My scrapbook...

Firefox 4 smaller tabs (concerning height)

2011-04-07T12:30:00.001+02:00

I've searched long enough for this to put it here for other searchers (especially concerning spacing or margins). If you want the height of your tabs to be a bit smaller (including text of course), you can do that by editing your "C:\Users\[YourUSername]\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[Your profile]\chrome\userChrome.css". Create one from "userChrome-example.css" if it doesn't exist.
Here is the code you should add after "@namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul")":

.tabbrowser-tabs {
    height: 18px !important;
}
.tabbrowser-tabs .tab-text {
    font-size: 80%;
}
.tabbrowser-tab
{
    margin-top:0 !important;
}
.tabbrowser-tabs tab label
{
    margin-top:-2px !important;
    height: 16px !important;
}

My friend Immanuel liked it, so it must be funny

2011-01-08T23:28:00.001+01:00

windows is a slut...with the difference that she doesn't do everything you ask...

Saying that crossed my conformity research

2010-10-03T01:38:00.001+02:00

Be yourself,
everyone else is already taken.

-Oscar Wilde

Cannot (drag and) drop files on other files of filetype js

2010-05-06T14:23:00.001+02:00

I started with Windows 7 and I realized that I couldn't drop files on .js javascript files anymore. I couldn't even see a highlight when hovering over the target files, like I could it behaved with other files (vbs, jse and bat). "What the hell?", I thought
I have been googling for so long without answers to my problem that I just have to write it here. Hope it saves someone some time.
A lot of things that I found did clear my path to the solution below, but, for the record, none of these were thé solution:

filetype settings or their association settings
"open with" settings
registry keys and values in ".js" as "JSFile" in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, especially "shell" keys
1. DropHandler
2. Open Commands
3. etc..

As a matter of fact, everything worked with jse files, so I made sure the registry looked exactly the same for ".jse" and "JSEFile" in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. No luck.
Until I found the following "UserChoice" key, but this time in HKEY_CURRENT_USER:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.jse\UserChoice

So I deleted that key UserChoice and ..Tada..works now

TAKE IT EASY

2008-12-07T19:33:00.002+01:00

Self reminder:

Above all
TAKE IT EASY
..
NO MATTER WHAT
because NOT taking it easy
is part of the problem.

Cognotive bias...

2008-12-04T11:48:00.001+01:00

That's the real problem.
Although I am pretty sure it's also an evolutionary solution to many biological, social problems. Hehe.

criticism

2008-10-16T12:54:00.002+02:00

You know how people sometimes forget that your criticism is meant constructivily, but just plainly saying that just doesn't do the trick anymore? Try this one for once. I like it and I think it re-"enables".

Sandwich every bit of criticism between two thick layers of praise.

The paradox of choice

2008-10-15T16:35:00.000+02:00

Check out my new flash Image Gallery

2008-09-23T13:59:00.005+02:00

Looking for a nice and free image gallery? I tried several and didn't find what I wanted, so I made one myself in actionscript 3 / Flash. I just finished the first release. Check it out!

Save Now

FMG - Flash Media Gallery

The consequences of priorities or how my girlfriend stole my last quality.

2008-03-09T14:18:00.003+01:00

Domestic chaos is a real-life practice towards a peaceful mind. :-)

Our mezzanine

2007-12-21T18:34:00.000+01:00

Took me 3 mandays, but I am proud of it. Check Pilly meditating on it, :-).

If you want to see her laughing, check here for one more shot.

(Notice my lovely clown. One of those things I can't depart from.)

Our new dogs - Lisa & Pruts

2007-12-21T18:27:00.000+01:00

Well, finally we got over it and decided to spend our weekly drinking money on 2 dogs from the asylum. Here you see "Pruts", saying "Get this camera out of my face!!".

See Lisa and more here on flickr.

Doctors!!!

2007-10-12T12:20:00.000+02:00

Another one of those problems out here that I have found more and more compelling as well as frustrating in my life as well as for the whole world is that doctors of today seem not really concerned with their patients anymore, when practicing their profession rather focusing on symptom treatment and "pills" (so to speak) than the causes and real health or well being of the patient. Also that they are weigh too much focused on the money they "deserve" and the competition (do I smell another form of my favorite word conformism in the latter?). I have had a lot of discussions with some medicine students (not coincidently), and though I thought a lot of them wouldn't come out for it, I was surprised to learn that a lot of them dó admit that (the promise of) money is a big part in their decision to study medicines!!
Of course it's not merely doctors, but the whole health care institution that is becoming more and more of a profiting "machine".
I have several stories about all of what I said above, this in my own experience, but this will maybe be for another time. Still, it has been on my mind so much lately that I can sometimes crawl up the walls from this surrealistic (be it natural evolved) situation! Now, coincidently, Toob, a very positive and active friend of mine, passed along a movie. Having watched it, I learned that there is even a strong and true story about this and still a somewhat famous, though successful person around that is actually trying to address these problems!! The movie is called Patch Adams (film) (Official site), the real guy Hunter Campbell "Patch" Adams (Official website) and one of his projects, the Gesundheit! Institute (Official Website). (My what-probably-would-be prejudice being surprised to find such a strong and outspoken person in the U.S.!)

This "phenomenon" is another reason to strive for a much more equally divided world (be it money, resources, health care, environment, -..). You see, who else than the "real" doctors would come forward if doctors wouldn't earn such a lot of money all of a sudden? (Just as with politicians.) And I am not saying that doctors deserve no merit at all, but doesn't being a "better" person (as doctors like to portray themselves, nonetheless must have some qualities that allow them to pass their studies) also comes with a higher responsability?
There are some good doctors out there, of course, I am just referring to the majority of doctors, at least in my and my environment's experience.

Waarom kunnen we niet leven in vrede met onszelf?

2007-09-12T17:04:00.000+02:00

Volgens Prof. Johan Mertens:

We zijn een soort met een heel grote generatietijd. We doen er twintig jaar over om de volgende generatie op de wereld te zetten. Mussen hebben daar maar één jaar voor nodig. We zijn echter begonnen aan een heel snelle culturele ontwikkeling, maar hebben ons daar biologisch niet kunnen aan aanpassen.

I agree! :-)

Nog ideeën die ik treffend vondt:

Je leven geven om je broertje uit het vuur te redden, heldendaad? Helemaal niet, genenverspreiding of "ingebakken genetisch egoïsme".
Je geeft jouw genen veel meer door, dan wanneer je je eigen hachje zou redden. (Wiskundige berekening in zijn boek).
Onze samenleving is altijd matriarchaal geweest, m.a.w. vrouwen waren aan de macht (ze zijn ook veel sterker), tot voor kort (sinds we landbouwers werden, wat genetisch helemaal niet lang geleden is).
Spermashopping: Vrouwen hebben nog altijd biologisch de touwtjes in handen. Net zoals zangvogels: Een (ouder) mannetje zoeken voor het nestje en gezin te onderhouden, en als alles goed is, zo snel mogelijk vreemd gaan met een goed ogende, jong mannetje en natuurlijk zonder medeweten van haar jaloerse echtgenoot (en tijdens haar vruchtbare periode).
Een mannetje kan ook nooit weten van wie zijn vrouwtje zwanger is. Vandaar de basis van biologisch mannelijke jaloezie.

Van zaadcel tot liefde (Johan Mertens)

Enkele basis trainingsregels naar de verlichting (To Complete ; Dutch)

2007-07-25T15:37:00.000+02:00

10 kusala dhamma's (kusala = vaardig) -- 5 trainingsregels

1 Handelen

1 .. metta
2 .. ..
3 .. tevredenheid

2 Spreken

4 onwaarh. vermijden
5 niet roddelen harmonie
6 ruwe taal vriendelijk / aangenaam
7 leeg zwetsen behartenswaardig

3 Handelen in de geest

8 brandende begeerte sereniteit
9 kwade wil mededogen
10 verkeerde visies (rationalisatie) wijsheid

5 Geest niet benevelen

Alle licht aan (Dutch)

2007-07-18T13:50:00.002+02:00

Volgend gedicht vond ik zo mooi dat ik dit wil bewaren en delen.
Ik versta het wel telkens op een andere manier. Raar.
Eerst denk ik aan rust en stilte in de geest te bereiken zonder afleidingen en niet toegeven aan teleurstelende lusten en op een andere manier genieten (het echte licht).
Dan weer denk ik hetzelfde, maar door zich erin te smijten, door je ogen eraan te verblinden..
Soit, heeft alleszins een "Laat mij uit deze kooi" weerklank bij mij.

Alle licht aan

Besnij m’n ogen en bind ze
aan het licht, ik wil staren
naar wat me verblindt.

Laat me zien
waarheen ik vlucht: te veel vlees
heeft mij gegeten en liefde
bleek lucht. Vooral beroemd
om haar geur.

Aan. Doe mij
alle licht aan.

(Stijn Vranken)

Courage - saying

2007-07-11T18:28:00.000+02:00

The one person with courage is a majority.

Thomas Jefferson

Bravery, courage

2007-05-02T10:49:00.000+02:00

Courageous are those that help others against one's own cravings and restful state.

Cravings of laziness, feelings to keep one's own well-being and peace, feelings of greed and greed for a stable and prosperous life. Brave are those that know it all too well, yet still fight against them.

One must also consider the other truth that does nót goes against this: To help others, you must care for yourself. You must make yourself efficient in helping and not neglect your own health in body and spirit.

So, if you are brave ánd bright, balance and perfecting the balance is what you seek.

Buddha said one of my favorite truths. He knew the truth in the "Golden Path", the middle path, the balanced one.

One of the reasons of my spilling these guts of mine, is surely an understanding in my disbalance and writing is guiding my spirit.

Fcuk the oredr!!

2007-05-01T13:18:00.000+02:00

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe.

Grapje

2007-03-20T18:45:00.000+01:00

Dit grapje vond ik terug op de site van van Osho Sammasati:

Aan de hemelpoort staat een loodgieter die pas 29 is geworden.
‘Waarom moest ik zo jong sterven?’ vraagt hij verwijtend aan Sint-Pieter.
Die zoekt het op in zijn grote boek.
‘Jóng!’ roept hij uit, ‘als ik alle uren bijeentel die je aan je klanten hebt gerekend, ben je nu 102 !’

Nice ride!

2007-02-06T17:19:00.000+01:00

Bonreflexe
Uploaded by groulozor

My vegetarianism

2007-02-04T21:30:00.000+01:00

Would you eat your pet or force a mentally retarded child to ingest oven cleaner? If not, why is it ok to eat cows and test products on sentient animals?

A new Panem et circenses

2007-01-19T13:14:00.000+01:00

Television is a nice gadget for the elite profiting from the rest of us, the masses we are, via different systems (government, capitalism, globalism, but also less obvious not-yet-'ism's, ..). Other men's and fictionous lies and dreams we experience as our own and we think we are content, even fulfilled, but it makes us (and more specifically our brain) lazy and softy!
But now, lately T.V. has become so boring for some of us (the more intelligent?). These brain food craving people started to realise this and some of them/us stopped watching TV, or at least in some extent.
But the system is not stupid, maybe unconscious in some way (unless you are a conspiracy believer) (also one could also reason that the system is just a reflection of the inner beast of us all), but not stupid, hell no. It/they invented a new addiction, computer games!! Maybe more specifically MMORPGs and World of Warcraft. Though it's not so brain killing (at least not in the beginning when you have to learn and react on input), but it ís addicting and even more time consuming. So, if you are really intelligent ánd you care about your well being and maybe that of others ánd you are powerful enough, try to game less and do something else.
Because very silently, but maybe that more quickly, the world is going downwards again, it's not developing!! Maybe technically and economically (though that's also only happening in a small part of the world) we are progressing (and thén again, one could reason that progress itself on those levels are staggering slowing down) , but on a human level, on the level of well-being, feeling happy about yourself and on a global scale, well, don't you know ? It's getting worse.
So, World of Warcrafters, WoW'ers, if you care, I challenge you to convert some of your WoW time into some more self-time, possibly non-PC, and possibly even in some other-time. I am sure some of your skills like strength, agility, intellect, spirit, etc. all seen in your 1st life on só many different levels will rise (physical strength and agility if you do some sport, emotional and psychological strength, agility or spirit etc. etc. .. you can fill in the rest, try some..) and rise!!
The same for other extreme gamers..

Too much Wow => World of the Will-less

Bread and circuses, it still works!

In everything you do, people, álways try to find a golden middle way. FUCKING HARD, I tell you!!!! The dark path is wide and easy, the way of the light is narrow and full of obstacles, but the reward is universal!! Of course, if you care but for yourself, don't bother, please!

Positieve economie

2007-01-11T11:27:00.000+01:00

Wil je actief deel uit maken in het vormen van een betere wereld en weet je niet goed hoe?
Vind je ook dat economie tegenwoordig enkel de rijken rijker maakt en dat ethiek begint te verliezen?
Ben je het beu allerlei produkten als het ware in uw strot geduwd te krijgen ?

Wil je iets doen of meer informatie winnen in hoe we deze wereld, beginnend in je eigen omgeving, in een positieve (menswaardig, ecologisch, cultureel, ..) richting duwen?

Veel van de antwoorden kan je vinden op het Positieve Economie portaal

(Waarom dit portaal ?)

Learned the more exact meaning of a word...

2006-11-04T14:06:00.000+01:00

Thank you Karel for expanding my dictionay up here!

Karel, my nephew, has pointed me out the more exact meaning of a certain word. It's so important to me because I actually have been looking for a word to describe those people that I have always had an interest in, in the way that the result of their actions are a source of much suffering.

The word is:

Conformist

conformists are those who attempt to comply with all societal norms, generally so as to not stand out in any way and hence be subject to potential ridicule or other social sanctions

I needn't to point out that the source of this is: FEAR (once again)

Looking for guidance (in Belgium) to help in the world.

2006-11-04T12:53:00.000+01:00

I have been activily looking and solliciting for a job in world development for, what must have been, almost a year now. The looking teaches me about the chaos and the difficulty it is to really find something effective to do good, as if "doing good" is deliberitly made the hardest thing to do. The rejections on my sollicitations on the other hand, at least tells me that I started very late in my life (31 years old now), but also gives me the impression that Human Resources in such organisations, be it governmental or not, are still looking for conservative, "polite" and conformistic people, not realising the most resources and capacities today lies elsewhere. Wake up! The world has changed, yet again (and will forever).

Now,.. right now,.. I was looking for a way to help out again, here on the internet, while I realised that one way of helping is to tell everyone what I experienced as something that helped already.

So, I want to tell to all the Belgian people (and maybe others) out there, interested in world development to go and check out this course: "Informatiecycli at BTC".

And always meditate (the way you want it, in Buddha position or just sitting in your couch, but meaning, at the least, máking time for yourself to relax and empty your mind).

My new pet, Antoine

2006-08-26T17:15:00.000+02:00

I have a new pet, who lives mostly between my table legs. Nice chance to use that close-up setting of my camera once!

My Playbock

2006-08-07T15:03:00.000+02:00

Finally, managed to get some time for myself to make my own T-shirt. I designed this pic from the less effected playbock.
I love it.

Close and far

2006-03-17T17:23:00.000+01:00

People say the world is so small today, everything so close, you can travel anywhere in no time and cheap. But when talking about poor people and starvation, "pfeeeuh, man!" that'so far away, it's so far from my home, it's just nothing to worry about for us, you know! Let someone closer handle it.

Perfect

2005-12-30T00:12:00.000+01:00

"Perfect" may not exist, but don't tell me it doesn't exist because it would be too boring or anything, because..

if perfect is too boring, it isn't perfect at all!!!!!

You can actually fill in the 'boring' part with anything that is negative, and actually everything "too" is negative or it wouldn't be "too" either, except "too perfect" which is a contradiction in terms. Actually, any phrase starting with "Perfect is too..." is a contradiction in terms.
When are you going to see that, you stupid, pride and unconscious people!!!
I am sorry to use this language, but I had to get it out. Any better place for it than on a blog ? Where one feels getting heard, but no-one cares at all.

Why do I have to say this? Well, I hate discussions when you start off with the word perfect in them, and if not immediately, somewhere during your story, sómeone will come up with the idea (full of greatness!! Oh yeah!) that perfect doesn't exist because it is too boring or that we have tried perfect in the past (Marxism, ...), etc.. . Now, I am not saying that perfect can exist, but please don't say perfect is too this, or too that, because that is exáctly what perfect is NOT, namely "too". Perfect is just perfect. End of paragraph.

Personally, I believe perfect is impossible too, but that doesn't mean striving to it isn't worthwhile.
Maybe it is just a bit like getting somewhere with each step taking the half of the way left. You'll never get there, but you 'll get closer each time*!
*For the brainies, a step or 2 further: Once there wíll be a gap that will be so small that we won't be able to adjust to it and pain wíll get smaller! For the non-brainies: Read further and then the whole once and more again. :-p

To skip some words and yadayada, I'd like to jump to my conclusion -too lazy, me-,
A world without pain is impossible*, with less pain ..possible!
* Even if it were only for the fact that our brain wouldn't teach us anything without pain (growing up individually or historically or .. ór .. or hmm ..).

"Perfect" for me would be that the world would get rid of unnecessary pain; where every bit of pain (*) leads to at least 1 bit of happiness** (long or short termed). I can see it (even if I don't believe in "perfect")!
* unit of pain aka pain bit = pb ;-). 8 makes a bite! (Haha, how I amuse myself sometimes!)
** Though I don't like the word happinness to describe well-being, contentment, ... it sounds to idealistic, too... perfect!

Tiny and great, we are. Duality through size and intelligence.

2005-12-11T12:42:00.000+01:00

To reach the closest star to Earth, second to the sun, which is Proxima Centauri, we would have to have launched one of the fastest manned rockets we know today, at ~100.000 years ago, when we were still barbarians, and then we would still only arrive today!
And if you know that the amount of stars that we can observe today in our universe is 7 × 10²² which is a thousand times a billion times a billion stars, it really rocks our mind, doesn't it ?

This should give us a bit an insight in how tiny we are!
And I must admit that I, personally, sometimes experience difficulties to even imagine how small we are compared to the vastness of our own earth!

On another aspect, it shouldn't be too difficult to imagine that if there should be a God or if there should be other life far more evolved than us, it could be possible that our intelligence towards God or towards superintelligent aliens has the same ratio as an amoeba* has towards us, or even far worse.
* one of the smallest life an earth, 1 cell big

This should give us a bit an insight in how insignificant we are.

These were the thoughts when a colleague of mine, a very conscious and realistic moslim, reminded me of our tinyness. Nonetheless, at the same time, I had the feeling that lately we talk about our insignificance and tinyness more and more in modern society, while we tend to forget to also see a bit the other side of it. Let me elaborate:

In all that space between the closest star next to our sun and ourselves, we can find almost nothing, nada, niks, but emptiness. It's so empty!!
And there where there ís some mass, in the clouds, in suns or stars, in & on planets you can't almost find nothing but hydrogen and increasinlgy smaller numbers of heavier elements. Compared to all that emptiness and the "non-variety" of matter in space, we sure have an enormous variety of matter on Earth.
And that's only talking about matter! Let's consider how small the chance that amino-acids (the basic molecules of all life as we know it) come into existence, even smaller the chance that these amino-acids combine into proteins, then further into groups of living matter, into cells, then into plants, then again into animals and not forgetting that out of the multiplication of the multiplications of that all, the chance that some form of intelligence* and consciousness arises!!!
Feew, if we count that into acount we are at the same time so rare and so significant! In that tiny size on the surface of the Earth, an unimaginable small amount of space in such a big space**!!
Let's not forget that either! We might be small and insignificant compared to size and super-beings, but I think we should value ourselves great and significant at the same time!
*And, again, I must admit I believe we are only at the crescent of leaving our animal existence behind and if you observe how much war and other disasters we are responsible for, you might wonder if we haven't become less conscious and if we really are intelligent at all!?)
** For the critics: Let's just assume maybe just one thousandth of the probable space between us and the next intelligent being. It still is imaginably huge.

It can be confusing, but I think we are Huge and Tiny at the same time and we shouldn't forget both of them! We should remember both and act towards the meaning of both.

Another Bush pic

2005-11-11T20:22:00.000+01:00

My Top of "democracy of today" failures

2005-10-09T16:27:00.000+02:00

Politicians should not earn huge amounts of money.
Actually I think they should earn the median wage of the population!
(Watch it! Median does not equals average for a reason here!)
- First of all the vultures of today wouldn't be interested in politics anymore because there is no more money and the 'real' politicians would come, those that care about the people and the governing rather than about their own pockets.
- Secondly will they earn more money when the wealth would be more equally divided among the people since they earn the median.
Though I strongly suggest this system would make it possible for a politician to still do his job. These people would function better if they have more time to think and act. So, some service would be appropriate nonetheless. Such as a driver, office facilities, ... ONe must be carefull though not to let this attract the vultures again. So it should be a "vulture-safe" system.
A politician should be a politician and nothing else!
No managing other companies meanwhile, no positions in other political places, ...
There are enough people in a state to provide a single and capable human at each politic position. IF you want to do such an important job that concerns us all, do it with your whole head and not as a 'side-job'!!
Politicians shouldn have no interests in other 'issues of profit' that may influence their thinking.
No more obligations, stocks, ...any interests in other businesses, banks, ... whatsoever that might influence their decisions whether this be unconscious or not. (Even the most honest man, saying "I won't be influenced by my other interests!" doesn't know his uncounsciousness. Otherwise, it wouldn't be his uncounsciousness anymore!)
If they want to make money, they should not go into politics in the first place.
Still, a "political fund" could be raised espoecially to back this up so that when entering politics, one can put his savings or previous interests in this fund nonetheless. This fund should then of course be balanced among alot of businesses. Actually, referring to the same profit by the 'median' in point 1 above, this fund could be based on the growth of the national economics and would again encourage politicians to make sure they do a good job.
Open to the people / Statistics
..to be continued...
Hear the peple
..to be continued...

However, in some parts of the points above, only economics are mentioned, while the well-being of individuals are not guaranteed by this and maybe far more important . Isn't it almost a standard that the most evolved countries also take the most Prozac?
It isn't but a mind exercice to find similar encouragements in the direction of well-being as the median and the fund above.
Anyway, this has to be thought over once too. Might do that later.. I am already glad I wrote this down for once. Has been in my head for so long time.

The International Day of Peace

2005-09-21T14:29:00.000+02:00

Maybe a bit late, but I just wanted to share the following:

21st of September
is
International Day of Peace!

So what ?
Well, I wanted to share that with everyone because it seems that this day has had its troubles, a.o. it has been overshadowed by the 11th of September, the dreadful event.

Did you know that on that day (11/9) just before that awful event, Kofi Anan was about to come forward and speak to the world to uphold the day of peace (21/9)? Coincidence ?

I recently have seen a documentary about how this day came to be in existence and about the guy who put his shoulders (his life!) under the idea. Actually, wouldn't it be great to have at least 1 day of peace and cease-fire all over the world ? Yes, I want it to be forever too, but maybe this is a start, a day of possibilities ? At least, if we manage to live by, it will save some lives!

The problem is, although the day has been accepted, not all governments remember or act like it. It is only strengthen by the fact that almost nobody of us, common people, knows about it. The founder of the day as well as myself, both think that the last thing to do (after convincing all UN members and all kind of important people in the world) is to make the people remember. OK, most of us have peace in our country, but still, sharing things can go around (the world).

Some Links:

About the day
PEACE ONE DAY - The documentary. (An individual genuinely can make a difference!)
Wanna do/join something in your country?

Said by the right person at the right time, dangerous words carry angel wings.

2005-05-30T12:17:00.000+02:00

Did you notice that the Anakin Skywalker said "If you are not with us, you are my enemy" and that's actually what little Bush said ("Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists") ? Í didn't,like "typically what a the bad guy would say". It is said that Lucas wrote this line long before Bush said it. Well, it's not that other leaders in the world haven't said this before and failed (us).
I hope you dó understand what this sentence means or where it leads to !?
Like always, these guys forget the look at the source. Why does terrorism exist ? (For God's sake, they ARE the source.)
Of course, words and action are two different things. Let's hope it stays with words.

Thanks, someone, for pointing that out.

One of the deeper philosophies of "The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy"

2005-05-30T12:10:00.000+02:00

During bedtime after watching the "The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy"-I know, the books are better, but I don't have too much time to read (another trick of 'them')- I realised something funny I missed in that movie. Actually something that is very true and what helps also to keep those mighty and selfish rulers of the world (and I am not necessarily talking about politicians!) in their power.
Three hero's of the story arrived at the base of an ugly and boring race, the Vogons, who kidnapped the beautifull girl of the group. Once at the gate, they prepare themselves to enter and fight their way through. They kinda kick the door open, jump in and... nothing, but a clerk. They actually don't have to fight, but fill in papers. And of course there are a huge amount of papers to fill in and they don't understand what and where they have to fill in. Being a movie however, they succeed in it nonetheless in the nick of time..
But isn't it a nice trick to avoid rebellion and attacks ? Just put a load of paper and legal maze in front of the people and they will never succeed (in whatever noble matter they are pursuiting). You don't want to bash in the head of a clerk, do you ? Not only that it might be a beautiful she nor that you probably know that he/she doesn't have a clue about things, but you are not going to kill him/her sitting there, not prepared for a fight, at a nice desk in her/his daily clothes, not expecting anything, now, are you ?
You see, this is exactly one of the ways how the richest (and most powerfull) keep us at bay, or in the ever same grand inequal division of the world's resources, of the rich and poor.

Big Brother / Illuminati / The sheep system / Globalization. All in 1.

2005-05-23T11:53:00.000+02:00

If you ever doubt there aren't enough conspiracy theories, here is a nice one with a lot of truth inside and ...well,... why don't you have a look yourself. It ís quite a package though! But tehn again, reading, ... it is not so bad, you know ? ;-)
Actually, you could see this as a free book!! (Even more actual ( ;-) ), it is only a chapter of a real book: "Lifting the veil: The sign of the Sword..".)
I have printed it out myself on 2 pages/sheet of paper recto verso (=4 pages per sheet) and it results in 15 sheets only.

Anyway, here it is:

THE BROTHERHOOD

AND MANUPILATION OF SOCIETY

Another saying

2005-04-14T16:50:00.000+02:00

Better to mind others' business
than to grow a(n even) less caring world.

The ugly face project;

2005-03-13T18:46:00.000+01:00

I started a little psychologic project of mine some months ago. It's quite simple. I neglected care for my face (let my beard and hair grow without straightining or cumbing them or anything (unless washing)).
Let me tell you this already: it really looked ugly (ok, uglier than before :-) ), (as multiple times confirmed by some of my friends and colleauges of which some really couldn't gasp at all why I am doing this), but especially at the beginning (when the beard wasn't that full and the hair still went every direction). (The attached photograph is about a week ago, so far from the beginning).

The purpose was to find out for myself -subjectivily of course, how can it be else in such a setup- if people really acted differently on 'looks' like everyone seems to be so certain about.
Another purpose was to train myself more on not caring of other people's opinions and approvals (to have not even a repressed feeling). Thrust me, I am already doing this less than like 90% of the sheep population, that probably don't know it themselves, but I wanted more. I wanted my mind to be more free in this way. I believe we are too subjective to other people's approval and it tampers with our thoughts and principles too much. Partly why, IMHO, we don't change into better people anymore and are accepting all the bad behavior (not mentioning T.V, but that's another story).

The whole 'experiment' has been going on now for about 2months and I am not sure if i am continuing it or not when writing this.

Well, the results are quite controversial and all but conclusive for myself.
What I noticed was the following:
- People stared more at me as before, though most of them hid this. I cought their looks by the corner of my eye and when looking at them, their faces went smooth or blank again.
- A handfull of people stared straight at me without hiding it (unless untill I kept staring back longer then they found interesting). When I refrained myself from staring back immediatly, I got a record for like 20' (with non-looking intervals of course!) (in a pita bar at the Vooruit in Ghent)!
-Another handfull laughed at me (in the ridiculing kind of way) in my face or laughed at me and couldn't hide it when I noticed it and looked at them. Some of these just hád to talk and laugh about it with there immediate environment.
- (Amazingly), I also experienced a handfull of people that reacted friendlier(!!) at me. Did they pitty me ? Did they understood my statement about looks ? ...?

After all, I still believe looks are a big part of judgement and (immediate) reaction in this society, but I find this test failed because I had not enough reactions that were giving an idea of its content because most people hid it too well and others were too few to conclude anything (though I have a very subjective 'feeling' they were all negative).

What I did find out at least is that it ís noticed and reacted to unmistakably!
No surprise, but at least I found out unmistakably without accepting what seems logic or what everyone claims.

The need to help. Therapy ?

2005-02-08T18:15:00.000+01:00

Not really important to change the ways of (third world) development since no conclusive investigation has successfully and recognisably shown this and probably it isn't possible yet, but here's a thought:

Isn't the world making a mistake by (merely) focussing on economic growth and freedom in that way that we will bring certain population in the same unhappy state as a lot of (if not áll) the current more economic developed and "civilized" world
in their noble goals ?

By this I mean to say that you can't possibly deny that the more advanced countries of today are also the countries where more unhappiness to depressiveness occur, which on itself is an indication of the average total happiness or mental state.
Indicators that are shown in several studies to be more common in these countries:

more suicides
more therapy (e.g. in the UK today there is such a % of the population taking Prozac that it can be found back in the tap water!)
loneliness, exclusion and social degration
the stress and "negative haste" syndrome
less family bonds

Surely, this low mental state is linked with the fact of being "higher developed" in this particular way we are.

Isn't there the danger then, that we would risk that other, less developed countries would loose their mental strength (that I witnessed sometimes being in those countries; like how a lot of them poorest of poorest, as only one example, laugh more than we do...) by developing their "life" (what it is after all) to our standards and views ?

I dare even to wonder: Isn't the social uncounsciousness of the "wealthier" part of the world, (also) trying to reduce its loneliness or hide its problems by bringing in other social consciousness in the same circle / state, or even looking for a cure or escape for itself by doing so ?

Not that I want to say halt to development at all! Please, there is still too less of that! Probably because of the lack of an alternative. Maybe it's only the reason why we progress so slowly or why it doesn't work out.
But maybe (it is time) we should start on focussing álso on our mind and our mental wealth in stead of only on the material world.

Though I have always thought so -no, deep down félt it so- and even try to live by it by trying to influence people by challenge of principle and mind, I think this thought has been wakened more clearly and acknowledged by no one less than Isaac Asimov in his "Foundation Trilogy" that I read recently. I suspect a serendipity here -I finally remembered what this word means- , since I read this book whíle being interested in the Worldbank. I didn't look for this book , but rather stumbled upon it while looking for ANY audio book on the P2P network (after finally having bought a cellular-PDA-mp3player-in-one. Though I have had the pleasure of reading Isaac's books before, I never knew this sociological view of his. Then again, isn't the 'genre' and 'content' of áll his books, the attraction for people believing the same principles. Sigh, ... isn't every logical thing a loop, a chicken and an egg ? Sigh'er', ... does that mean the world's intelligence and its logic is merely the consequence of history and forth and forth .. leaning on my previous thoughts around predestiny (in my Basic of Principles) ? At least one answer: Not every question without answer is empty or 'knowledgeless'. Haha, I am really amusing myself here. Isn't philosophy or logic fun sometimes !!)

Saying

2005-01-26T13:55:00.000+01:00

"We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home"
Edward R. Murrow

John Perkins "Confessions Economic Hit Men" - Truth instrument ?

2005-01-15T18:50:00.000+01:00

John Perkins "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man"

In my investigation of the World Bank (via internet, people's opionions, T.V.), I stumbled across this book of John Perkins (the author of "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man") (Thank you Franco to make me stumble).

This made me think this often re-occuring thought to me: What can I believe ? Who tells the truth ? Certainly issues like censure, lying, fathers of wishes, frustrated wrong-waying people, etc... make it almost impossible to find out the truth.

I feel like walking in a forest, trying to see the trees ánd the forest, then realizing I am blind and could be anywhere.

If someone out there knows any way to find out any truth, or at least to narrow it all down to usefull probabilities, let me know and I'll put you as a candidate for a Nobel Prize.

Nice said

2004-12-29T15:13:00.000+01:00

I got some chocolates with sayings inside their papers. One is very nice or maybe very self appropriate:

Il faut deux ans pour apprender à parler et toute une vie pour apprender à se taire.

In English, but rather literally (maybe less nice):

It takes 2 years to learn and speak and a whole life to learn and shut up.

Finally, my greatest concern confirmed and nicely summarized.

2004-12-01T23:35:00.000+01:00

I believe that a lot of poor countries have a lot to do with poor (selfish) politics.
While looking for a job to help people, I finally came across a statement that expresses one of my deepest feelings, coming from a philosophy that for anyone to deserve happiness in this world, one should help in letting the whole world having the same chances first. Only then, the next steps can be taken. I would even exagerate and say that the more one does for the poorer, and the more poor the latter, the more that one should merit happiness. And I am not talking about results, but about the effort one makes in it. (e.g. One can't possibly think that a billionaire offering 0.001 % of his wealth for such a cause and in that way and budget helping more people, has done anything more than one that himself almost has nothing and offering 50% . Though the first might have more results and helped more people, I find that the latter disserves the most credit!)

Anyway, babbling about again. That sentence I found is the following. Supposed to be said by Oxfarm:

Mass poverty in the midst of global prosperity is morally unacceptable, politically unsustainable and economically wasteful.

(I love the last adjective, surely giving that extra glitch for those economists-by-principle out there.)
(I know it doesn't completely adher with that deepest feeling of mine above, but it sure hits the bullseye!!)

I found that statement here: World Bank: To fight poverty, empower the poor

P.S. Anyone knowing any project where a simple, though intelligent engineer/web developer/sportive guy can help ?
(Doubt that intelligent part if I can't simply find it myself. Du-uh!)

Basics of equality

2004-11-16T22:32:00.000+01:00

I have had this idea for as long as I can remember, but only lately it has taken some form in thoughts & words. Though it needs a lot of fixing -aren't words so limited ?-
Now I am putting it here to release it so it won't occupy my thoughts so much. Also, maybe someone can learn from this, though I doubt it isn't said already somewhere else and I doubt my blog is read by many people. (Pride is my everlasting burdon too.)

Basics of equality:
Actually, it's so easy, but probably also so "against one's individuality and pride" that it is so difficult to learn and live by it, if not completely subjectivily rejected by one's mind at first sight!!
So, please open your mind before reading on.

You see, what makes a person ? Well, it's simple actually, man equals DNA (body, looks, behavior, ..) + life experience (education, accidents, confrontations, luck!, .. ; though isn't luck , or rather: chance, what life experience is the result from and not such a part of it, but the reason for it to be unique). Anyway, MAN=DNA+EXP. For those religious people among us just add spirit (man=DNA+(lives-)EXP+spirit).

Secondly, no man, I said nó man, no one at all has made his own DNA, his own EXP and his own spirit. In short, no one has made himself.
"You did", you say ? How can it ? I mean, even if you say something like "Well, I fighted in my life." or "I had no chances" or "I made it happen", I say "Bullshit!!". You fighted more than others ? OK, possible, but it's still a result of DNA or EXP (or spirit), etc... I mean everything that drives you (or holds you back) that makes you yóu is still not your own doings, but a result of the past.

If one accepts this and embraces it, one can then come to the fact that everyone stands on the same level. Everyone is worth respect, love, etc... Everyone is equal in this sense because it's those two or tree things that made us and we have had no immediat, no 'real' say in it.
OK, we are all unique individuals because of our unique DNA, our unique experience (and our unique spirit). Fortunatly! It would be pretty boring otherwise! But we all are equal because of the same reasons!

In this view, for example, a serial murderer disserves the same respect as a hard working mother that tries her best to give her kids happiness and grow into happy persons.
Of course, the serial murderer has to be taken and put to prison (and preferably made into a better person) and I won't like that kind of person, but it could be you!! If you were born with his disorders (if not the murdering only result of EXP), into his family and grown with his problems, bad luck and life's shit, exactly as he would have (,and have the same spirit) , you would be that person and would have done exactly the same.

That's why we need all to look at eachother from that point of view and try to help one another to be better persons.
Let's not just lock up the bad people! Let's learn from them and make this world less a place where such persons can grow into.
Let's not be frustrated with this person's wrong action or that person's (material or psychological) possessions and instead imagine being that person and how you would have become such and maybe trying to tell him how lucky he is- put a "she/" everywhere there is a "he" for the sake of not being abashed by all those feminists - or how wrong the first one is. Anyway, I don't wanted to make this a moral lecture, but...think about it (hard! ;-) ).

To sum it up, or better align it:

EVERY person is a SUM of
(if you're religious:) what you were before fertilisation (SPIRIT)
what is given just after fertilisation (DNA)
what shapes the whole you afterwards (EXP) (which is a result of the previous and chance)
NO ONE made himself or the previous 3 summations because that would be impossible, namely making something from nothing. Since one is nothing, have no thoughts and no desires before you exist, one cannot make something of it.
Because of this, all people are equal by principle (and animals too, anything that can suffer or has consciousness). Equal in the sence of disserving the same rights etc...
This last point is difficult to descibe since I don't want to express that a criminal murderer disserves to walk the streets if he hasn't been healed. (Oh yes, I believe non-criminal murderes exists. What about those that defend a country from invasions ? etc..)
One just has to learn to put ones emotion aside and try to learn from every life and try to not make other's worse. Maybe this will one day lead to the end of the eternal question or actually answer it!

This thing will need a lot of drafting, I suppose, untill it would really express what I really have in mind....

So real ...

2004-07-21T14:34:00.000+02:00

This night I had one of those experiences in my dreams that are so unique. I am at the same time happy and unhappy about it. Happy because I am able to experience such bizar psychedelic things. Unhappy because it scares the hell out of me.

Let me start with the first one I experienced. It happened, like euh... 4-5 years ago.

I was running in my schoolyard of then. Meeting a lot of familar people, browsing and jumping around from room to room (moving around in just a thought, like it happens in dreams).
At a certain moment I was running from a which, a very dark one (figures!). The feeling I got was quite similar than what I got in the movie "The Blairwhich project", .. only 100 times more strong. Running, shouting, running... Strange was that I seemed the only one noticing that "thing" behind me. It was so scary and dark. Leaving me feel like it was the darkest of things coming for me to make my days to come the worst of all pains. Run, Ruby, run!
After a lot of breathing and running, I lost her finally in a small room with 2 staple beds. 3 boys where already occupying 3 beds and I occupied the upper right one. I kinda remembered talking a bit with the guys. I thought I finnally got rid of the which! It was a dream, you know, so some things can just go away in thin air. Still, I had to check one last time. I looked under my bed, to the bed below and AAAAAAAAAAAaarrrgggg....that was not a boy, but the which-monster -thing!!!!!!Heart beat raised 400 %, pissed in my pants, couldn't move, ... frozen... thinking "the end of me"......
I waked up.... sweating like I just came out of a sauna, shaking all over. (Didn't pissed my pants though. Luckily that was only in the dream)...
Then I looked a bit around; you know, you can be totally confused when waking out of a dream, not realising right away who you are, where you are ..
Slowly, I started to realise I was in my room and everyhting was all right...
Then,... suddenly..., I noticed "something" under my wardrobe. Was it a noise I heard, a little movement that I saw, a wind, ...? I can't remember. I probably was still a bit confused from my dream, trying to make those connections in my brain to work. Then, even more suddenly, that fucking WHICH (in the from of a big hairy beast) jumped from under my wardrobe in a grabbing pose, right at me !!!!
I waked up a second time... This time for real...

I still remember that experience very lively... I think I was never so scared in my life... How can a dream (the one I waked up into) be so real ? I was in my bed, in my room with everything exáctly the way it was in reality and it felt so real too.
Very strange.

Hehe, just got a crazy thought right now: Suppose "something like" the Matrix got one of those error twitches that made my dream monster real after all... and they realised it and quickly shut me off, removed the monster and made me believe it was just a dream ?... You know, having experienced it so real, ..sometimes...just sometimes I actually believe this kind of thing.

Anyway, coming to last night. I experienced a bit a similar thing. Actually, writing this, I just waked up.. I think I just start falling a sleep just before dawn or so...and I want to write this down to get rid of that creepy feeling still in me, somewhere deep...

You know, I sleep in a very small room (4x4m²) and the sound isolation is so bad,...so incredibly, frustratingly "not there" !! I hear everything my neighbours do. Unfortunatly it is a couple and I hear them fuck too.
Last night, they went for it like 2 hours long!! Squeeking of the bed, irregularly so that you can not expect the squeek at regular points in time and thus you cannot nót notice it. I was drawn from out of my sleeping in. I was almost completely sleeping when those bastards waked me up. That was like 1:00 AM.
I say "bastards" because that is how it feels like when you can't find peace in your own bed, even though they tried to make no noise (yes, I can hear that too, them trying not to make noise!). I don't really blame them, but I still was thinking then of slidding their throats with an unsharp knife as slowly as possible.
You know, I am a one of those people that have the hardest times just to fall asleep. Mostly, once asleep, it's OK, but those things are really the last things I need!!
I have taken sleeping pills several times in the past. Tried real drugs, "insleeping" pills, homeopathic stuff... but all of them have ór a really negative side of taking them (especially the drugs) ór are too weak. Imagine my anger last night knowing my insomnia problem now.
So, after a while, when it was clear they wouldn't stop, I put in my ear plugs and put one the music (a bit too loud so they would hear it too. Let thém be frustrated for a while. I hoped they didn't like classic music at all!!) Actually, I could have used those ear plugs before, but sometimes they keep me awake (I hear white noise and my heartbeat too loud then. I know, I am a sad case).
With frustration in my mind and hoping to disturb them with my music, I started to sleep in. I remember thinking the guy upstairs would come down and knock on my door to share hís frustration and me giving him a load of shit. (I have done that with my former neighbour myself, together with a lot of different trials to make him be more quiet, alas.., it didn't help.) Still frustrated like hellborn -I didn't get much sleep this week, partly because of them- I kept holding on to that tought, only worse and worse. In stead of giving him a load full of shit (orally), I imagined fighting with him, grabbing a knife from the kitchen, etc... In short: crazy thoughts.
I fell asleep.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhh
Screaming like a girl, I woke up with the sight of "something". It was all very fuzzy, but it looked like a white elfish giant (a scary one nevertheless) or was it rather like a transparent, ghostly octopussy ?
Anyway, I was grabbing its arm already from before I could remember. While I was grabbing and shaking that arm (to which purpose, I was completely unaware of), slowly I regained my sight and everything went dark (it was still night). But I was still grabbing somebody's arm! I was wide awake now, and I still held an arm!!!! At that time I was still screaming like a girl. It all happened very fast.
Then, my heart started pounding like hell .. "This is real !! There is someone in my room and I am holding his arm... a thief ? that guy upstairs ??? coming to teach me a lesson, ín my sleep ?? SHIT!! Whose arm am I holding?? ... Did I start to fight before I was awake ?? How long has this been going on?"
Crazy thoughts like that. Meanwhile I was fighting with that arm I held with my right arm. Amazingly my left arm grow soar.. I realised that I didn't feel my left arm before, but now, now it started to hurt at my wrist.. Wrist ?? Isn't that where I am holding that other arm ? Am I holding my own arm ? .... I was !!!
Oooff and du-uh !!

Afterwards I realized this ridiculous situation with a very big feeling of shame (partly because upstairs they must have heared me screaming, and like a girl nonetheless!). My heart slowly returned to normal beat. I must admit I kept feeling scared for a long time. Trying to imagine what exactly happened. "Who turned my music off ? Why is someone walking very quietly into his bed upstairs ?" Probably all coincedences, but shit.. that creepy, uneasy feeling kept me vibrating.

Anyway, my arm was actually completely numb, it was sleeping. I probably lied down on it or so.

The Four Ages of Man

2004-07-18T13:18:00.000+02:00

Pilar, a new friend, has revived the ever lasting poem in me brain. It remains there partly because of a disastrous trial of mine once, to improve my memory. But it's a nice piece nevertheless.
It's a poem that struck me as being simple, sooo true, yet ironic (or even sarcastic) in only 8 lines of text!!

Here it is:

The Four Ages of Man
Yeats
He with body waged a fight,
But body won; it walks upright.

Then he struggled with the heart;
Innocence and peace depart.

Then he struggled with the mind;
His proud heart he left behind.

Now his wars on God begin;
At stroke of midnight God shall win.

Amazing is that I could as well project it on the life of á man as well as on the life of all mankind (through evolution and with the apocalypse at the end).
Euh, no ... I do not believe in God, nor do I disbeleive It/Him/Her!! I am just happy without needing to decide on it.

Trial to let SCREAM use blogs

2004-02-29T16:13:00.000+01:00

If you don't know what SCREAM is, click on the logo on my menu (or here).
Today I had an idea that it would beneficial to this organization to use blogs too. I hope that because of all their work to do and the difficulties with networks in Kenya (the net is not accessible that easy for everyone out there), they don't leave this little chance.

Phyllis, in case you would read this: Hi! Don't you think this is nice ? You can't answer this, but it's meant rhetorical. I hope you let me set this up for you. (No hard feeling if you won't though :-) )

Paranoïa .. Do you feel watched ?

2004-02-18T20:46:00.000+01:00

How come that a lot of people are feeling watched or feel that somebody or 'they' are controlling facts of their life ? I am talking about those feelings that are expressed in some famous movies, like 'Truman Show', 'THE MATRIX' (!), 'Lost Highway', 'The Discovery of Heaven', etc.....
Maybe we ARE being manipulated in some way and we have to WAKE UP. But how ???
But maybe, it is just the feeling that humans have always had and that is why we invented Gods of all kinds, already starting this, being cavemen.
Or even further, leaning to the work of Vön Häniken, 'Were the gods astronauts'; once a far evolved species has been on earth long before and that's why we started with Gods etc. and now we are still feeling this because of the remains in our culture that a God must exist. On the other hand, that far evolved species could still be around!
Or maybe, .. and so on and on and on and on......

Are the most economic evolved countries colder then the other ?

2004-02-18T20:44:00.000+01:00

Are the most economic evolved countries colder then the other ?
It seems so. What is more and this has been shown with statistics, is the fact that the colder the country, the more suicides have happened. And maybe this is linked together, evolution and cold countries.
I mean that when we do not feel at ease or comfortable, we tend to find solutions or invent to compensate. Or maybe more because of the distractions of uneasiness and incomfort, we keep our minds busy with something else. Who knows ??
But, like in warm countries, there was never the need to build fantastic houses or warm clothes etc... since most of the time it's more pleasant to spend time outside...
Why are there so many people travelling to warm countries for some relaxation etc.. ?

Same side of the moon.

2004-02-18T20:43:00.001+01:00

The moon is always with the same side to the earth. (Does anybody knows if the moon doesn't have a slight difference in axis- and earthrotaion ? In that case the moon could have turned in ages and was once with the other side faced at us.)

Do we use only 30 % of our brain ?

2004-02-18T20:43:00.000+01:00

Do we use only 30 % of our brain ?
Actually we use our brain mostly at a high percentage of what is possible! I mean, we can't use every region of our brain at the same time and we can at one time only use what we are able to use.
BUT it is true that we can develop our brain much more by practice, learning, etc... (consciously or not) so that the branches of our neurons get more developped.
In my opinion, the real 'measure' of potential intellect (or a biggest part of it) is the rate, complexity and the usefullness of developing branches. Still, 2 people with this same potential can have a totally different intellect. It all matters on the environment and need to develop. (mind: Wanting is needing!)
Also, it's not because you are not a super-math brain, you are not extremely intelligent. It all depends what you use it for. Maybe you were never interested in math and/or you took advantage of your brain-power in alternative ways. This can be anything (lateral thinking, social capabilities, emotional awareness, insight, motoric control, sensing, organising, ...).

Did you know I am a web developer ?

2004-02-18T20:41:00.000+01:00

Yes, after all this time putting all kind of things in a web jacket, it's about time.
Have a look here: e-builds web developing

Not a vegetarian ? You probably never thought about it, or you are a coward.

2004-02-18T20:39:00.000+01:00

Why I think meat-eaters can never prove their right to eat meat unless you are careless, cowardous towards animals or you have never really thought it through (completely objectivily).
Or you really think animals don't feel pain.
Or you really think we treat animals very well.

Yeah, RIGHT !!

See it here (partly; never finished it; to aggressive, who would listen anyway ?)Some died project of mine

Brain less active then sleeping while watching TV!

2004-02-18T20:28:00.000+01:00

It is a scientific fact that your brain is less active when watching television then when sleeping. Isn't that amazing ?

No wonder, I mean when you see a movie for example, the stars are doing it all for you. When they are shot at, they duck. When they are hit, they take the blow.
All this while you are just relaxing in your seat.
Probably also an indication that your brain is slurping this up and makes us all retards or naïve believers after a lifetime of tv watching.
Luckily enough I don't watch that much tv. There is nothing to see that's interesting. All these channels, but all the samle thing over and over again. And still, when watching a movie, even a stupid one, I always insist in seeing the end.

On the other hand, imagine not sleeping for a couple of days. I've tried this out for 3 days (so, without sleeping for 2 nights; not an easy job if nobody keeps you awake). But I am not the only one. Controlled scientific tests have been showing this multiple times, already in the previous century and probably even in times of the Greeks (knowing these philosophy freaks :-) ).
It is just crazy !! You start to forget things, be very unattentive and you even get a bit paranoïd. It's like hearing and seeing, but it's not really you ot rather you don't feel really there, as if you are watching from a distance from within yourself. Must be very healthy!! :- :)
So, you can imagine that your brain does fucntion in your sleep. It probably orders all the information or so... just like a server backup, haha.

2004-02-18T20:20:00.000+01:00

My first message in my blog.
Hi everyone...

Kenya screams !! (nederlands, dutch)

2003-05-09T23:17:00.000+02:00

Intro

Het verhaal hieronder vertelt hoe ik een pracht van een mens ontmoet heb. Iemand die zijn leven wijdt aan het redden van - wat men zou denken: - 'verloren' kinderen. Hij doet echt goed werk en boekt resultaten met de kinderen.
Het is wel een lang verhaal. Hier is zijn website als u een handje wil bijdragen (en niet alles wil lezen, hetgeen begrijpelijk is):
SCREAM

Verhaal

Ik wou enkel maar een kleine nota schrijven hieronder over één van mijn ervaringen in Afrika, nu blijkt het al ne dikke boterham. Waarschijnlijk omdat ik het zo plezant vindt es iets te vertellen over één van mijn bijna-vergeten ervaring. Hier komt ie (effe een pauzetje voor nodig wel, pretty please ?):

Toen ik in Kenya was, in de hoofdstad NAIROBI gevestigd voor business doeleinden (GSM), moest ik soms walgen hoe kleine kinderen (vanaf geboorte soms in handen van een zus of zo) aan de lijm zaten te snuiven in een coca-flesje, geprostitueerd werden of zelf deden om toch maar aan een centje te geraken (om nog meer te snuiven) etc....

Ik had er moeite mee omdat je hun echt niet kon helpen. Als je ze iets gaf, ging dat straight naar de lijm en volgende keer mocht je zeker zijn dat ze al hun zogezegde broertjes en zusjes meehadden en jou achterna wandelden.
Af en toe sprak ik hun aan en redeneerde met hun (als ze niet stoned waren) en sommigen vonden dat heel vreemd: 'Wat doet die ? Wilt die met ons echt spreken?' 'Dat kan niet, wil die vreemde blanken iets van ons misschien ?' .. en na besef dat ik hun gewoon wou zeggen dat het beter kon ... sommigen: 'Hoe zou ik dat moeten doen ?' Er waren wel methoden, maar ik had geen resources.
Maar ik bedoel hier alleen dat sommige van die kinderen er echt bewust uit willen (na ne keer gezegd te hebben dat het echt anders kon want die hebben daar echt geen flauwste benul van. Hoe zou je zelf zijn na vanaf je geboorte stoned en arm te zijn ? En nu gene grote mond, hé! Niemand heeft zichzelf gemaakt!).

Totdat ik een jonge Keniaanse gast (29 jaar), Stephen ontmoette, voelde ik me heel verdrietig. Nog des te meer omdat ik 'toen' echt kluiten verdiende naast hun miezerig bestaan.
Eerst was dit gewoon een beetje babbelen, bleek ne heel intelligente gast te zijn, toen later bleek dat hij actief kinderen ging opzoeken om ze dan in zijn huis te koesteren en ze later (na veel moeite en psychologische druk) of terug met hun ouders verenigde of ze een hoop en kans op toekomst geven (school laten gaan, waarden leren, met gevoelens leren omgaan, ...). Hij doet dit vrijwillig en met steun van donaties (vooral van een Amerikaanse kerk en een Nederlandse religieuze organisatie) die soms heel miniem zijn en me doen verbazen van wat hij hier allemaal mee uitvoert. 't Is dan ook wel ne Keniaan, die kennen de waarde van geld beter dan hier!

Ik heb heel wat gezien! Ik ben soms meegeweest met hem naar de donkere steegjes van Kenya, waar hij echt de kinderen gaat aanspreken waarna ze zich soms de herhaalde en bekende vragen stelde, en uiteindelijk de vraag 'HOE?'! En soms lukt dit om ze dan op vangen en mee naar zijn huis te nemen!
Ik was wel blij dat hij en zijn 'BIG John' bij mij waren toen, want ik was doodsbenauwd (wat een sensatie! Ahum..). Criminaliteit is daar niet enkel iemand aftuigen of ne keer boel maken, maar gewoon keel doorsnijden een dan ne keer in zijn portefeuile kijken.. (Heb ik jullie nooit gezegd dat ik van risico's houd om te leren van alle kulturen op alle niveau's ?)

Een mooi leven, dat heb ik toen ontdekt bij 2 kinderen die ik ginds heb ontmoet. Eén ervan is nu wel Stephen's rechterhand geworden. Beiden waren er even slecht en onbewust aan toe zoals die toestand die ik eerder vermelde.
Tenzij die twee gelukkigen, heeft hij en zijn kinderen (die allemaal vrienden van elkaar zijn natuurlijk) me dus al verteld van enkele rëunies met de ouders die ongelooflijk veel traantjes opwekken bij beide partijen. Eentje, een schatje trouwens (denk toen zo'n 10 jaar), was weer teruggekeerd omdat het bij zijn ouders niet lukte (te arm en geen voedsel en het roepen dat hier soms toe leidt enzo..), maar hij is tenminste niet terug op straat.
Natuurlijk zijn er ook die terug geraken op straat en terug beginnen snuiven enzo, maar ja, je kan enkel maar vechten...
Het aantal en dus de capaciteit van Stephen's resources is misschien bescheiden (zo'n 40 à 100 kinderen afhankelijk van de periode), maar 'beter 1 vogel in de lucht, dan geen hand' zeg ik altijd.

Steven's katholicisme is niet wat ik gewoon ben. Weet u wel, mandjes met geld in de kerk om de priester zijn wijnvoorraad aan te vullen, mode- en prestigeshows na de kerkdienst, priesterlijke jongensliefde, meer traditie dan echte waarden, rijke kerkgebouwen, enorme beelden en schilderijen, kruistochten, ...
Stephen is 100%+ katholiek en staat erop alle kinderen zeer katholiek op te voeden. Het is wel niet het katholicisme dat wij hier kennen (zoals mijn visie, hierboven vermeld, een beetje overdrijvend omschrijft) Bij hem gaat het dus wel over de waarden van naastenliefde etc.. Tja, ons zegt het mij niet zoveel meer, dat katholiek gedoe, maar ik ben zeker dat die jongens daar heel wat liefde en zorgzaamheid leren kennen. Ik denk dat voor sommigen van hun een poortje naar het paradijs zien

Gisteren kwam ik Stephen's website tegen op het internet en ik dacht zo van: Als jullie iets willen doen voor andere mensen, ik wéét dat dezen type hier de zuiverste is die er is en alles wat hij bezit gebruikt voor hun toekomst en misschien ooit het beste is dat je zal tegenkomen. Hier is iets waarvan je zeker weet dat je hulp direct en zonder omwegen via sommige portemonnees, toekomt.
Ik heb dit verhaal dus niet verzonnen, alleen het gedacht al.

De website,
SCREAM met een foto van Stephen, ne gast die me getoond heeft dat er nog prachtige mensen op de wereld bestaan, met 'zijn' kinderen en sommigen rëunies met ouders b.v.... :

- Al die foto's op die site herken ik zo goed; sommige kinderen (meeste wel al weg, gelukkig voor hen) en Stephen's huis etc..., deden effe mijn hart een slag overslaan...)

Aangehecht nog een folder met mogelijkheden om te helpen.

Bedankt voor jullie aandacht.

Jullie kennen me en weten (hoop ik) dat dit echt en eerstehands is.

Groetjes,

Ruby