De grootste verrassing van 6 juni 2024 was de afwezigheid van een grote verrassing, zoals in Nederland op 22 november 2023. De verwachte “Ruk naar Rechts” (in de media) viel mij heel erg mee. Eigenlijk had ik meer anti-Europees sentiment verwacht. Rusland zal daarom teleurgesteld zijn. De afstraffing van de Franse president is misschien de uitzondering. Hij is...
Op zondag 9 juni 2024 zijn de federale verkiezingen in België. Er lijkt een soortgelijke trend als in Nederland te zijn: extreme partijen staan op winst en gematigde partijen staan op verlies. De Standaard, 1 maart 2024: Vlaams Belang peilde nooit hoger, N-VA zakt voor het eerst onder de 20 procent. Het Vlaams Belang lijkt nogal op de PVV van Geert Wilders....
"The May 2021 American Perspectives Survey [found] that Americans report having fewer close friendships than they once did, talking to their friends less often, and relying less on their friends for personal support." The number of American men with no friends increased from 3% in 1990 to 15% in 2021. This survey got lots of international attention (eg, CNN-2022, El...
Recently, Belgian newspaper De Standaard published an article stating that a feeling of impoverishment pushes voters towards extremist sides. Hence, more inequality is responsible for more polarization in our societies. Also see my April 12 blog: Politics, a belief in (in)equality. For some time, I have noticed an increasing radicalization in the beliefs of...
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...
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...
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