Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

To all who've graced us with their visits, reads and comments: Happy New Year and a safe and blessed 2012. Hope to see you all again in the coming year.

Nekschot quits

Gregorius Nekschot is no more.

The cartoonist working under the infamous pseudonym revealed to De Volkskrant (NL) he will stop publishing cartoons. The website will go off line on January 1st, 2012.

According to the cartoonist arriving at the decision to stop was a gradual process. His web shop is losing money and he receives too little commissions to keep the website going. On top of that his publisher didn't see any profitability in publishing a new book.

Gregorius Nekschot is, of course, known world-wide for the quite scandalous decision by then-minister of Justice, Ernst Hirsch-Ballin, to arrest the cartoonist over eight 'illegal' cartoons (the 'Nekschot Eight' can be viewed here in a report by Ferdy of the arrest).

In the Volkskrant interview Nekschot describes himself as 'change' in the Fitna affair.

Nekschot calls Hirsch-Ballin a religious nut, who views his faith as the measure of all things. Combating Wilders was an obsession to the CDA politician, in the wake of which he aimed for Gregorius Nekschot, who ridiculed religion. Nekschot sees himself as change in the Fitna affair; Should the government be unsuccessful to stop Fitna, they could always fall back on Nekschot and his cartoons.

And that is what happened. His arrest was shelved, as it were, in case of need. that is why it took three years before they lifted him of his bed.

You should always be conscious of the fact that you may be a pawn in a larger game, he says softly.

It isn't all sadness, according to Nekschot. All in all he says he's thankful he escaped unharmed. Something which cannot be said about his Danish colleague Kurt Westergaard. He can be himself again, without the need for secrecy in his personal life. He will not have to be afraid for his identity coming out and being targeted any more. It is the end of fear.

But therein does lie the tragedy of the Netherlands in this, the 21st century: Theo van Gogh was murdered, Geert Wilders was prosecuted, Nekschot arrested, interrogated for thirty hours (for 8 cartoons, FFS!) and now he's quit. It is safe to say that ridiculing islam and its band of backward, loud-mouth followers is about over in the Netherlands.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is upon us, which means that we at KV will be away and posting will be light. Even more so, as the KV household has been extended two night ago with an heir apparent to KV manor (which, incidentally, is also my excuse for the radio-silence these past few days). Time away from the blogs, therefore, and a time to focus the mind on the positive aspects of life: Family, friends and faith. Mostly family this year, as one should given the circumstances.

This year we'll leave you with a piece that is one of the all-time favourites of yours truly : Jesus' blood never failed me. It is not a Christmas song per sé, but for some reason it captures some aspects of the season in a combination I've never heard in other songs.

For starters it is minimal music at its very best. Every repetition in the song adds another beautiful layer, a little more atmosphere. Then there is the contrast between the singing of that homeless man, known only to Our Father, and the singing of a successful, but hard-living singer like Tom Waits. It adds a 'there but for the grace of God' feel to the music. Towards the end only Mr. Waits remains, while (to my mind) the voice of the homeless guy disappears into eternity, peace at last.

The association with Christmas is of course due also to the fact that this piece was a minor hit during the season of '93. This single got to number 8 in the Dutch pop charts of that year.

And thus, a peculiar combination of circumstances, subject matter and musical mastery have created a Christmas jewel that is alas not nearly as known as it deserves to be. Here's hoping this will post will help, even if just a little.

And so, as we at KV manor are coming to terms with an all new rhythm of life, we bid you all very good holidays, and hope you will spend them with the food, drink, activities and company you enjoy best. On behalf of Ferdy and the KV family: A Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

A nation hitting rock bottom

Presented without further comment: Television cannibalism stunt goes global.

Newspapers and broadcasters from around the world have picked up on a Dutch television stunt in which two presenters claim to eat a small piece of each other's flesh.

The show, due to be aired on Wednesday, features Dennis Storm and Valerio Zeno from youth channel BNN, allegedly eating a small portion of human meat on the show Proefkonijnen (guinea pigs).

One trailer for the programme shows a surgeon appearing to remove a small piece of flesh from the buttock of one presenter while the other people present joke about putting a photograph on microblogging service Twitter. Another trailer shows small pieces of meat being fried in oil.

Cannibalism
Britain's Telegraph newspaper says the show has 'caused a cannibalism storm'.
And Sky Television says 'a lawyer advised the show's producers that while cannibalism is not itself against the law, the presenters or the surgeon who operated on them could face legal difficulties.'
America's ABC news said the stunt is 'the most disgusting' story of the day.

Hoax
In the Netherlands, opinion is divided about whether the presenters actually do eat human flesh or whether the trailer is a hoax.
In 2007, BNN staged a tv reality show which centred on people competing for a dying woman’s kidneys. That show turned out to be a hoax aimed at raising awareness for kidney patients.

QotD - In memory of Vaclav Havel

In all events, I am certain that our civilisation is heading for catastrophe unless present-day humankind comes to its senses. And it can only come to its senses if it grapples with its short-sightedness, its stupid conviction of its omniscience and its swollen pride, which have been so deeply anchored in its thinking and actions.

Vaclav Havel, quoted by His Grace (and do read the eulogy in full) on this, the day that Our Father called former president Havel home.

The world has lost a precious soul today.

A mouthful of Islam

And here I thought the Dutch Protestant Churches were in a bad way. From across the Small Pond, in the UK, His Grace reports on a Christmas service held at Royal Holloway College, in the University of London. The service was led by a Rev'd Cate Irvine, an Anglican vicar, and a Roman Catholic chaplain from the local church, Father Vladimir Nikiforov.

And what did the assembled festive throng hear? The prophecy of of Isaiah? 'For unto us a child is born...'? The Gospel of Luke? 'There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus...'? A reading from Micah, perhaps? 'But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be Ruler in Israel'?

No, none of the above. Instead, they got the Qur'an.

It is unbelievable. A Christmas service, celebrating the birth (or incarnation, if you wil) of Our Dear Father, uses the very text that completely denies the act of sacrifice that redeemed this world and all who are in it:

That they said in boast "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary the Apostle of Allah"; but they killed him not nor crucified him but so it was made to appear to them and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge but only conjecture to follow for of a surety they killed him not. (Qur'an 4:156-158)

As His Grace comments: Maybe they’re saving that for Easter.

Go and read the whole preposterous saga. It is a sad day when Christianity in the West stoops to this depth in its quest for tolerance and inclusivity. As His Grace entirely correctly observes: When you compromise on the intellectual, political, and imaginative foundations of Western culture, you create a spiritual vacuum which needs to be filled. The people cry out for meat, and all they can get is the milk of dumbed-down Anglicanism followed by a mouthful of Islam. Is it any wonder they turn away en masse in search for the one thing the church should, but doesn't, provide?

[INSTANT UPDATE] Don't miss suggestions for carols to be sung at the service, provided by Trencherbone:

Bang Bang Verily You Die
Bombing in a Winter Wasteland
Death to the World
Do They Know It's Jihad?
Frosty the Boobytrap
Hijacked Three Ships
I'm Dreaming of a Shi'ite Christmas
I Stoned Mommy for Kissing Santa Claus
Jingle Belts
Little Bomber Boy
No-go Town of Bethlehem
Oh Come all ye Fanatical
Oh TannenBOOM
Repulsive Jews Below
Slay Ride
While Shepherds Screwed Their Flocks
Wreck the Halls

...and of course, that all time favorite: Violent Night

Thanks to DP111 for pointing that out. Made me laugh.

No it was not Jihad!

Today, in the Belgium city of Liege, a 33 year old Muslim with the name Nordine Amrani (Nordine translates as: light of the religion) climbs on a rooftop near a busy square. From that rooftop he starts throwing hand grenades and fires his FN FAL to the busy crowd of a Christmas market and main courthouse. He kills 6 and wounds 122 more. After that Nordine is killed by his own gun (witness version) or maybe by his own hand grenade (prosecutor version).

Nordine Amrani is a known felon who already had three convictions on his name. He was released early for parole while serving time for drugs offenses and having an large illegal weapons arsenal that included a Kalashnikov and a rocket launcher. He was also very proficient with his guns, he could assemble and disable all his weapons.

What more profiling info you wane to have? Muslim, suicide attack, killing spree at Christmas Market, years prepping for fighting, not openly violent, but a seemingly large problem with (infidel) rules and authority.

But strangely enough the Belgium and Dutch media don’t even report the fact that Nordine Amarani was a Muslim or that his names means "light of the religion". Even though the courthouse at the square received terror treads only yesterday during an honor murder trial. Also his own honor was at stake, the Belgium police had ordered him for questioning in a rape investigation today, but he never showed.

The police could not tie the attacker to any known terrorist network or extremists. Thus that was apparently enough for Prime Minister Elio di Rupo to conclude publicly only a few hours after the attack that this was an isolated incident and not an act of terrorism. They were also not looking for accomplices and could not tie him to any known terrorist network. But still, this ignores the fact that Al’Qaeda actually ordered all Muslims to do this kind of Mumbai style attacks in the Western world. Thus only by knowing his motivations, you can exclude Jihad and terrorism. That’s something you can’t figure out in a few hours after an attack.

But apparently protecting the image of Islam is more important than keeping us safe, a sad truth.


Update Expatica reports:
Belgian officials told AFP he had been released on parole in October 2010, a spokesman for Belgium's prisons service saying he was not aware of any cross-surveillance with a Belgian national centre for threat evaluation, OCAM.

However, another official said Amrani, 33, was known to former interior minister Annemie Turtleboom.

See also: Telegraph.co.uk

Always the same

It is official: The Netherlands is in a recession.

The government’s macro-economic forecasting agency CPB says the budget deficit is set to hit 4.1% next year and that the economy is already in recession. (...)

CPB director Coen Teulings urged the government not to make major cuts at a time of recession. Instead, the government should take the time to make structural reforms to deliver money and growth.

This could include moderation, a faster introduction of a higher pension age and a reduction in mortgage tax relief.

As that last sentence indicates, the source of the budget cuts will yet again be us, citizens.

Wilders' PVV is for the moment standing firm, telling the coalition they will not entertain thoughts of reduction in mortgage tax relief unless soem substantial reductions are made in the budget for development aid.

Locally we see the same phenomenon, with municipal councils increasing the rent of sport facilities of local clubs to increase revenues, presented as 'budget cuts' following the economic crisis. Other local fees and taxes are also set to rise (as they have for years now) without any increase in efficiency or service. A couple of weeks ago we were treated to the news (NL) that even though house prices fell by 3.4% on average, municipalities charged more OZB tax (a local tax based on the value of the property), 3.9% more on average. We pay more, yet we get less.

And it is increasingly sticking in the craw of the population, as evidenced by this bit on GeenStijl, addressing our PM in an ... ehm... rather informal manner (blue language in the original):

What are you going to do about those glorified state banks that have created a feudal system? What are you going to do about those billions we keep pumping into the failed economies of Spain, Italy and Greece? What are you going to do about those sea-containers of money transferred to Brussels without so much as a protest? What are you going to do about those tyrannical health insurers that demand more money for less service? What are you going to do about that dismally failed JSF-project? What are you going to do about greedy board members, filthy rich semi-government institutions, the dike surveying mafia and the miles of retainers being paid out? It is there, and there alone, where the billions should be gotten, Mark. Our argument: Fuck you, fuck your friends and fuck that motherfucking contempt of citizens. This government deserves a barstool in the mug.

There's nothing to disagree with there, I think.

But it is poignant that we have to point all of this out to a government that is supposedly the most right-wing cabinet in recent memory. A cabinet that promised, when it started, it would reduce bureaucracy and the number of civil servants. A government that described itself as being there for the citizens.

But now, when the shit is hitting the fan, they turn around and do what every cabinet since the early seventies have done: In their panic they can come up with no more original measure those used by all cabinets before it, either left or not-so-left: They turn and fleece the citizens for the money the government doesn't have. They are no different from the conspicuously left cabinets of yesteryear. They're the same. Always the same.

But they should learn a lesson from history: Those who fail to change with the times end up hanging from lampposts and bridge overhangs. History can be relentless that way.

And now...

... for something completely different.

Modern-day mainstream cosmology (that branch of physics trying to understand why our universe is the way it is) holds that 80% of the total mass present in the universe is so-called 'dark matter'. It is a mysterious substance, that neither emits nor scatters light. The only way it is observable is through the gravitational effects this mysterious matter has on the universe around us.

And it is completely theoretical.

Dark matter was proposed as a solution to make the Einstein models of the universe fit the observations we have on the real one. Introducing dark matter into the models has been very successful in explaining a number of phenomena we observe in our universe: Gravitational lensing (a distortion of our view of the universe by gravity acting on light as it crosses space from its source to our receivers), the non-uniform distribution of the radiation left over from the Big Bang (the so-called background radiation) and the strange way in which spiral galaxies rotate.

But there are studies that shine a worrying light on the actual existence of dark matter. For instance, dark matter and black holes do not interact. And that is a bit weird, if you consider that the defining characteristic of both is gravity. This seems to create a bit of paradox.

This seeming paradox hinges on the assumption in main-stream cosmology that clusters of galaxies are evenly distributed throughout the universe. That means that objects like galaxies are affected equally on all sides by gravitational pull of far-away matter. In other words: Gravitational effects form far away matter cancel each other out. However, this may not be the case. In fact, it has been suggested that the way galaxies and clusters of galaxies are organized around the universe is fractal, not uniform.

Running with the idea of a fractal universe, mathematician Andrea Carati modelled the way spiral galaxies rotate. In his study he assumes a non-uniform, fractal distribution of galaxies. This results in non-uniform gravitational effects. In fact, on large scale objects (galaxies and larger) he finds that far-away clusters of galaxies exert a significant 'tidal' effect. With a little more math, Carati came up with predictions of how a spiral galaxy would rotate under such conditions. His results (pdf) were spectacular. Applying his mathematical model to a number of observed galaxies, his predictions are virtually identical to the observed rotation speeds. And he doesn't have to resort to dark matter to get this good a fit.

My inner geek finds this incredibly cool. To me the idea of dark matter and dark energy always seemed to be the equivalent of the 'aether', which 19th century physics needed to explain the propagation of electro-magnetic (light and radio) waves. It is ugly and rather brutal. And it rests solely on the assumptions underpinning our 'best' models of the universe. Dark matter just HAS TO exist, because the models are wrong without it (are those echoes of the AGW CO2 hypothesis I hear?).

But here we have in Carati a potential scientific hero, replacing a key assumption about our universe with an alternative. And is able to explain observations just as well without dark matter. One of the three main phenomena that 'prove' the existence of dark matter, can be adequately explained without filling our universe with an invisible goo to the tune of 4 times the mass of the observable universe. It is beautifully elegant. Stuff like this just brighten my day.

(via Vox Day; Normal programming will resume shortly)

Why bother?

A couple of days ago I wrote: "I sometimes despair for this country". This week I came to the conclusion it is much worse then that.

It started out as a normal lunch with co-workers. There were six of us. I don't quite remember how we got there, but conversation turned to climate change. From there it was just a few small steps to the EUnion and democracy. It proved to be quite an education.

I found myself being ganged up by four others for my 'quaint and old-fashioned' notions of democracy and sovereignty. My suggestion that people should be allowed to have a say in the way they are governed was, quite literally, laughed away as ridiculous. The consensus was that allowing ordinary folks to vote on the future of the country was unworkable. It was argued that since the majority of people do not have the time and the energy to emerge themselves in complex issues, it follows that they would make the wrong choice. Ergo, best not to let them vote, best not to have a referendum on any issue. When I held up Switzerland as the obvious counter-example, the dismissive reaction was 'Yes, but they're rich because of their corrupt banking system'.

These colleagues were perfectly comfortable being ruled by mere mortals, who they assumed were current with the intricacies of 'complex issues'. And if decisions and measures were made that were not exactly legal, well, sometimes you have to bend the truth a little to safe-guard us all from harm. My question of 'What makes you think these people are better equipped to deal with complex question then you?' was met with incredulous laughter. It never did receive a serious answer.

The shocking part in all of this was: These were not evil people. These were ordinary colleagues, well-educated (there were three PhD's at the table) and, arguably, well-informed people with broad interests and tastes. But the blind, uncritical belief in the men and women making up our parliament and government was staggering.

And then it just hit me: Most Dutch aren't that interested in freedom and democracy, in having a say in their own future. They don't want to deal with 'complex issues'. They want to get on with their lives in a secure manner, safe from extraneous responsibilities. It seems that to most Dutch freedom and sovereignty are no longer a priority, are no longer an issue. This country of ours has already ceased to be.

Now, why does that bother me enough to write this blog? Why do I bother?

[UPDATE001] Serendipity strikes again as Dr. North writes:

"The key to wisdom is this - constant and frequent questioning ... for by doubting we are led to question and by questioning we arrive at the truth", says Peter Abelard, in one of many quotations extolling the virtues of scepticism. Although I am accused of the sin of cynicism, it is scepticism that I believe should be the default mode, especially – and always – when dealing with politicians, their officials, and the media.

Until we can learn that simple lesson and apply it, we are nowhere. We end up the gullible tools of the politico-media complex, ready to do their bidding at a drop of a hat, on the strength of a diet of lies and distortion that we are prepared to believe.

But whether we have the capacity as a nation to transcend our collective gullibility and develop into a mature, functioning democracy, I have my serious doubts. And recent experience has not given me any cause for optimism. These are dark days, and especially so when, as a collective, we are authors of our own grief.

Consequences

So, last night the eurocrats promised each other a new treaty. In that treaty we find the following among the main points:

EU countries agreed to provide €200bn in bilateral loans to the IMF to help tackle the debt, with €150bn of the total coming from the eurozone countries.

And guess what our 'government' announced today:

The cabinet is preparing to make extra cuts of up to €10bn in order to balance the government’s books, the Telegraaf reports on Friday.

The paper says sources in The Hague put say at least €6bn needs to be shaved off spending, but the total could be much higher. The cuts would come on top of the €18bn package already agreed and partly implemented.

Actions have consequences. The terrible nature of EUnion politics is, however, that the eurocrats take action, but we, the people, suffer the consequences.

A remind yourself, when next year you find your disposable income has decreased yet further, because our leaders have decided to get rid of mortgage interest deductibility, that this all started with Greece. And could have ended with Greece, had it been booted out of the euro-zone.

No group of people stays stuck halfway up the learning curve quite like those in charge of the European Union.

One thing over 95% of commentators would accept immediately is that passing laws ‘banning the future’ turned a Greek debt crisis into a eurozone disaster. That is to say, had the eurozone architects not closed the euro exit for all time, the fact is that Greece would’ve left (or been thrown out) some time around September 2010. Italy would never even have been targeted. Iberia and Ireland would still have been a mess; but the Irish have 75% dug themselves out of it, and with no other bailout commitments on the horizon, the EU could’ve controlled things in Spain and Portugal without recourse to Zen bazookas and endless summit meetings. Above all, ‘contagion’ would not be a credible concept. And it is the fear of infection has driven the market’s neurosis in relation to bond-holding since Day One.

We need to get out!

[UPDATE001] And there it is: The stability plan cooked up Thursday will cost the Netherlands 14 billion euros (NL). Of the 200 billion intended for loans to the IMF, the Dutch share is 7 percent.

Any guesses what the ultimate number on the new budget cuts is going to be? And you want to know a truly bizarre thing: We're lending the IMF that money, so that the IMF can loan it out to PIIGS in trouble. Why this U-turn construction? I guess this is one of those cases where the intricacies of the geo-financial order go way over my head.

Second Dutch referendum?

As EURef reports, it seems that the Merk half of the Merkozy is going for a full blown change of the Lisbon Treaty Turnip. This includes an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) and unanimous ratification by the 27 countries making up the EUnion.

If the Germans manage to hold the line, and insist on a full IGC, we really are looking at two-years plus before a resolution, even if Germany manages to avoid a constitutional referendum. (...)

And then there is the question of whether the markets are prepared to wait that long. Ambrose reports on massive capital flight from the eurozone, and by the time it is realised that treaty negotiations are going to offer no immediate (or any) relief - as ZeroHedge seems to have done, it is hard to see the markets remaining stable.

Pressures in the UK are mounting for the Conservative PM, David Cameron, to make good on his referendum promise. But the UK is not the only country that may see a referendum.

Second Chamber MP for the Dutch Socialist Party, Harry van Bommel, entreated the world to a tweet saying:

GroenLinks [Green Left] also wants a verdict by the population regarding the future of the euro. Together with SP, PvdA [Dutch Labour] and [Wilders'] PVV that is a majority. Let's have that referendum

Could this be true? Could this be really true?

My hearts all a-flutter, but my head tells me: 'You've been let down before, remember?'. We'll see how this goes. Hope springs eternal, as they say.

Europe's great problem

In Elsevier today well-known opponent of radical islam and professor of international law, Afshin Ellian had a magnificent op-ed (NL). I am reproducing a translation in full below.

There are many points that have been made here and elsewhere. But this is the first time I have seen these made so uncompromisingly in the Dutch MSM. That in and of itself merits some attention. But it is a great read as well. Key sentence: "Hysterical europhiles are a huge problem for Europe". Prof. Ellian has the floor:

Dangerous Europhilia - Afshin Ellian

The European EUnion has arrived at a new phase. French minister of Foreign Affairs, Alain Juppé, fears that the debt crisis may lead to an 'explosion' of the EUnion and to armed conflict on the European continent.

Now that is robust language! The French minister actually means to say that the debt crisis is a 'existential crisis' for Europe: 'Everything that has been achieved in the last twenty years, since the Maastricht Treaty, and even since the founding of the European Union, is put in doubt'.

That is why he warns that the crisis might cause armed conflict to break out in Europe:'Over the lest decades we have deluded ourselves into believing that conflict has disappeared from the continent. But I am not so sure about that.'

Hooligans
Armed conflict on the continent? Are hooligans and European commandos standing ready to attack each other. Weird that we haven't noticed this.

Is France planning to attack another country? How, with what weapons? Aren't we all NATO members? This strange use of language is symptomatic for the condition of the European Union. It is a diseased condition. A condition where for the first time since 1945 some dare to speak of war and armed conflict.

It is harmless but ignorant language. because there isn't even half a European thinking of war or conflict.

Really mad
Some politicians have gone mad. And that is the problem in Europe. Hysterical europhiles are a huge problem for Europe.

Under certain conditions nationalism can be dangerous. But the important question is: what is the breeding ground of current nationalism? At the moment the euro is a strong breeding ground for feelings of nationalism and nostalgia. Leading politicians from the period when the euro was introduced, have stated that the introduction was a miscarriage. Will they be the guilty ones if a European war breaks out?

Volkskrant-editors Martin Sommer and Paul Brill have studied the birth of the euro. They talked to various politicians, resulting in a wonderful report about the coming into being of the euro. Almost all of the godfathers of the euro are now distancing themselves from it, that is: from the miscarriage.

Ire
Martin Sommer writes: 'Hans Hoogervorst, then financial spokesperson for the VVD-fraction and familiar with Italy, raised the ire of D66 by stating that the Italians, once part of the euro, would let slip the [fiscal] reigns. Saying that out loud was indicative of a lack of respect. The europhile D66 would not allow any doubts about the introduction of the euro'.

D66 thinks everyone must be respected. Corrupt, Mafia-like states and communities must be respected, if D66 has any say. I am so glad that the Italians themselves are more democratic and critical then Democrats 66.

Criticism could lead to disrespectful situations, that is an inherent aspect of politics. The party for bureaucrats wants to establish an order that transcends all criticism. That is a blatantly totalitarian utopia.

Love
One shouldn't make threats of war. But D66 and their southern soul mates should be held accountable for the miscarriage of the euro and the current dominion of bureaucrats.

Martin Sommer - correctly - calls to account reporters and journalists for their uncritical love for the European Union. Using reason and nuance, trademarks of NRC Handelsblad, as their excuse, a number of journalists collaborated with the undemocratic abuses in Europe.

Ideologically driven reporters of the so-called quality press should be ashamed of their lack of professionalism and critical eye.

Pompous
Sommer draws a fully justified conclusion: 'Journalism as a whole, to the extent it was involved, fought on the side of those politicians that wanted the euro. Europe was good, because it was the answer to the Second World War. And even now you still hear the pompous view that now is the time to "seize the opportunity" to transfer as much competences to Brussels as possible. Everything to prevent the Netherlands and this horrible government from "retreating behind the dikes". It is not a valid argument but the thirst for being morally correct is unquenchable. And now we're stuffed.'

This shamelessly careless group of europhiles is beyond shame. Anyone who does not believe me should read a couple of editorial commentaries by NRC. They're horrible.

Bankruptcy
After the bankruptcy of a few banks, the bankruptcy of this type of politician and media would be a blessing for democracy.

But there is still a problem: The silent battle between north and south.

French president Sarkozy spoke again in apocalyptic terms: Without the euro European economic cooperation would no longer be possible. But monsieur le président, how did European countries - without the euro and under threat from the Soviet Union - cooperate so successfully in the past? That blackmailing language of southerly charlatans is appallingly ridiculous.

Not just the EUnion

As we, on this side of the Big Pond, sit and watch in flabbergasted amazement at completely counter-intuitive political and financial wranglings of eurocrats home and abroad, in the US we get wind of similar exercises in sinister dealings via the Ulsterman Report. In an the latest interview with the 'Whitehouse Insider', the interviewee gramts us a peek at the power behind the president (any president) of the US of A:

There are powers at play here – always been these powers, but with this administration it’s just a matter of perspective. And it ain’t a Democrat or a Republican problem – these interests, these “investors”… are attached to either party. Don’t matter, really. The difference has always been if the president and his staff had the willpower to withstand the pressures that can be applied by these investors. Some do – some don’t. Barack Obama…his staff, the thing is…some of them were these interests I’m telling you about. At least extensions of them. And they are the most radicalized versions. And I’m not talking about some moron like Bill Ayers. Examples like that are cartoon distractions.

Asked to elaborate , the Whitehouse Insider hold off, saying that particular game is way above his pay-grade:

They are opposed to Barack Obama – don’t question that. It’s a war that kinda floats above our heads…or maybe below our feet. That might be more appropriate – right? (laughs) It’s all the stuff you never see or hear about – the things that take place just outside the perimeters of American politics. Always has. Always will. I’ve had to deal with that world – but I don’t live in it. It always intimidated me. Big time. Presidents…I’ve hinted at this to you before. As powerful as they are – as potentially influential as they can be…they can have their chain jerked by these kinds of people. Bill Clinton? He knows. Very-very well. That Global Initiative of his…that…that…(long pause) Bush? He found out. Same people who invested in his daddy – they didn’t get their second term, so he was to finally provide a return on their investment. Your boy Reagan – he dealt with these fu–ers. He navigated around them as well as anyone. That’s the key for a president you see. Navigating around them. Like a big slow moving ship. You navigate around them or you sink. These sons-a-b-tches will sink a president if they need to.

This is getting into some very unfamiliar territory. But would it be a coincidence that the EUnion and the USA are going through the same type of subversion.

The Slog doesn't think so, as serendipity strikes again:

SciFi novels of my youth tended to depict a future in which huge wealth, endless drugs and total protection would be used to persuade citizens that they did not need their rights to free expression, and votes against tyrants. But in the here and now, ours is a Faustian generation that somehow made the worst bargain of all time. Without noticing – without even being asked – we have signed a deal with the Devil to guarantee going backwards, in return for something which is never made entirely clear.

What the hell have we got ourselves into?

What democracy?

Via Zerohedge: Eurozone To Avoid Any Popular Vote In Treaty Change.

Why bother with the one true barbarous relic - democracy - when good ole' fascism will suffice. As The Telegraph's Bruno Waterfield reports, "EU to avoid any votes - parliamentary or popular on treaty change - via obscure Lisbon Treaty 'passerelle' clause, Art. 126 (14) via protocol 12. "This decision does not require ratification at national level. This procedure could therefore lead to rapid and significant changes," says confidential Van Rompuy text. Funnily enough, only Britain will have to have a parliamentary vote under the Tories recent Sovereignty Act even though it is eurozone only changes." And that is how a bunch of corrupt kleptocratic incompetent eurocrats usurp all power in a regime now entirely controlled by Goldman Sachs. Unless, of course, the UK once again stops the insurgent takeover of the insolvent continent by the squid.

And don't delude yourself. It is not just shady, faceless eurocrats in the grey, soulless buildings of Brussels.

Your government (and mine) is approving this, our parliament will go along with this. Our MSM is telling us this is a good thing, this blatant disregard for democracy and self-determination. We are actively gagged by the people we entrusted with the positions they hold. How is not a betrayal? How is this not treason of the worst kind?

To paraphrase Dr. North: And the reason we don't rise up and hang all of them from bridges and lampposts is...?

[UPDAT001] According to WfW any changes made, be it in the form of amended protocols or amended treaty text, requires unanimous approval AND national ratification. Furthermore, a 'passerelle' can't be used if that confers new competences. Which would mean that the EUnion is breaking its own rules, transgressing its own legislation. Again. We are ruled by criminals!

That sinking feeling

My initial reaction to the Merkozy statement was one of supreme indifference. The proposal for a treaty change, with tighter fiscal rules and automatic sanctions, seemed to include a guarantee for some form of fiscal sovereignty for member states. Under the plans the EUnion does not have the power to veto a national budget. Rather, automatic sanctions are triggered when the ECJ judges the budget being in breach of the 3% deficit rule.

No proposals were made that further threaten national sovereignty. The proposals that were made are of the 'beneficial crisis' kind, seeking to cement the EUnion. What they don't do is address the immediate situation (even Ambrose Evans-Pritchard says so).

Which normally would mean that by the time Merkozy have their precious treaty changes, the market will have long taken care of the unsustainable construct that is the EUnion. On the face of it, Merkozy seem to have left the EUnion wide open to a disorderly break-up.

What was completely missing from their statement, however, was any mention of banks taking a part of the pain, any mention of possible haircuts. Moreover, that pair of useless specimens of Sus Scrofa had absolutely nothing to say about debt, or how to remedy the debt situation in the EUnion.

The logical reaction to this was not long in coming. Tonight S&P have put the entire eurozone, all 17 members of it, on "credit watch negative". Which means that the Netherlands is now looking at the real possibility of a downgrade of its AAA status. Which means we are now looking at a real and looming risk of higher interests on government debt, which, by earlier estimates, would put a dent in government expenditure of at least 8 billion euros YEARLY.

It was when I read that, when a distinct sinking feeling came over me. And then I happened on Mary Ellen Synon.

The chancellor has called for a full fiscal union and automatic punishments for any state which exceeds fiscal limits defined by the Germans.

Mr Sarkozy has called for further erosion of the power of any small EU state to stop any of this: for example, at a speech in Toulon last week he said there must be more council decisions by qualified majority voting. This policy is meant to destroy the veto power of small states.

Merkozy want all these new powers over the budgets of member states to be established by the ‘intergovernmental’ method. That means the muscle of the governments of Germany and France will direct all future decisions on fiscal policy in member states.

But fortunately we have in NL a healthy, right-wing government that looks out for the well-being of its citizens, don't we? I mean, neither Mark Rutte, nor Jan-Kees de Jager nor Maxime Verhagen would support anything that threatens our independence, that would destroy our democratic say in how we are governed, would they?

WOULD THEY?

Easily frightened

Via Dutchnews.nl: Blue chip CEOs say it is one minute to midnight for the euro.

Chief executives from five of the Netherlands biggest firms have written an open letter in the Financieele Dagblad urging immediate action to solve the euro crisis.
'It is one minute to midnight and therefore of greatest importance that there is a decisive approach to the euro crisis in the short term,' the letter signed by Frans van Houten (Philips), Paul Polman (Unilever), Peter Voser (Shell), Hans Wijers (AkzoNobel) and Feike Sijbesma (DSM), said.
'This is the best way to restore trust in a strong and united Europe. We have to focus on measures to make the Netherlands and Europe more competitive on the world market,' the letter says. 'This does not mean retreating behind the dykes. Looking further beyond borders is the only solution.'

International
The letter says this last point is crucial given the enormous shift in economic power that is taking place in terms of developing economies. 'These newcomers are often cheaper, faster and sometimes more innovative,' the letter states.
The business leaders point out that the Netherlands is traditionally an internationally-orientated country with a healthy economy.
'As part of Europe, we are part of one of the most important power blocks in the global economy, and we and our European partners have influence,' the letter said.
The answer is lies not in protectionism and nationalism 'because that will not make our country better or more prosperous, rather the opposite', the business leaders said.

In short, what we have here is above-liners asking for more for the above-liners, crony-capitalists demanding more crony capitalism.

Just last Friday our PM, Mark Rutte, stated he would like to see an EUnion commissioner for budgets, one whose decisions cannot be second-guessed, cannot be overruled. There's something you don't see every day: A democratically elected PM arguing for the destruction of democracy. What interesting times we live in.

All of these people are cut from the same cloth: In the name of the economy, in the name of their own portfolios and positions, democracy has to be dismantled, has to be destroyed.

The erstwhile leader of the Socialist Party in NL, Jan Marijnissen, once said "Democracy is not for the easily frightened". Reversing that statement we must conclude we are ruled by uptight, frightened little men, whose only interest is the bottom line, whose only stake is the amount of money they are able to extract from the likes of us.

They have no principles, no vision. All they have right now is their fears. And they frighten easily, these days. Which makes them all the more dangerous. Faced with the same disaster we are seeing heading this way, they are caught in its headlights, frozen stiff, willing to give up all that is right and good about our way of life to safe-guard their wealth.

And the saddest part: No one, and I do literally mean nobody, in bien-pensant Holland opposes this lot. Nobody condemns or ridicules or shames them for their unspeakable cowardice.

The last vestiges of democracy in the Netherlands are sacrificed on the altar of Mammon. But where one would expect the angry roar of a crowd, kitted out with pitchforks and torches, with tar and feather, you only hear the desolate sound of a lonely cricket.

I sometimes despair for this country. Are we all as easily frightened as those that lead us into this mess? Have we really lost all of our courage, self-sufficiency? Are we really going to resign to the abomination they have planned for us? Are we really no more then sheep?

Or are you going into your shed and sharpen your pitchfork, testing the rope you're keeping for when the occasion presents itself?

Late night daydreaming

The whole day had been rife with twitter rumours. Mostly they'd been about military armoured cars driving around on a weekend and trucks being commandeered.

I was out walking the dog for his late night walk, when I saw a police car roaming the streets of our village.

That was odd. The police don't bother with our village, because hardly anything happens here. There is the occasional minor car accident. Last year a motorcyclist got himself killed launching his bike off the dike in an ill-considered overtake manoeuvre. I think that's the last time a police car was spotted: screaming through the village, sirens, lights and all.

This one was cruising along, both passengers looking slightly tense, I thought.

When I got home, my wife told me there was going to be some announcement. She was a bit miffed too, because the announcement, apparently broadcast on all stations, was interfering with the latest episode of 'Rizzoli and Isles'.

All stations interrupted their program at about the same time, with a journalist (a different one from each station,though all of them from the same location. You could even see the others in the background of the shot of one) telling us about an emergency press conference. Speculation there was a lot of, but flipping through the channels it became clear that not one of those present had any idea what was about to happen.

After a couple of minutes of inane MSM chatter, the conference room was entered by a government press officer and the prime-minister, followed by the ministers of foreign affairs, the interior and finance, as well the the director of the Dutch National Bank (DNB). All of them looked haggard and a bit frumpy, with crooked shirts and badly knotted ties.

The press officers started the meeting with a "Ladies and gentlemen, the prime minister will make an announcement. Afterwards there will be a brief opportunity for asking questions. Please keep all of your questions until after the announcement". The camera shifted jerkily to the prime-minister, as he arranged his papers and cleared his throat. My, but did he look ill at ease when he started.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fellow citizens of the Netherlands,

The European debt crisis, which started in Greece, is spreading and is now seriously affecting the Dutch economy. A loss of trust in the European single currency and European capability to honour its obligations is hampering, even blocking, Dutch businesses from earning money. The continued crisis is now threatening to destroy pension funds and institutional investors to the point that the Dutch welfare system is under threat of collapse.

Let me stress that we value our neighbouring countries. We value continued cooperation within Europe. The Netherlands is a trading nation and we will commit ourselves to continue fostering close relations with befriended nations across Europe and the world.

But when an economic system threatens to destroy what we have been working for, for over 60 years, we must ask ourselves if that system is the right solution. Continued participation in such a system threatens to leave many hard-working Dutch without a well-earned pension. It is even threatening all Dutch with loss of all their savings. Not because of something we did ourselves, but because of the irresponsible behaviour of banks and governments within what was supposed to be a union of responsible and dedicated member countries. When confronted with such a dire situation, a government is left no choice but to honour the responsibility bestowed upon it by the people that have elected it.

For all of these reasons, your government has come to the conclusion there is now no other alternative, but to withdraw from the monetary union and the euro. Starting at midnight all national transactions, accounts and deposits will be denominated in new guilders. Initially they will be exchanged on parity. This means that one new guilders will be equivalent to one euro.

As we speak, all financial institutions are working to ensure a smooth transition. But this is a big project, which will take more then an evening. Therefore, this government has declared tomorrow, Monday, a bank holiday. Businesses and shops will be closed, you will not have to go to work. This affords our country the time needed to finish the transition and ensure all businesses, shops and banks will have sufficient amounts of the new currency to facilitate normal, day-to-day transactions. As of Tuesday, you will be able to shop for your evening dinner as you did before, be it with a new, and at the same time old an familiar currency."

The PM went on a little while longer, mainly to stress the friendly relations he was convinced could be maintained with the rest of what used to be fellow EUnion member states. But I stopped paying attention. The neighbours were out, ringing doorbells, opening champagne bottles and toasting anyone who'd come out.

We were free again. We were a country again. It was a long and unforgettable night.

Sorry about that. I just had to indulge a little. With EURef I hope that something like the above will come to pass.

But I just saw the Sarkozy speech, and I am not optimistic. In nine days time, we may be find ourselves part of something truly awful. Something which, if the signs don't lie, our own government will not protect us from. If that is the case, I will keep the above as a reminder of what could have been. Of something that should have been.

Arab 'Spring'

I guess it was inevitable, really. It isn't surprising, even if it is utterly dismaying. Give a predominantly muslim population a brief moment of real democracy, and they will use it to get rid of it as soon as possible. Look at Egypt.

Islamists claimed a decisive victory on Wednesday as early election results put them on track to win a dominant majority in Egypt’s first Parliament since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, the most significant step yet in the religious movement’s rise since the start of the Arab Spring.

The party formed by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s mainstream Islamist group, appeared to have taken about 40 percent of the vote, as expected. But a big surprise was the strong showing of ultraconservative Islamists, called Salafis, many of whom see most popular entertainment as sinful and reject women’s participation in voting or public life.

Analysts in the state-run news media said early returns indicated that Salafi groups could take as much as a quarter of the vote, giving the two groups of Islamists combined control of nearly 65 percent of the parliamentary seats.

Back when this all started we were a bit uneasy about the consequences. Even as our own MSM treated it as a rerun of those heady days in the early nineties, when communist regimes fell like dominoes. It wasn't and it isn't.

Just last week Tunisia chose for itself the 'sixth caliphate'. Egypt is set to join them. The enemies of the West, the enemies of civilization and freedom, have gained a couple of useful new allies.

And to those fools that started that pointless little war earlier this year: Any guesses what will happen in Lybia?