The hatred between Sunnis and Shiites in Egypt

OR: the self-evidence of totalitarianism in the Mohammedan world This is the English version, shortened and slightly updated, of a Dutch text I wrote in August 2013. “More than two years ago I wrote a rather long and in-depth article [in Dutch] entitled Arab Spring or Mohammedan Autumn?That was well before Morsi, as candidate for… Continue reading The hatred between Sunnis and Shiites in Egypt

Phosphorus Fertilizer and ‘Prepping’

I have quite a few houseplants in my living room. On my tiny balcony, in addition to ornamental plants, I have plants for consumption too. I purchased the spathiphyllum specimen shown here over ten years ago and it did produce some flowers every year. Inspired by my ‘microscopic‘ horticultural activities and observations, a few weeks… Continue reading Phosphorus Fertilizer and ‘Prepping’

Impression of a surreal reality

IJsseloog in Ketelmeer

No Old Dutch Painter from the 17th century –or any other century before the twentieth– could have created a painting like this! For a host of reasons. Nothing even remotely resembling what can be seen here under that cloud cover existed yet. Those colossal high-voltage pylons, which are dwarfed by the overwhelming number of even… Continue reading Impression of a surreal reality

Modest science versus criminally arrogant tinkering

Fortunately, there are many, and more and more, people worldwide who are extremely critical of Bill Gates. A crucial aspect is almost always left out of consideration, however. Very often critical comments and reflections are exclusively about the man’s wrong intentions. What is missing is an emphasis on his skills and limitations. There can be… Continue reading Modest science versus criminally arrogant tinkering

Leninism was never eradicated

The only video (so far) that I did not record in the Netherlands, I made in Germany near the border with Poland. It was about Bismarck, Russian soldiers and Soviet rule. Title: A military cemetery in Spremberg: “Sonst Nichts“. ‘Sonst Nichts’ was part of a slogan often used by the terrible Bismarck, who laid the… Continue reading Leninism was never eradicated

Het leninisme werd nooit vernietigd

De (tot nu toe) enige video die ik niet in Nederland opnam, maakte ik in Duitsland tegen de grens met Polen. Die ging over Bismarck, Russische soldaten en sovjet-heerschappij. Titel: A military cemetery in Spremberg: “Sonst Nichts”. ‘Sonst Nichts’ was onderdeel van een leus die vaak gebruikt werd door de verschrikkelijke Bismarck, die de fundering… Continue reading Het leninisme werd nooit vernietigd