Thanks!

Few weeks ago I decided that I needed some time off. 2005 was a tremendous frantic and emotional year. It was my best working year ever. Let me start to say that I had my fair share of mistakes this year as well:-)


I visited Turkey and India this year, Germany, France, Luxemburg and Spain many times, had the time of my life and great in-depth experiences (and a frequent flyer upgrade:-) Had to work my nuts of to achieve the bonus. Got the best grades for an education that I ever received (used to be more the drop-out type). Was nominated CIO of the year, because of that invited to speech at several conferences and doubled Company Me's market value. Was invited to a lot of network diners, met great people and doubled my love handles too:-) Started getting addicted to blogging and met some wonderful "digital" rays of light.


Finally I turned out to be on the very edge of a major burn-out in the third quarter as well. I am changing a few bad habbits now so I'll be allright next year!



Few things I did not do:
Didn't buy the plasma screen home video set while standing at the counter with the credit card in my hand. Didn't buy the Breitling Pilot's watch that I saved for for many years but we spend some money on second hand furniture and am wearing my sons Mickey Mouse watch.

I didn't quit the current job for major salary improvement after being called by headhunters. In fact I am improving my record number of days with this company every day since I have been kind of a job hopper in the past.

It took me 36 years but somehow I truly believe that I am finally on a very interesting road now. Pure feelings will no longer be benumbed. Shells are and will be casted and new fields of interest will be explored. I feel peaceful and confident.

To all my blogfriends I say: Thank you very, very much for your beautiful, compassionate, profound and warm-hearted comments and your inspiring personal blogs.

I wish you all a lot of humor, love and compassion for 2006,

DA

You are the Light of the World

You are the Light of the World

...and as such, you are here to use your light to heal, transform and transfigure
anything unlike peace, love, harmony and goodwill.

That we all may have moments of peace
...and more peace.

Rather than impose your will upon conditions of lack, disease or suffering
...choose instead to think, feel and emote from an outcome in which any thing unlike what is preferred simply does not exist.

It cannot exist in your experience if you decide to not entertain it.

In doing so, you create a Quantum overlay of preferred possibilities & probable futures.
You are the Light of the World.

You do not need the World’s permission to shine your light upon the dark.

The light releases you from joining others ins eductive, lower energy vibrations.
Use your light to simply transform lower energies.

This is how you heal yourself
...and the World.
This is how you create moments of peace
...and more peace still.

Light cannot injure light. Light is injured by nothing

Light heals all.

In the midst of shining your light you are immune to lower energies.

You don’t heal people by getting them to “get it.”
You don’t heal unwanted situations with people by “teaching them a lesson.”

Just stand in the midst of all that you resist and instead of letting judgment take you over,
put your entire focus upon the Light. The Light will prevail.

You don’t have to do anything more than this.

Bringing peace to the World is what you are here to do.
Just Shine Your Light

You know where your innerLight switch is
...Turn it on!

You heal and transform the entire World around you by turning ON your light!

You don’t have to warn the darkness that you are coming with the light.
Just Shine Your Light!

You are the Light of the World.
And so it is...


© 2005 Heart Productions & Publishing - Mary Robinson Reynolds

Son or SUN?

One of the "best" achievements of Europe's Christian culture was the transformation of various pagan winter festivals into a celebration of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

December 25th occurs about the time of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The shortening days were taken as a sign that the Sun was getting weaker. After the Solstice, the days begin to get longer and pagan folks thought that was an indication that the Sun was getting stronger. Thus, the Winter Solstice became the birthday of several gods: Attis, Frey, Thor, Dionysus (my favourite:-), Osiris, Adonis, Mithra, Tammuz, Cernunnos and so forth. It is a solar holiday, marking the time that the sun becomes apparently stronger day by day.

Jesus was born on December 25, of a virgin. His birth was witnessed by shepherds and magicians Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar [magi]. The Greek word interpreted as "wise men" is "Magoi." He raised the dead and healed the sick and cast out demons. He returned to heaven at the spring equinox and before doing so had a last supper with his 12 disciples (representing the 12 signs of the zodiac), eating mizd, a piece of bread marked with a cross (an almost universal symbol of the sun).

The Encyclopedia Britannica (1949, article Christmas) says—“CHRISTMAS (the 'Mass of Christ')”. Clement of Alexandria (about 200 AD) mentions several speculations on the date of Christ's birth, and condemns them as superstitious... The exact day and year of Christ's birth have never been satisfactorily settled. When the Fathers of the Church in AD 340 decided upon a date to celebrate the event, they wisely (!) chose the day of the Winter Solstice, which was firmly fixed in the minds of the people, and which was their MOST IMPORTANT FESTIVAL.”

We have to reverse history.. I hereby kindly reclaim our Teuto paganish festival !

(Adapted from http://www.stevethepro.ukf.net/xmas/ , http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/wisemen.htm, http://atheism.about.com/b/a/051387.htm and http://www.apfn.org/apfn/christianity.htm)

When the end is near..

My favourite blog on life and death..

Just thinking..

A few posts ago I wrote about our invitation to a gala. Last Sunday we attended the event together with members of our parliament, some royals, a few majors and some business people. It was a wonderful event. We listened to the Choir of King's College from Cambridge singing Christmas carols. The little boy in the middle could not have been older than 6. Many times he didn’t sing at all and picked his nose, looked at his finger and wondered what do with it. This, off course was very endearing.


During the following diner I looked around and noticed all people having one thing in common. We were all native Dutch and English people. No coloured people, no Muslims (which is not surprising when inviting to listen to a Christian Choir). When I look back to all the people on the network diners and meetings I was invited this year, almost 100% of them are autochthon. When you look at the leaders of our Amsterdam AEX listed companies, they are all autochthon and immigrants aren’t seen in the old boys networks as well.

This made me think of the American skull and bones network who are heavily influenced by the German Hegelian philosophy. Hegel was the culmination of the German idealistic philosophy school of Immanuel Kant. To Hegel, our world is a world of reason. The state is Absolute Reason and the citizen can only become free by worship and obedience to the state. Hegel called the state the “march of God in the world” and the “final end.” This final end, Hegel said, “has supreme right against the individual, whose supreme duty is to be a member of the state.” Both fascism and communism have their philosophical roots in Hegelianism.

Bonesmen share an affinity for the Hegellian ideas of the historical dialectic, which dictates the use of controlled conflict - thesis versus anti-thesis - to create a pre-determined synthesis. A synthesis of their making and design, where the state is absolute and individuals are granted their freedoms based on their obedience to the state - a New World Order.


When I was “young” I always looked up to board members of multinationals like Lou Gerstner (IBM) and Lee Iaccoca (Chrysler) and wanted to be like them (I look somewhat different to that after the Enron, Worldcom and Ahold scandals). Our immigrant youth needs role models outside the mosques too. I believe we need a new world order that strives for peace and humanity. But is has to be a multiform society with representatives at the top from all religions and cultures. This is the only way to prevent more retaliation and violence such as recently seen in Paris and Australia.

I am sure that autochthons are not kept out on purpose. At least not most of the time. Or are they? Anyway, we need to find a way how to get the various cultures on our executive boards!

Salvation Army Finds Gold Teeth In Collection Kettle

(kirotv) -- The Salvation Army has often found some odd items in its famous red kettles. But gold teeth? A worker tallying collections Thursday found a pair of golden molars in a plastic bag inside a kettle, said Maj. Darren Mudge of the nonprofit organization in York County.
"I have no clue what we are going to do with them," Mudge said. "It's a wonderful gesture, I guess." Less than two weeks ago, Salvation Army workers wondered if three golden rings placed in two kettles were generous donations or lost items. Mudge joked at the time that workers would keep checking for two more rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. Then, two more golden rings appeared. Followed by 13 more. That's an unprecedented 18 so far this year.

Jaws was not available for comment:-)

You might want to listen to this..

Schlemiel lucky b$%tard..

Yesterday I was invited to give a 30 minute speech during an executive dinerconference in the Rosarium restaurant in Amsterdam. I was second in line between a well known CEO and a global executive searcher. Theme of the event was the profile of the next generation executive to come. I was called a few weeks ago if I was available to say some words. After spontaneously having said “Off Course, I would be honoured” I hung up the phone and thought “ %^&* , what have I done?” As most of the executives are at least 20 years older, it became clear that I was expected to share the ideas of the “youth”. This week I thought about the content of the speech and learned that I am actually rather old fashioned in thoughts and don't quite represent a next generation. The first speaker had a staggering slide-show and brought the audience a little gift. I couldn’t find the time nor inspiration to make a nice Powerpoint presentation and ended up standing in the spotlights empty handed and feeling like a butt naked dumb-ass.

I started waffling à l’improviste on babyboomers, generation x, generation y and the different management style that is needed to approach each group .Very soon the audience started starting raising questions that I returned to other executives in the audience if I didn’t had a clue. Then all of a sudden, the whole audience started arguing and discussing all together and split up in opponents and supporters. The moderator had to do his utmost best to keep the audience under control. After the diner, several executives padded me on the back “Thanks DA, we haven’t had such a great verbal fight in a long time. ” I couldn’t wipe the schlemiel lucky b$%tard grin of my face for hours.

Freedom to speak in Belarus

Amnesty sure has got some great marketeers:

These pictures are duct-taped to trees in the streets of Belarus ( Text on poster: Freedom of Speech in Belorussia) and are part of a larger media campain (other example here)

Action is needed to stop violations of the Right to Freedom of Expression and Association. Life is becoming increasingly difficult for those who speak out against the regime of President Lukashenka in Belarus.

Expecting twins?

Click this

Via Maroesja..

15 Hours to stop the execution

To: Governer Arnold Schwarzenegger

Please grant clemency to death row inmate Stanley "Tookie" Williams. He is helping to save troubled youth across the world. I know that you, Governer Schwarzenegger, are also an advocate for helping troubled youth through your own programs. Please do not let a good man die.

Sincerely, The Undersigned

A good man? Hmm.. I do think he spend his jailtime well. Sure hope he is granted clemency and can continue his good work from behind the barred window..

Update, Dec. 13th: Governator denies clemency. Tookie will be executed 9.00h Dutch time, 12.00h local time.

Final update: Crips gang co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams was executed early today for the 1979 murders of four people in two separate robberies. The U.S. Supreme Court late Monday rejected the convicted killer's last-ditch appeal, hours after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also denied clemency. Williams' supporters argued that he was a changed man. But the stepmother of one of his victims said justice was being done.

(The Australian news) THE bashing of two North Cronulla lifesavers by a gang of Middle Eastern youths a week ago was the trigger for an outbreak of the ugly mob violence on the weekend. Certainly the retaliatory text messages calling on "Aussies" to attack Lebanese youths visiting the southern Sydney beach fuelled what NSW Premier Morris Iemma labelled "the ugly face of racism", which erupted in two beachside suburbs on Sunday, resulting in more than 20 people being injured and 16 arrested.And there are threats of more retaliation and violence to come.

The latest mobile phone message being circulated yesterday said: "all arabs unite as one/we will never back down to anyone/the aussies will feel the full force of the arabs as one/brothers in arms unite now/let's show them who's boss/destroy everything/gather at cronulla 18/12/05 midday/spread the message to all arabs/meet up at the lighthouse".

I see this peetmore fire burning over here as well, where does this lead to :-(

Opus Dei, tutta la veritá

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedetto warned on Sunday against rampant materialism which he said was polluting the spirit of Christmas. "In today's consumer society, this time of the year unfortunately suffers from a sort of commercial 'pollution' that threatens to alter its real spirit," the Pope told a large crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square to hear his weekly Angelus blessing.

Mr. Joseph Ratzinger warned against rampant materialism from a marble balcony, gold-domed building in midst of jewel-encrusted religious icons while wearing giant gold cross and Prada shoes..

A German proverb goes something like this "Most people like short prayers and long sausages."

"Gay Friendly" Hotel

Since I have a meeting in Brussels tomorrow morning at 8.30, my secretary booked a hotel in the neighbourhood where I will stay tonight. Just visited their website. General: Parking, Restaurant, Pets allowed, Bar, 24 hour Front Desk, Newspapers, Non Smoking Rooms, Rooms/Facilities for Disabled, Elevator, Express checkin/checkout, Safe deposit box, Heating, Luggage storage, Gay friendly.

Gay friendly? What does that mean? Non gay unfriendly? Dark room available? Can I expect YMCA guys singing in the lobby? Would I get a discount if I say I'm gay? Help me out guys, I'm confused..

Saturdaymorning feelings

Russia and India join efforts to become strategic partners

(PRAVDA) The two countries aim to launch large-scale defense projects and stand up for Iran's right to work on its nuclear program. The recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Russia has proved it again that Moscow officials do have good skills in finding political and economic allies. It is difficult to say which of the two states - Russia or India - is more interested in cooperation. It is not really important to know the answer for this question, taking into consideration the fact that there are too many fields, which Russia and India can gain mutual profit from. Is this the prelude for a new cold, very cold warplay?

Ten

Ten

Can you see as a child sees
And keep the simple vision?
See the inner oneness
With absolute precision

Hold all things in your embrace
The entire world is in your care
Let things be just as they are
Extend acceptance everywhere

Let go all need to comprehend
The truth is here where all behold
Their infinite capacity
To welcome and enfold

(TAO)

Stop comprehending and be surprized. If even for one day..

Treadmill around the world.

Have you ever wished you could get a quality treadmill workout without paying expensive gym prices? Look no further than the Treadmill Bike by the Bicycle Forest. The Treadmill Bike offers the same fat burning benefits of a conventional treadmill without the membership fees! See the video as well. Would be a nice alternative for the Tour the France.

Airline abbreviations

When I tried to find my flight on the Parisian schedule board yesterday, I run up against several airline abbreviations. I've looked them up:

AA (American Airlines) - Always Awful
AI (Air India) - Allah Informed
ALITALIA - Always Late In Takeoff Always Late In Arrival ,Air Line In Tokyo And Luggage In Amsterdam
BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corp.) - Better On A Camel ,Bloody Old and Careless
CA (China Airlines) - Choose Another
CAAC (Civil Aviation Authority of China ?) - Chinese Airline Always Canceled , China Airlines Almost (Always) Crashes
CPA (Canadian Airl.Intl.) - Can't Promise Anything (New code CAI) - Crash And Ignite, Call Ambulance Immediately, Circle Airport Indefinitely, Cruise Above Iceland, Cancel Alaskan Itinerary, Call Attendants "Idiots", Check All Items, Copilots Are Imbeciles, Casual Atmosphere Inside
DELTA - Don't Even Leave The Airport, Don't Ever Leave The Airport, Don't Even Let Them Aboard (referring to the arabs?), Departing Even Later Than Anticipated
EAL (Eastern) - Eastern's Always Late
ELAL - Every Landing Always Late
JAT (Yugoslav Airlines)- Joke About Time
KLM = Koop Lockheed Majesteit (Buy Lockheed, Your majesty, after the Lockheed bribe scandal which involved HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands)
LOT (Polish Airlines) - Last One There, Luggage On Tarmack (wave 'bye!)
LUFTHANSA - Let Us Fuck The Horses, Are No Stewardesses Available
PA (Philippine Airways)- Please Avoid
PAL (Phil. Airlines) - Philippines Always Late
PAN AM - Plan On Arriving Nervewracked And Mad
PIA (Pakistan Intl.Airl) - Please Inform Allah, Panic In Air ,Perhaps I Arrive
QANTAS - Queer And Nasty Types As Stewards
SABENA (Belgium) - Such A Bloody Experience, Never Again, Such A Bad Experience, Never Again
SAHSA (Servicio Aero Honduras SA) - Stay At Home, Stay Alive
SAS (Scandinavian Airl. System) - Sweet And Sexy, Sex And Service
SIA (Singapore Intl.Airl.) - So Incredible, Aah
TACA - Take A Chance Airline
TAP (Portuguese Airl.) - Take Another Plane
TRANSAVIA - To Rape A New Stewardess After V1 Is Allowed.
TWA (Transworld Airl.) - Travel Without Arrival, Try Walking, Asshole , Try Walking Again, The Worst Airline, Took Wrong Airline, Try Walking Across (transatlantic perspective), Travel With Arabs, Terrorist Welcome Aboard, Terrorists With Arms, Teenie Weenie Airlines, Traveling Without Air, Tiny Wings Aflappin , Time Waste Airlines
Usair - Unfortunately, Still Alleghany In Reality

World Debut of Ferrari FXX

(Autoblog) How about 800 hp, custom Bridgestone racing slicks, a full telemetry and data acquisition system, and 40 percent more downforce than the stock Enzo. The price for this limited edition of 30 cars? A mind-boggling $1,720,000. Plus tax.
Duh, bargain..

Non non-smoking and delay

Yesterday afternoon I decided to try the international Intercity train from Amsterdam to Frankfurt today. When I woke up at 6.00h this morning I put on my non smoking cufflinks, why not. Because I did not have reservations for a seat - and I expected there would be plenty of available chairs - I had to find a seat that was not claimed allready. Guess what: the train was completely booked except for three seats. Right: in the six seat smoking compartment. It turned out to be a gross, disgusting voyage. The train however arrived on time and I decided to walk a little bit before visiting our company smelling like a smoked salmon.

I got out in Düsseldorf which is world wide known for its famous christmas entourage at the Königsallee. On my way back in the evening it appeared that most of the railway stations around Amsterdam were closed (reason wasn't told) and our journey was rerouted. I had to leave my car at Schiphol airport, took a cab (have to fly to Paris tomorrow anyway and pick up the car on my return) and got home at 22.00h. I have little faith in railway companies. Was this a self fulfilling prophethy?

This experiment failed. In many ways :-(

Merry Christmas

Today I received a confirmation letter for a Christmas gala that me and my partner were hounoured to be invited to by the chaste "Company Them." It goes something like this (original in Dutch):

"Dear Mr. DA and Mrs EM,

With gratification we learned that that you wil attend the gala event, sponsord by "Company Them" in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. You are expected at 18.00h ..- bla bla - .. folowed by a Royal Christmas diner."

Then a paragraph on vip valet parking and directions towards the Concertgebouw which I won't translate. So far so good..but then..

"Would you arrive with a personal chauffeur, or are you accompanied by personal security guards, then we can accomodate your security employees and offer them a luxuous meal. Would you like to utilize this or have additional requirements regarding your security, we kindly request you to fill out enclosed form and return it to "Company Them."

I'll skip the paragraphs on any further questions, cordial greetz and dress code.

Apparently this is the world we live in today. Amsterdam is recentlly said to be identified as the next city to fundamentalistic attacks. Many of our opinion makers, politicians and VIP's (not me) need protection to severe threats.

Merry Christmas

What the bleep do I know?

Just when I thought I understood it all :-) the Bleeping Harold sends me a mailing where Hidden Sector Matter is discussed. It has been suggested recently that self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) fits better the observational characteristics of galaxy dynamics.

Another interestign article is on a film named ONE. They claim that it is a film about the interconnectedness of all beings and our responsibility to each other. Imams, mothers, preachers, rabbis, atheists, people-on-the-street, as well as some of the age's greatest thinkers including Thich Nhat Hahn, Dr. Robert Thurman, Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, Riane Eisler, Father Thomas Keating and the Dalai Lama respond on film to the REAL questions of life. Can't wait to see it. It so appears that a new What the Bleep film will be released in Februari 2006.

One Fuyong Hai, a Tjap Choi and some fatburning please.

Women who want to lose weight are being offered a startling new way to burn fat - by being set on fire.

The Life of Life Healing Spa said it can trim down any body part with its fire treatment, where the client is massaged, smothered in Chinese herbs and wrapped in wet towels before being set alight.

The spa's manager told the South China Morning Post that one female client had lost 15 centimetres off her stomach in a single treatment. Another lost 9 kilogrammes after two weeks of daily visits."It keeps you slim by detoxifying your body and by burning fat," manager Winnie Ng was quoted saying. "It also eases internal humidity and rheumatism." Come on Winnie, set me on fire..

Dutch Divas rule..

The Dutch divas claimed the women’s Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy crown with a heart-stopping penalty stroke victory over Australia in the final this afternoon. The Dutch have assumed control of international women’s hockey with their second successive Champions Trophy title and have confirmed their world number one ranking ahead of Germany and Australia. Bit proud? Off course I'm proud. Congratulations!

Dear Ego

Dear Ego,

You joined Company Me more than thirty years ago.

We started our endeavour together from scratch. You could say that what we have accomplished, we did so together. You‘ve been a loyal partner all those years. You never left me alone.

You helped me to buy a big house, a prestigious car and the best quality of material goods. You advised me to order the most expensive wines and most exclusive meals just ‘cause we could. But you didn’t stop, each day you wanted more and more.

You challenged me to use my brains and intelligence. We did great and received many compliments. We used it to get better and better but you couldn’t stop you wise-guy. Your hunger for compliments got in the way.

We started our careers at the bottom of the ladder always looking upwards. Every year we climbed higher but lost sight on what happened below. You advised me to print impressive titles on my business cards but it is never enough. And all those years I have been padding your back.

Lately I have been thinking. The world is changing fast and Company Me has to sail a different course. It needs to focus itself to special competencies if we want to be successful in the future.

Dear Ego, I suppose you’ve felt it coming for a while now.

YOU’RE FIRED !

I wish you all the best,

Company Me

Bad Santa

Santa Claus is facing the sack from a Dutch shopping centre after he smacked a young boy for pulling his beard.

Santa hit the boy on the backside in front of dozens of shoppers in the town of Rijswijk. Defending his actions, he said: "If I hadn’t done that, he would have pulled off my beard and dozens of children would have been traumatised." No more milk and cookies for this guy!

Le chat Americain

More positive news: A cat’s crate escape ends 4,200 miles from home in France. EMILY, a young cat from Wisconsin, has earned herself a place in feline history by wandering from her American home and turning up three weeks later 4,200 miles away in France.

Workers at a paper lamination plant near the eastern city of Nancy found Emily, frightened and hungry, inside a container of paper bales that had been sealed in Wisconsin and shipped by road and sea across America, the Atlantic and France. A collar tag identified the stowaway as belonging to the McElhiney family of Appleton, who had given her up for lost.

Le chat Americain, as France is calling her, became a star yesterday with her picture on the front page of the Appleton newspaper, photo sessions with the French media, and offers from admirers to pay for her trip home.

1000 times so very, very wrong

A convicted murderer was put to death today in the US 1,000th execution since capital punishment resumed in 1977.

Kenneth Lee Boyd, who was convicted of killing his estranged wife and father-in-law, received a lethal injection and was pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m.

"The execution of Kenneth Boyd has not made this a better or safer world," his attorney Thomas Maher said. "If this 1,000th execution is a milestone, it's a milestone we should all be ashamed of."
In his final words, Boyd asked his daughter-in-law to take care of his son and grandchildren and said, "God bless everybody in here." I think 1000 is 1000 too many, stop executing right now :-(

Make love not war!

Next week (8 Dec.) it will be 25 years ago that John Lennon was assasinated.

A few years ago I was allowed to sleep in the same room in the Amsterdam Hilton where he and Yoko had their famous bed-in for peace. Amsterdam at that time was the center of the flower power movement. Make love not war!

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the peopleliving for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

Writen by: John Lennon© Bag productions inc.

Sam the Man Mania

Watch the CNN movie by Jeane Moos Mourning world's ugliest dog (bottom of the page), visit Sam The Man Website if you are bored, lost control, drunk or just like Ugly Dogs

Stop AIDS now

The Hamburgler jailed!

(Click on Detroit.com) MANCHESTER, N.H. -- He works at a Wendy's, and his name is Ronald MacDonald -- but now he may be known as the Hamburglar.

Two workers at a Wendy's in Manchester have been charged with taking money from the safe. One of the suspects is Ronald MacDonald.
Police said the restaurant's manager called them early Monday morning after he saw MacDonald and the other man taking cash out of the restaurant's safe. That's what happens when you are expelled from school..

Selling out on our Unique Selling Points

Amsterdam city coucil is contemplating to close down the red light district because of the criminal gangs that exploit the women. I also read that they want a ban on smoking pod on the street because of the penetrating smell of it. Allthough I am in favour of the ideas it looks like we are selling out on our important international usp's..


I sure hope the Canalmusea compensate the loss of marijuana and boobs..

Secret CIA landings and prisons in Europe.

(The Guardian) The transatlantic row over the secret transfer of terror suspects by the Bush administration took a new twist yesterday when it emerged that more than 300 flights operated by the CIA had landed at European airports. CIA director Goss also would not address recent reports that the CIA runs secret prisons in Europe for detaining and interrogating detainees (ABC news). Most of the time we haven't got a clue of what is going on and if we do we just comply. Duh :-(

Not the way to succes.. or not?

"Never write when you can talk. Never talk when you can nod. And never put anything in an e-mail" is what Eliot Spitzer, New York state attorney general, proclaims to be the golden rule for succes. "Choose your mistakes carefully" by Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist is another one. See the rules on Business 2.0 and decide for yourself if this is gold or utter utter cra%^.. Be yourself!

Barcelona.

Today I visited Barcelona. Got up at 5.00 h. and just returned home (23.00 h). Our company has the intention to add a Spanish company to our succesful portfolio of European companies. We are in due dilligence right now. I enjoyed the visit although we mostly talked business talk, this is a great company with great management. Several months ago I was able to visit Barça more in depth. In fact we were dropped on bycicles on Montserrat mountain and had to drive down ourselves..

Letter to God

Dear God,

This is my record of eternal gratitude to You.

You gave me birth in a most respected Hindu family, but not high enough in social status to make me proud.

You gave me a physical form well-admired for its perfection, but it was small enough to keep me humble.

You gave me education high enough to be most useful in life, but not high enough to make me proud.

You gave me success in sports high enough to be satisfied, but not proud.

You gave me a career in which You took me high enough to be admired, but not high enough to make me arrogant.

You gave me a wife and family for which I have always been eternally grateful, but You did not spare me some grief to remind me not to forget what life is all about, and to be always grateful for what I do have.

You did not forget to place an adequate number of temptations in my way so that I may not be too critical of others who have to face their own temptations.

I am now 84, and perhaps the only wish that remains is that the long life You have given me will not carry a burden at the end. But in that case, I know You will also give me the necessary'courage to go with it.

You gave me a lot to show me how little is needed to be content and how much could be given away. And, undoubtedly, the most important of all - as if the bounty You have showered on me were not enough - You crowned Your achievement by using this psychosomatic apparatus to convey to the world the most important message of Advaita.

Truly I amblessed. Or, indeed, my Beloved, have You not blessed Your self?!

Finally, it occurs to me, if You were to design for Yourself a life in phenomenality, could it have been much different from this one?

And, for this thought, no tears are enough to wash Your Noumenal feet.



Written by Ramesh S. Balsekar and published in the book 'The Ultimate Understanding'

Rare whisky lovers pay for a taste of the future

(TimesOnline) THE distillery has not yet been built, its first single malt will not be ready until 2017 and the exclusive members’ club it aims to create is still a derelict old hayloft.

You might think that investors who coughed up £1,850 for a rare dram that is no more than a twinkle in its creator’s eye might be advised to take more water with it. Already, though, more than 330 whisky lovers have paid that for the privilege of being first in the queue for this new private members distillery.

What if you find out the sky is falling..

Today, my little chicken and me saw Disneys movie Chicken Little (The sky is falling, Aliens, Underdogs, etc.) in the cinema. Looked like War of the worlds in drawings. Well, he got scared and I got sad despite the fact that we laughed a lot too. Anyway, the chicken saved the world.

Sam gone dogheaven

(CNN) Sam, the three time, undefeated champ of the "World's Ugliest Dog" contest (2003, 2004, 2005), no longer howles . The beautifull little K9 died last week. Rest in peace little beast..

Fourteen

Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible.
These three are indefinable, they are one.

From above it is not bright;
From below it is not dark:
Unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness.

Form of the formless,
Image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.

Stand before it - there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.

Stay with the Tao, Move with the present.
Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.

Dutch Lord of the Rings

More positive news: Yuri van Gelder won gold on the rings at the world gymnastics championships in Melbourne. This flying Dutchman rules, congratulations Yuri! If my arms were only half the size of yours :-)