Click image for a larger hat.

I think one of the greatest actresses ever - and a great role model for woman. She was smart, witty, charming and beautiful. She was sexy without pushing her boobs or whatever into everybodys face.

A real lady and a great human being.

Photographer: Anyone knows who made this great shot?

How often have I saved this planet?! How often have I risked my virtual neck for some stupid princess or small village? How often was I hurt, mangled and killed in my quest to save the universe?

And what did I get for it? Not even a permanent entry in the high score list of this universe!

I wish all my bonuses and extra lives would translate into the real world - I’d be richer then Bill Gates by now and rule this planet by magic and super weapons!

Just wondering if they also do deep throat?

We all dislike fighting and arguing with other people, co-workers and loved ones. But it’s a necessary part of life.

Most people are stressed out by fights and anger. But like boxing it is a skill that can be learned to reduce the stress and not to waste too much energy. It’s not about anger management, but dealing with stress during a confrontation, making proper arguments, understanding the  physical effects of stress and anger on your body and mind … and getting out of your own “hot head”.

By developing a “conflict culture” and getting to know yourself in hot situations is a benefit to yourself and everybody else. You still can be mad, passionate and intense about your opinions, but you learn how to focus and use your power in a good way to make your point of view clear.

A good fight / argument can be highly stimulation and refreshing - it doesn’t need to be a total disaster for everybody.

Too much artistic power was wasted in the time of the Soviets for stupid propaganda. But this poster still is looking great and very modern.

Just because you have the mental strength to kill yourself, doesn’t mean everybody admires your willpower.

How much time do we loose in our life’s queuing or waiting in (traffic) jams? We can fly to the moon - but we haven’t lost the queue …

A new week a new version. Just upgraded my WordPress from 2.33 to version 2.5 The upgrade ran smoothly and only one plugin doesn’t work - but I guess an upgrade for it is already in the works. WP is really well done. Thank WP team - my donation is on the way …

Airports are great places to hang out before you start your airlift. Instead Airports are modern versions of hell -only invented to annoy you. Why are there NEVER comfy seats or corners to have a nap if your flight is canceled or delayed?

Ah, space the final frontier … amazing that so much of nothing can be so exciting. Let’s solve our global problems and than push ahead exploring the cosmos.

*Thanks for Edosan for this nice image*

Not everybody grows up with the perfect (grand)parents and in a perfect time. But that’s not important - what’s important that you want to change the presence for a better future.

We all have family members that have weird or simply terrible opinions and convictions. But we can’t be held responsible for that - only for our own actions.

Sometimes I wonder if computers haven’t already achieved consciousness and are just keeping silent to piss us off with stupid error messages. I could swear I heard a little snigger coming out of my notebook when it crashed yesterday …

Update: Here is a new version.

Update: The movie has been removed from LiveLeaks - you can still click the player above - but you only get an official statement. I will try to download the movie from another source and repost it here. What a shame!

Since all the world is going bonkers about this movie - watch it yourself and judge it for yourself. (Warning: LiveLeaks stream is currently overwhelmed by demand - so the video could be jerky.)

Let me know what you think?

I am pretty sure it appeals to some of my new conservative American friends.

This video is certainly made to provoke and wake up the world / Europe / the Dutch to the “dangers of Islam”. For me Islam is as dangerous as any religion when it is commanded by Fundamentalists and Terrorists as an excuse to kill or suppress others, because they can’t cope with diversity.

Should the video be censored or forbidden? Of course not. It may be not the best video ever made - but it expresses valid concerns and simply states a political opinion (doesn’t matter if you agree or not). Religions and violence are not beyond criticism.

Plus I like to point out that some stuff that is broadcast by some official Arab TV stations is much harsher than this. And al-Quaeda and Jihadist recruiting videos are pure hate and blood. So in terms of propaganda this Dutch video is rather lame.

But this video is also not beyond criticism: the associations and connections this video sometimes makes are wrong at best and stupid in some cases.

Stupid rhetoric’s from both sides are not helping.

Muslims have to ask themselves if they want to tolerate or maybe combat those fundamentalists who have hijacked their religion and commit murders in their names. And they have to accept that many place in the world don’t care about religious piety and will continue to allow attacks, ridicule and humor against Islam.

And the West has to learn that Islam is not simply bad - and that not every bearded Muslim is a terrorist.

More? Wikipedia entry

Some reactions:

BBC: Dutch MP posts Islam film on web with comments

Graphic images from the bomb attacks on London in July 2005 and Madrid in March 2004 are shown.

Pictures of a woman being stoned, scenes from a beheading and images of the Dutch director Theo van Gogh, who was murdered by a radical Islamist in 2004, are also included.

And pictures appearing to show Muslim demonstrators holding up placards saying “God bless Hitler” and “Freedom go to hell” also feature.

The film shows a young girl in a headscarf making derogatory comments about Jewish people.

Economist: Flat-earth fears

The leaders of both countries have tried to discourage these ventures. They are doing their utmost to soothe bruised sensibilities abroad. The Dutch prime minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, has had several talks with his Danish counterpart, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, about how to cope with the incipient crisis.

One sign that events are escalating came this week, when Mr Wilders secretly visited Copenhagen in an attempt to persuade Danish television to broadcast his movie. As in the Netherlands, the argument against doing so is to avoid provoking retaliation. Already Danish goods are being widely boycotted in Muslim countries.

The Danes seem to have had their fill of the controversy. An opinion poll in Jyllands-Posten, the newspaper that first published Mr Westergaard’s cartoon, showed that almost 60% of Danes thought republication was ill-advised—whereas a majority supported publication the first time round. On the other hand, the Danes (and Dutch) are staunch believers in free speech. A Danish minister has talked of offering a Dutch-Somali politician, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a safe bolt-hole. Two Danish television stations also aired clips of “Submission”, the film made by Theo van Gogh, who was murdered by an Islamic fanatic in 2004, for which Ms Hirsi Ali wrote the script.

There is also a natural unwillingness to bow to bullies. In the Netherlands, Mr Wilders is admired for his free-speech stance even by those who hate his politics. When two Danish soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, Mr Fogh Rasmussen rejected calls to bring the troops home. “Violent groups are trying to halt progress. They must not succeed,” he said. Many Europeans apply the same logic to free speech and Islamists.

Just because you rebel against something or act a bit odd doesn’t make you different. Even amongst rebels, punks and other “outsiders” to the so called system is a certain uniformity and consensus of what is supposed to be different.

Overall I am not a big Turner fan. I was always amazed in London when people spent hours in front of his blurry masterpieces in the National Gallery.

But this one I like (more info here):

The scene is fairly certainly identifiable as Maidenhead railway bridge, which spans the Thames between Taplow and Maidenhead. The bridge, designed by the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and completed in 1839, has two main arches of brick, very wide and flat. The view is to the east, towards London.

On the left people are boating on the river, while to the right a ploughman works on a field. The tranquility of these traditional activities contrasts with the steam train rushing towards the viewer, the stark outline of its black funnel clearly visible. In front of the train a hare, one of the speediest of animals, dashes for cover.

Turner’s picture can be associated with the ‘railway mania’ which swept across England in the 1840s. It is also an outstanding example of his late style of painting. Sky and river landscape are dissolved in a haze of freely applied oil paint, to give a striking impression of the contrasting movement of driving rain and speeding train.

*Thanks to Edosan to sending in this picture*

Wikipedia says that there are currently 7.500 different types of Apples. One would think that’s a lot, especially since most super markets only offer three or five different brands (how many can you name from memory?). According to some articles / sources we had over 10.000 or even 20.000 varieties not just a hundred years ago.

The problem of loosing bio diversity is very serious. Some varieties have genes that might withstand a new illness or virus that threatens a specific plant or animal.

Sounds to scientific to you? Just remember that we still don’t know what is killing bees in such huge numbers in the US and Europe. if we would loose some more bees plant pollination would be insufficient and food production would be greatly reduced. Hanger and starvation would be result for man and animals.

Another example: lets say a new fungus develops that kills most of the rice crops in Asia. A huge famine would be the result.

So we need bio diversity to ensure that some plants and animals are resistant to some threats - so we can cross breeds these species with weaker ones.

Every species and variety we loose is a direct threat to our own survival.

This winter was pretty warm, hardly any snow. Good. But suddenly Frau Ice Queen decided to show up and fucks up springtime! We have snow, we have cold weather and harsh winds. Yuck! Global climate change hates me especially … I demand some hot action with the Queen to unfreeze my balls …

Finding your inner child and behaving like an adult idiot doesn’t make you any younger or wiser. Sometimes it is necessary to go back in your memories and heal some old crap. But you should came back and act with the decency and wisdom befitting your actual age. Nobody like big babies.

Once again Frontline delivers an excellent documentary about current US affairs. Once again solid work offering many insight. Once again Frontline helps us to put many pieces of the puzzle into one big picture. Once again - thank you Frontline for the great work and allowing us bloody foreigners to watch the whole thing online.

More? Watch it all online with many bonus interviews you won’t see on TV.

I actually think this nutty product is a good idea. I haven have cold hands while writing - although my room is heated. The only thing I don’ like are the many cables - I think I am gonna use some old fashioned wireless gloves …

France - like Germany - is in dire need of reforms. Sarko started his campaign for his Presidency with the promise of change (sounds familiar). Many French people liked his busy and aggressive style - and had high hopes for some positive change.

But with his ugly divorce and stupid handling of his own affairs he has lost a lot of political capital. In recent local elections Sarko’s party has lost many votes.

France still is in need of reforms, but they new leader has busted a lot of his power for silly personal affairs. Too bad, because I won’t help him and his still necessary task.

Sarko admires the British economy and it’s success in recent years. Tony Blair inherited many necessary - but painful - changes made under Thatcher and built his success on it. France is not in such a bad shape as Britain in the late 1970’s, but still there is a lot to be done.

Sarko is especially fascinated by London’s vitality, something Paris lacks (his won words). In terms of international importance, stock market and political influence London easily beats Paris. Only the number of high ranked restaurants is higher in the French capitol.

So no surprise that this visit to Britain is so important to Sarko, he needs some serious political action to restore his credibility and some backing for his ideas for change. Maybe some serious glamor from the British Crown will rub off and the dry Mr Gordon Brown can add some intellectual spice as well … 

Good to get some more background on the current fights in Iraq. lways worth checking out RealNews for some insights you hardly find in mass media.

Interesting video - didn’t know that Sir Attenborough also did porn voice overs. Overall I am happy that my penis isn’t located behind my head - although sometimes it feels like my head is located in my penis. And another note: you can show almost any animal fucking on national TV - except homo sapiens … why is that?

*Thanks to Olivia for that scientific video*

It must be spring, I can feel something growing in my crotch!

I think dirt can make you very happy. Pigs and Kids enjoy playing in water and dirt - and why not? Nature is dirty.

Modern society is too obsessed with hygiene and “clean” fun.

Life is dirty.

In the Age of TV families shared quality moments together in front of the screen. In the Internet Age we sit quietly in our rooms and maybe chat via AIM together. Computer screens don’t provide the same social glue as TV screens.

Several people fighting for the remote control was bad enough - but a consensus could be reached which show to watch for an hour or two. But you can’t have four people controlling a computer and surf different websites at the same time.

TV serves as the radio today - it provides the noise to our life, but it is the computer with it’s highly individualized interaction that grabs our FULL attention.

So our media experience is more and more individualistic - and all these digital toys and gadgets (especially cell phones and instant messaging) keep us “busy” and distracted all the time.

In front of the TV the whole family could switch off - today that switch has been lost. We are always “ON” …