15 Feb, 2023
I like several British and Scandinavian TV crime series. Recently, I started wondering if (their) crime fiction reflects reality? Based on my initial research, the answer seems clear: yes. Even in the Netherlands, there is a correlation: Baantjer (crime in Amsterdam), Penoza (drugs crime in Brabant). Statistics show that the "homicide rate in the UK was 1.2 per...
23 Jun, 2022
The Hague is the Dutch seat of power while Amsterdam is its capitol. The further you move away from The Hague, the more dialect you will hear. First quantity, then intensity. I suppose geographical distance from Power increases the need for Identity. Dialects must be the earliest example of Identity vs Power. Last Thursday evening, I did not understand a local...
21 Nov, 2021
De Standaard titel: ‘We doen te lacherig over snurken. Het is een onderschat relatieprobleem’De Standaard ondertitel: "Piepen, ronken, reutelen. Meer nog dan de snurker zelf heeft de bedpartner er last van. ‘Het moet uit de taboesfeer en bespreekbaar worden’, vindt Miche De Meyer (Jan Palfijn, VUB), die onderzoek naar snurken deed."Door: Tom YsebaertDatum: 16...
27 Oct, 2021
The childcare benefits scandal that toppled the (still outgoing) Dutch Cabinet is still expanding. At least 1,115 children have been taken away from their families due to that same scandal. These parents lost everything while they were being drowned in debt, following clawback activities by the Dutch tax authorities. A friend told me that the Belgian approach is the...
29 Jul, 2021
Late June 2021, the Dutch PM urged the Hungarian PM to leave the EU following a spat over LGBT rights (eg, BBC, Bloomberg, Dutch News, WaPo). Recently, Hungary announced a referendum on its (anti) LGBT law (eg, Guardian, Reuters). If its citizens agree, the EU options seem limited to accept, deny or delay (eg, committee). In 2016, the UK announced a referendum on...
17 Jul, 2021
The Economist title: Belgitude: the art of Belgian zenThe Economist subtitle: A rogue soldier explains life in Europe’s strangest countryDate: 26 June 2021 "Allowing a soldier to go awol is a misfortune. Allowing a soldier to go awol armed with stolen machineguns, four rocket-launchers and a pledge to “join the resistance” and kill Belgium’s...
By continuing to browse or clicking ‘Accept’, you agree to the storing of cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytical purposes. Privacy
Recent Comments