before Joi Ito, Stopdesign, Mezzoblue, Gothamist and Seth Godin. Not bad at all...

Posted on September 14, 2005
in Linking context

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Real or not real?

Is this reality, or just another story of photo adaptation?

Btw: This pic, according to the caption, was written by G. W. Bush on the UN meeting yesterday and asks C. Rice 'I think I may need a bathroom break. Is this possible.'

Posted on September 15, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Dealers Smuggle Weapons Into Gaza From Egypt

(People entering Egypt after 38 years)

Palestinian gunrunners smuggled hundreds of weapons across the Egyptian frontier into Gaza, confirming Israeli fears about giving up border control.

Well, did we ever believed Gaza Palestinians would settle with 360 sq km for 1,4 milj people? That's 3888 people per sq km
(To compare: Belgium counts 339 people per sq km, and no, there is no mistake in my counting...)

Brought by NYT > International
Interesting article here (on prices of AK47, dealing of weapons etc.)

Posted on September 15, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Making Visible the Invisible: sex chart for books ;)

Non-fiction books checked out and returned at the Seattle Central Library amount to approximately 37000 items per day. From now on, the circulation of books will float in color-coded streams across six big plasma screens located on a glass wall behind the librarians; main information desk.

All participants to Making Visible the Invisible are anonymous. Whatever is in circulation will be noted, but not the person who put it there.

George Legrady's project is the last major piece of art commissioned for the Rem Koolhaas-designed library.

Via dexigner Seattle PI.

This one made me think of the famous sex chart in the L Word -hehe, seems I am seeing the series after all...- but then better.
1000 of books in a chart. What a nice idea.
I remember reading somewhere that tagging will be the keyword in the future of the internet.
Maybe.
I think it will be visualization of network links. Tagging will have a function there, but not a necessity.

Brought by we make money not art

Posted on September 15, 2005
in Linking context

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SinFul T-shirts

lol

Posted on September 15, 2005
in Linking context

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For the FlickrLovers amongst you

In case you didn't know these toys yet: make a stamp, make a calendar, make loads of stuff...

Posted on September 16, 2005
in Linking context

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Tagging and linking

I'm not a del.icious user, I didn't figure out the use -when clicking on someone's delicious list I get amazingly confused of the disorder...

I'm neither a Technorati user... I think it is useful, but can someone please explain me why? ;)

But I love TagCloud.
Why? I don't need to do anything except for adding some rss feeds. :)))
Check it out.

(My tagcloud here)

Posted on September 16, 2005
in Linking context, Technical stuff

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Fight Mannequinism.

Mannequinism: An In-Depth Report

A Medical Mystery

It's an all too familiar story. There is a young man or woman who is very busy all the time. So busy that he or she has no time to volunteer, stay current on the news, or even vote. Our young specimen is so busy that when it comes to participating in the community, this person is essentially a mannequin. And then it happens: Little by little the person actually turns into a mannequin. How can this be?

In this special report our experts provide an in-depth look at the symptoms, diagnosis, prevention and treatments of mannequinism. We help you understand how mannequinism happens, and how to avoid becoming a mannequin yourself.

Check out their amazing ads.

Posted on September 16, 2005
in Linking context

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Buy a piece of land in Israel?

Strange ad:

The Israeli Government has designated the areas surrounding and above the Lake of Galilee as a future touristic area. In these regions lie large areas of unused agricultural land. Which are ready for conversion into recreational use.

These pieces of agricultural land are bought by our organization and offered in smaller pieces of 100 square meters (ca 1,075 ft²) for 2,000 euro (2,400 dollar as per July 1, 2005). You can buy these via Kfar Shalom Galil.

Hereafter we will apply for conversion of the designation of this land with the Israeli Government into recreational purposes in order to build holiday homes Parcs. The value of the land will increase by this conversion.

As soon as this has been realized, the land will be developed further by our own organization or be sold to recreation project developers. The revenues are for YOU!

Against the value of your purchase you are entitled to stay for free at the accommodation of Bed & Breakfast cabins of Kfar Shalom Galil. So, for every invested 2,000 euro (2,400 dollar as per July 2005) you receive a free stay of two weeks and a 50% discount for further stays.

During your stay you can inspect your own land, possibly work it or reap its fruits. We have no doubt that this introduction has aroused your interest and curiosity.

Hmm, the pic doesn't show an interesting place, but it has to be said: Israelis turned desert into a blooming place, so you'll never know.
And a field of 10m on 10 is just a veryvery small garden... Just enough to put a tent on. LOL.

Oh, you have to check this video, shows how music influences your mind.

Posted on September 16, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Status: one hosting moved totally.

Yep, a buch of things will dissapear, but they were just floating there anyway.
All necessary files are moved.
Second hosting to come in the next weeks.

Savings?: Around 400 euro eventually -through gathering some sites together in a reseller account-. Worth doing it I guess. And certainly as good conditions. I tested their helpdesk today and the answers were accurate and within 20 minutes. Eat that.

I opted for MediaTemple. Why? Because last year, due to some problems -they didn't have php4 and my platform was only working that way- we ended a hosting. They paid me all my money back.
Around the same time another hosting didn't do such a thing, giving me a very peculiar answer.
Wrong bet...( I know they don't need my money, they are big enough anyway.)
All my hostings will be removed by next week, moved to MediaTemple, offering me service and good price.
Thank you very much.
(And, no they don't give me money for saying this here.)

Posted on September 16, 2005
in Linking context, Technical stuff

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Why it seems people are addicted to computers.

Things I did with it today:

1. checked my bills (normally go to the bank, be in traffic jam for 30min)
2. paid my bills (see 1.)
3. took information for dvd-player remote control (normally pay an incredible phone-bill for being on hold)
4. installed some sites (well, it is what I do...)
5. sent some emails (instead of writing and posting them, + waiting inline at post office, remember those days...lol)
6. did some internet courses (still going for school to learn too.) on sql.
7. check jobs (instead of going to kiss computer)
8. read my newspaper through rss
9. surfed around to fill the free time (because of not standing in line in bank and post office.)
10. still to do: organize my image library.

Things that tell you that you are really addicted:
1. when you go to your old apartment and lie on the cold floor in a very uncomfortable position because your new apartment hasn't got internet yet. -hehehe Lore ;) -
2. when you wake up and you check your email
3. when you click your rss reader each 10 minutes.
4. when you can't stand a weekend without internet.

I have to admit: nr 2 is my sin...

Question: when everything can be done by internet, it becomes something one can't miss anymore.
Does it mean you are addicted?

Note: when I take my computer home this weekend, it is because we are going to take pictures and I need to download them to my hard disk. This is the one and only truth! ;)

Posted on September 16, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Typetester

A very convenient tool for web-designers.

Posted on September 18, 2005
in Linking context, Technical stuff

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New Friendster

Just logged in to the new Friendster.

Must be ages since I read my horoscope. -I even avoid it actually-

Today's Forecast:
Everyone is waiting for you to get things going -- you have their full trust.

LOL.
Just after a solicitation. This is fun. (Not that I believe one single word of it..)

(Oh Friendster has TypePad powered blogs, I totally forgot about it.
I actually never use Friendster. Of all the social software, Linked In seems the one to prefer. No bullshit, just what you want.)

Posted on September 19, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Belgium

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MakePoveryHistory asks for pics

MakePoveryHistory asks for pics

You can upload them on their website.
We were so free to make a group on PhotoBlog too. :)

(In Belgium you can buy the wristband online at 11.be)

Posted on September 19, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge, Linking context

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The marihuana field reporter

This reporter covers the news while soldiers are burning cocaine and marihuana leafs, suddenly this routine job seems harder to stay on focus

thx to Michel
by briandrain.be

LOL

Posted on September 19, 2005
in Linking context

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Copy Your Digital Photos Onto Film

A new backup service is now available: A MINOX laboratory copies your digital photos pixel by pixel onto traditional chemical film.

The world upside down.
I was yesterday in a meeting, in which they asked me my opinion on analogue photography.
I think it will never die, since once we all figure out the things we hate about digital photography. :)
Analogue is real, it is about understanding what photography is about. With digital it is different, it is trial and error. Way different way of thinking...

Brought by PhotographyBLOG

Posted on September 20, 2005
in Linking context, Technical stuff

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Fly around the globe...

Yep,they are doing it again: 4.000.000 'free' flights...

Posted on September 20, 2005
in Linking context

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Sad story: Palestinians smuggle Egyptian brides into Gaza

Many Palestinian men who flocked into Egypt after the IDF evacuated the Philadelphi corridor have seized the opportunity to search for brides.

Why? "Because the women are cheaper then in Gaza" and "Some of the men were already married and had decided to take a second or third wife after discovering that Egyptian families were eager to send their daughters to a relatively better life in the Gaza Strip, the source added."

Sad story...

The whole article here

Brought by JPost.com Headlines

Posted on September 20, 2005
in Living in Israel

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RSS to PDF

Nice tool: print pdf from rss feed
I can imagine some people who'll like this one: only core information on paper and nothing else.
On the other hand: I don't have a printer since 2 years -buying one again next week due to need to print letters for old fashioned commuinication-, so is it a necessity?

The answer is yes: for informational stuff
RSS rules :)

Link by Hans

Posted on September 21, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Stunning beautiful...

I wish I was special...

Posted on September 21, 2005
in Linking context

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Skype on your mobile

Yep, it arrived... Mobile operators be aware.
And for sure it is only one step away from what is to come: dualmobiles with Skype integrated...

The key to IPdrum is the connection between the mobile telephone and the computer. This "base station" mobile telephone will be the link between the Skype connection and the user's phone via a local call setup. Both incoming and outgoing calls can be handled by the system.
The main features of the IPdrum Mobile Skype Cable including:
· Forwarding of incoming Skype calls to PSTN- or mobile phone
· Outgoing calls to Skype subscribers
· Outgoing calls to stationary and mobile telephones using the SkypeOut subscription service
· Synchronizing of contacts from mobile
· Synchronizing of contacts in Skype
· Connecting/Synchronizing contacts with Skype users

The IPdrum Mobile Skype Cable will be available to media from August 2005 onwards.

For USD 69,95 only (the Olympia phone is quite more expensive...)

The catch? You need 2 mobiles to make it running. Yes.. 2 mobiles...
So is it worth it? Nope. -Too much of a hassle to set it up. Only worth it whan you call abroad very often. And still..-
But as I said: a step for what is to come...

Posted on September 21, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Aaargh...

The L Word is on tonight and I DON'T have cable...

Posted on September 21, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Screencast screencast screencast

Yep I am sure.
I mentioned it in a talk with Peter yesterday, but the big buzz will be screencasting.

I referred to it as videocasting. -He smiled. 'Screencasting it is'-
I already implemented it in the new version of SnowBlog some months ago, and I see amazing possibilities: teachers can upload little lessons, and children can exchange messages over little video's.

But the big problem is the standard, Peter replied.
And the necessity of good software.
I am not sure about that...
.mov  and.swf seem to do well. -Apple has some very nice features in their paying quicktime version btw.-
And good software to tape? Try ScreenRecord. 20 dollar only.
Tape, export and you have a perfect .mov. ready to upload.
Intro's can be made in iMovie, but are no necessity whatsoever. Video is visual and thus works perfectly without..
Use iChat in combination with a webcam to show yourself online if you want.

I am certainly not the only one with this opinion, it seems.

Update: good software + explanation can be found here (scroll down)

Posted on September 21, 2005
in Projects - Podcasting

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Student forever

Since Monday I am a student again.
Hopefully by February PHP and Ilustrator will have revealed some of their secrets to me.

Belgium has a very nice system of adults education. Pretty cheap, one can follow subsidized education.
Social promotion it is called.
I am following classes in KISP Ghent, which is fully equipped and which I recommend.

If you are interested check out their courses.

Some extra info:
As an employee you can ask educational vacation plus educational cheques.
As an unemployed you can get some money back from the VDAB.
As independent you can get cheaper courses through educational cheques.
(By now I pay 70 euro instead of 175... In return I go to school 2 nights a week for 6 months. Good deal, I'd say.)

In this school their are 1200 students following evening classes. This is only one branch of 4 and only of the many social education schools of Belgium.

Long life learning is the message.

I am going back to the class now.

Posted on September 21, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Take me somewhere

Hothouse - September 16th, 2005
"One of the surprises in a government survey released today was that a full 14 percent of women aged 18 to 29 reported having at least one sexual encounter with another woman. Yet only four percent call themselves lesbians. Researchers have loosely titled this phenomenon “the Jennifer Beals effect.”"

Brought by Dykes And The City

Take me along...

Posted on September 22, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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I just wanna feel good

:)

Posted on September 22, 2005
in Linking context

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Project Comet

Project Comet will launch in early 2006 and will combine the publishing power of TypePad, the community aspects of LiveJournal and the years of insight garnered from Movable Type. Project Comet is focused on creating an advanced weblogging technology platform combining the best elements of all our products, giving people the ability to easily stake out, build and share their own place on the web.

Project Comet will incorporate the latest technologies, some of which include:

* Community Aggregation: Gives you the ability to create individual blogs and share sections of them with other users in an elegant and customizable way.
* Multiple Streams: Provides a single place to keep everything that is important to you. A record of your life is created by incorporating streams from various media, like music, photos, videos and other blogs into a single customized blog with an identity of its own.
* Privacy: Lets you decide who gets to see what parts of your blog in addition to existing password protections for entire blogs.

Yep, TypePad users get it for free...

Posted on September 22, 2005
in Technical stuff

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To Mocha and the other 'boyz'

Take care over there in Texas, Austin.

Posted on September 23, 2005
in Friends around

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Coolville cartoon

"We have a new cartoonist. Hoara!
Coolville wil appear from next monday on."

Mhhh, our city blog suddenly seems more appealing to me. Go for it Steve!

Brought by Gent.blogt

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Linking context

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The Skeleton Key

Yesterday we went to the Skeleton Key (if it wasn't for the fact that we lacked better choices...)
A thriller, the movie was labeled.
I can hardly call it a thriller in the sense I know it, nor a horror movie, but it is surely in-between.
The movie has you in its spell until the end, but to me, it was the photography that took my attention. Beautiful done.
New Orleans as we don't know it anymore since Katrina came along.
New Orleans as the place where hoodoo is part of the society. (check the site to read some more about it)

Strange but not bad.

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Belgium

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Puma shoes

I am a shoe addict, though at this point I only have 4 pair at my apartment -and 4 more at home-
The thing is, when I see the pair I like, I want. I want badly. I need...

In Israel I found this pair and though I wasn't planning to spend the money, I did.
Luckily. Due to the dollar rate and the nice euro -and probably a wrong labeling in the Puma shop-, I paid like 300 NIS or 'only' 54 euro -haha, u bet I made a good deal, online they are offered for 110 euro!-

Puma has beautiful lifestyle footwear, these days.
A mix between design and comfortable sport shoes.
I bought a pair of Mostro's some years ago, and I didn't take them off for a long time. (the fact that they have so many different variants of them, proves I am not the only one liking them)
I would buy 10 pairs of them, if it weren't for the fact Puma keeps on coming with new, beautiful (even designer's) shoes, that keep on seducing me...

Caro, want to hunt along for winter?

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Israel

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Surprise?

You are a Social Liberal (65% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (25% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Belgium

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A surreal conversation

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Linking context

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Citizen Reporting

(citizen reporting on CNN)

Citizen Journalism/Reporting is an upcoming phenomenon -though not new-.
All the newspapers suddenly call for your help: report news.
In Belgium De Standaard was the first to ask for pictures. Soon the others followed: De Gentenaar even opened an SMS-line to report news of the people.
Het Belang van Limburg is also doing a research on how to integrate citizen reporting and many others will surely follow.
Internationally there are some important players: Scoopt jumped on the market and launched a press agency for the amateur. BBC asks for pictures and news. CNN does the same.

But is there a future for citizen reporting?
Vincent Maher makes some interesting points.

In his blog, Maher -- like me an optimist about the promise of grassroots media -- writes: "What this says to me, despite my enthusiasm for citizen journalism and the we media, is that we have a long way to go."

"It could start with getting paid, of course, but I think the real problem is that it is simply too easy to sit and wait for someone else to write it up and then provide commentary. Journalists are expected to get up and physically go there, take a photo, do something, and get back to post the story. … Bloggers seem to get away with armchair journalism and it's getting worse and worse."

Here are my own thoughts: It is early in the grassroots journalism game, so I'm not going to get distressed yet. But every time some big news story like this breaks, where witnesses are using cell-phone cameras and writing to blogs about their experiences, I long for some central, well-publicized website where citizen journalists will know to post their contributions to the event coverage (or contribute links to their content) -- and where readers will know to look for citizen accounts.

In a more controversial post he claims that 'Citizen reporting is dead'.
This post is way more interesting than what was written in the past by the Standaard journalist Deckmyn.
Maher, multimedia journalism teacher, compares Old Media and New Media in a very severe way.
He points out to some interesting stuff.
The first one on Ethics is already a tough one.

When we look in retrospect to the post/interview with LVB, I think some of those arguments are valuable.

Other dichotomies:

Let me put it clear: I am not saying the same thing doesn't happen in Old Media.
It does, all the time: due to some circumstances and temporary fashion, a lot of the news is not well documented and is lacking much background information.
I would recommend people to go to the VVOJ, Global Investigative Journalism Conference.
Also good for those bloggers who would love to be a journalist.

Next to that, I am NOT attacking LVB. I think it is an interesting show-case.
I remember my 'appearances' in media and recall some similar questions. I think the strongest answer on such questions would be 'No Comment' or something alike. Very often I answer with 'I think' which turns it in something else than a statement.
(I think, for the matter, the journalist who interviewed LVB made some huge mistakes. You can not ask 1 person to have you explain something about Belgium and take it as the truth.
When the VRT asked me to go to the studio to discuss on 'artists in Israel' I found their questions totally irrelevant. It only showed that the guy presenting wasn't aware of the stuff he had to talk about. Yet, an answer was requested, and the answer was broadcasted to the world. How can one tiny person make a statement on 'how artists in Israel deal with politics'? How can one person in Belgium say 'how Belgians deal with America'? The question is even way out of reach for any expert to answer...)

Citizen reporting is facing some problems, and, in fact, Maher's critique is helping a lot in analyzing those things to deal with.

I do think it 'we media' has a future. In fact, to me, reading a local blog is far more interesting then reading the ordinary newspaper or seeing CNN.
I think those sources are complementary to each other.
The real danger in it, is reading stuff and taking it for granted. With a blogger we'll never know in which way he/she is reporting.
When we read a local grassroot blog, we can agree on it or not, because we know the daily reality. With blogs around the globe it is different. We can only guess...
As an example I can point out to palestineblogs.com. You can guess it is not objective -well this one is a clear example...- but you'll never know.
If you don't read the blog as 'the truth', still it contains some valuable information that puts the traditional media into a different light.
It gives me an insight on the daily life of a person, and exactly that is its power.

Grassroots journalism needs indeed a central well publicized site.
A site that is maintained, not by individuals, but by well known editors.
Next to that it needs guidance. Loads and loads of guidance.

Some interesting background:
How audiences are shaping the future of news and information (pdf).
We the media, from Dan Gillmor.

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Israel arrests 206 terror suspects in West Bank

In raids across the West Bank overnight, Israel Defense Forces arrested at least 206 "wanted Palestinians," an IDF spokeswoman told CNN on Sunday.

Brought by CNN.com

I called with Yasser yesterday.
According to him, it is only starting now...
His exact words were 'Where are they doing this in West Bank, when actually it is pretty quiet these days?'
I have no clue.
Does anyone have a clue?

Meanwhile I do understand the fear of Palestinians. For them every good news comes before bad. And they are not even optimistic about the good anymore.

I’ve been constantly asked about my personal opinion –as a Palestinian- on this whole Gaza “disengagement” plan, I’d always reply: It’s good to have Gaza back, but be sure Israel didn’t do this unless it already calculated the benefits of this so called pullout. Wait and see, days will prove me right.
I knew the negative intentions will show up soon, and sooner than I’ve expected the Israeli plan in isolating Gaza, while expanding its territories and spreading its control over the West Bank, is showing to the whole world.
As usual, media is focusing on the suffering of the Israeli settlers who were forced to leave their homes, reporting their misery caused by dislocation, while covering the happiness and joy of the “evil” Palestinians taking over Gaza!
Now the Israeli government is taking advantage of its “peace gesture”; being in the strongest position ever, Israel now gives itself the right to expand the West Bank settlement… dare anyone say NO to Israel after its big historical “sacrifice”!!
So what I’m trying to say basically is: Israel has put other international power-countries in a position where they have no right to interfere nor condemn… so they believe they’re left no choice but turn a blind eye to Israel’s obvious ongoing occupation…
And this is only the beginning…

The fragment above is saying something alike Yasser's opinion.
Especially the part where they point out to the media tactics of crying settlers, and then, according to them, the tactical move of leaving the synagogues.
We knew they would show the world we're Islamic monsters.

I really have no clue if it is right information or not.
If it was prepared like that or not.
I do recall a conversation with an Israeli friend, saying to me and Tamar, after all the commotion of the settlers 'The thing is, whether they [the settlers] are bastards or not, this will turn out well for Israel, because it shows that we, Israeli are doing such a terrible thing to our people by throwing out of their homes.
We are really doing efforts to give land back to the Palestinians. It will be in our advantage.'
He is pro-green line and giving back the land, but was just pointing out the international effect of the acts of the government.

I think it is naive to accept that the withdrawal was without any other intentions, just like it is naive to believe that the war in Iraq was on WMD...

Posted on September 25, 2005
in Living in Israel

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vanishing point

Vanishing Point consists of a map of the world connected to a database fed by news coming from several international newspapers. The visibility of each country on the map results from the quantity of media coverage the country receives, so those countries that do not make the news disappear progressively. The newspapers selected are some of the most widely-read from countries that make up the Group of Seven (G7), the seven most industrialized nations in the world.

Brought by braindrain.be

Posted on September 26, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge, Linking context

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Fifty Crows on the myth of objective documentation

Damn why am I here and not there?

Posted on September 26, 2005
in Linking context

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Yad Vashem publishes 'Belgian Encyclopedia'

Yad Vashem published a Belgium Encyclopedia of the Righteous Among the Nations, its fourth such English encyclopedia in a six volume series.

Such an Encyclopedia reports 610 rescue stories about 1,172 Belgians.
So not all bad news out of WOII...

Brought by JPost.com Headlines

Posted on September 26, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Life News from Washington

i was in DC for the march against the war in iraq. 300,000 people
showed up. it was big. the counter protest, in which organizers
hoped to draw thousands, had 200 people show up. things could really be turning the corner here... everyone knows the war is a disaster and now, with the debacle of
the hurricane katrina aftermath, maybe, just maybe, most americans
are finally catching on that george bush is not a good man.

all the best,
mj

Seems Bush IS loosing voters.

Posted on September 26, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge

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Israel hits more targets in Gaza

Israeli aircraft fire missiles at targets in Gaza in a continued operation against Palestinian militants.

by BBC News

Well, they seem to take hard repercussions on the 4 wounded Israeli of last week...
A lot of raids, more then 200 people jailed 2 days ago and 80 more last night.
And this while Hamas plegded last night to stop their attacks.

"Continued assassinations will explode the entire situation. We are asking the international community, especially the US, to move immediately and put strong pressure on Israel to stop this," he said in an interview with AFP.
Try to understand their tactics.

Posted on September 27, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Guide for bloggers and cyber-dissidents

Wow! A handbook of 88 pages about weblogs. You can download here in pdf. It is produced by Reporters without Borders and a great introduction in how to set up, maintain, organise a weblog and so on.

Via Hans on Experience

Posted on September 27, 2005
in Linking context

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Respect

for the amazing journalists out there.
And for those who died in search for the truth.

Posted on September 27, 2005
in Linking context

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Humous, chips, salat

A happy Orthodox lesbian writes from the Diaspora with an eye on her return.

Happy, orthodox and lesbian in one sentence? U must be kiddin'

Read this post:
My mom, of all people, told me she knew I was gay since high school. My dad however, being the theorist that he is when it comes to determining how much money pizza delivery boys make (depending on whether they make deliveries using a tus-tus or car) decided that it was "the Rabbis" who made me gay.

LOL, but with some fine thoughts. Nice to read it in the rather conservative newspaper Jerusalem Post

Posted on September 27, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Israel

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Meanwhile life from Israel

I just called with Tamar, to share some thoughts. And to check what is going on -check a former post on recent events-
According to her knowledge people near Gaza spent the weekend in their shelters because of Kassam-missiles coming out of Gaza.
In Jerusalem a man named Nuriel was kidnapped and killed. Pictures were released today.
In Israel, the Knesset is going crazy and Likud is fighting (Knesset is parliament, and Likud is the party of Sharon, who is by now not really supported by his party anymore...)
Israel is striking back, and it is striking hard.
Israel is on the verge of a huge political crisis.

As Tamar told me: I am so tired of it. So tired, I don't want to hear it anymore. I even close the TV to avoid it.

When one sees the picture of Nuriel, one can easily see the similarity of pictures out of Iraq and else where. The influence of Osama, although many Palestinians believe he is not doing anything good for their cause, is all over the place. He became the new symbol for resistance in the Arab world.
Hamas called for cease fire yesterday, but their members don't follow the orders from above, it is clear the head doesn't know about the tail, as Tamar said.
And Israel gets scared. They are afraid they are loosing control.

I wonder if they didn't anticipate to this. If they didn't prepare for such events.
Having lived over there, and having seen some of the institutions in Gaza and West Bank, this is not surprising to me.
Moreover: the Palestinian men in control over these things were killed or captured by Israeli.
So what's next?
Capturing all possible new leaders? -referring to the 300 people captured in the last 3 days...-

Posted on September 27, 2005
in Living in Israel

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20 good reasons why to stay home

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of email from aspiring foreign correspondents who want to cut their teeth in Baghdad. I understand the sentiment, I really do. But at this time, I think it’s an unwise course of action and I’d like to take a little space to outline why.

The conclusion: There are plenty of places that need energetic, young journalists. Darfur, southern Thailand, Indonesia, even Syria (if you can swing the security apparatus.) For those without experience in extremely dangerous work conditions, this is no place for on-the-job training.

Posted on September 27, 2005
in Linking context

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Randomize pictures

Feel like random seeing pictures from a defined site?
Google it.
I take PhotoBlog as an example, a nice way to see some new talents in no context whatsoever. To discover pearls...

Or the pictures on my blog: here

Posted on September 28, 2005
in Technical stuff

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Your PhotoBlog Mapped

I am still figuring out what'/s so good about Flickr...

It must be the community, because to me, their admin panel sucks.
Each time I open PhotoBlog, I am so delighted about Maarten's baby and the way it was designed: clear and simple.
We almost never got questions on the interface. And we know why.

Some weeks ago, PhotoBlog was acquired by Pixagogo and it is good news to see the guys working on it.
They implemented Google Maps and the results are there: the PhotoBlog Member Map. Just for the fun of it.

Out of a good source I know they are hard working on other features.
So be aware :)

Posted on September 28, 2005
in Projects - PhotoBlog.net

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Revealed

Digitalyn. Found via Promethee.

Belgium has, next to a vivid Flemish blogging activity, also a very active Walloon blogging scene.
Worth checking out.
Especially the stories on the Walloon politics might gives us a different inside on what we know.

When living in Israel I was stunned about the fact that Israeli's knowledge of Arab was so little. Stunned that they didn't know each other at all.
Back in Belgium, I realize we have a similar gap here.

On top of that, our media and politics put us up against each other.

In a recent research, it was revealed how Flemish thought about Walloon and vice versa.
It was shameful for us, the Flemish. How we underestimate our neighbors on the other line of the language line.
When reading it, I was ashamed to be 'Flandrien' for a sec.
The opinion of the French speaking part of this country was really flattering: they see us as hard working, smart and much more.
Flemish on Walloons was quite different.

According to some professors it was based upon old ideas and is not representing reality at all.
(Education for example got much better in the south of the country, while in Flanders, it got worse. )

An opinion that might change when reading their blogs...

Posted on September 28, 2005
in Linking context

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Caermersklooster

Some days ago, I visited the Caermersklooster while passing by.

The title 'Stuck in Time' struck me.
The photo exhibition of Luk Monsaert was a nice extra.

And a little bit a disappointment...
The beautiful big pictures were stealing the show. But the movie stars were disappearing in the bad prints. A kind of inkjetprint took away all their glamour.
Juliette Binoche, in who's eyes I could get lost looked at me with a pale look.
Such a pity.

Stuck in time, on the other hand, revealed of what new media artists in town are capable of. Vidiots is a collective we'll see appear in other places. In their description of the project, they revealed they had to simplify the installation due to technical reasons. I think it made it stronger. You follow 4 people, but in a very special way. Worth visiting.

Btw free entrance to the museum.

Posted on September 28, 2005
in Linking context, Living in Belgium

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Illustrator the next part

While my classes on Monday -PHP fyi- are interesting, not too fast but certainly not too slow, my class today, Illustrator, is boring.
With all respect, but there is one student who just bought his first computer, and who is now following Illustrator(???) It slows down the class.
If there was anything to slow down, that is. Our teacher isn't what one can call fast.

Then again, maybe I am just fast with it. In highschool, with 'technology' I had the same problem. It took me 15 min, what took others 35*. And I passed with high grades without ever learning anything.
(Which was btw quite the opposite from most other subjects I had back then...)

The only thing I can do is find other resources that help me go on. Freetutorial is a nice online class.
It contains many tools in one tutorial -probably as many as we'll have in 3 classes.-

I will continue class, I need the surrounding to go on, and actually, being around students is just nice.
Just like highschool all again ;) but then WITH internet. Lucky bastards, the students of today.

*Update: Which reminds me of my afterschool classes of computer back in '92, Wordperfect -while we had already word and excel running at my dad's business- in which we had to do an exam on a floppydisk. I managed to solve it in 5 minutes, copy it on the floppy and pass it on to all my classmates, after hacking the teachers original copy...
Remember Wordperfect, with the paper made menu to attach to your keyboard for the shortcuts. What a laugh.
I played math games years before on DOS, the grey boxes of IBM with green letters. And later, when 12, a commodore 64 attached to a tiny television and a taperecorder with self made games written in basic. Those were the days.

Posted on September 28, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Blogs and journalists

The results of a survey conducted by PR and Marketing firm Euro RSCG Magnet and Columbia University has found that journalists are increasingly turning to blogs for their information.

The survey's findings include the following:

# More than 51% of journalists use Weblogs regularly, with 28% relying on them for day-to-day reporting (this is above the percentage of the general US population that reads blogs)
# 70% of journalists who use blogs do so for work-related tasks.
# 53% use blogs for finding story ideas
# 43% use blogs for researching and referencing facts
# 36% use blogs for finding sources
# 33% use blogs as a way of uncovering breaking news or scandals
# 68% of journalist respondents agree that blogs will become a more popular tool for corporations seeking to inform consumers
# 56% of journalist respondents agree that blogs will remain an independent and unorthodox means of disseminating information.

Despite these relatively high figures, only 1% of journalists believe blogs are credible. What does this tell you about the journalists?

Found at IsraellyCool

Posted on September 29, 2005
in Linking context

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Deeply involved

For months and months journalists tried to find the tunnels in Gaza. (As the soldiers btw)
This is a truly amazing and profound reportage of what tunnels are about in Gaza.

A splendid Hamas-style beard conceals a very young, boyish face. Only the adult gaze seems to contradict the youthful features. Jaber is 18. His occupation: tunnel excavator. He didn't understand that he was actually given the green light by his employers to tell "the Jew" about his singular profession. He was dumbstruck. The mature

Brought by HaaretzMagazine

Posted on September 29, 2005
in Living in Israel

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Walter Van Beirendonck Humor.

Don't you just love Walter's taste of humor?

Pic by Elisabeth Broekaert, from her renewed site.

Posted on September 29, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Finished

I finished all L Word episodes...

Now let's start the withdrawal. Let's quit the addiction...

Peter gave in some good tips, starting this weekend:

Saturday: Next + Nuit Blanche
Monday: Girly Mondays
Next week: Lady Shake

Posted on September 30, 2005
in Living in Belgium

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Small questions.

"You said I ask only big questions, so here is a small question that has been bothering me for many years: Why does the telephone cable get all wound up, even if I never curl it? I have asked a few experts but haven't received an answer. It's infuriating."

Posted on September 30, 2005
in Limit of my knowledge, Living in Israel

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Times Reporter Testifies in Leak Case After 85 Days in Jail

Judith Miller agreed to testify in the C.I.A. leak case after she obtained a waiver offered by her source, I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff.

From NYT > Home Page

Shit man, she was 3,5 months in jail because she refused to break her word to her source. -Respect.-
Would they put doctors in jail when they refuse to give out information about their patient??
And if this is allowed, what's next?

Posted on September 30, 2005

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