Jurjen's world

Years ago I thought fashion shows were ridiculous and watching them could only make me laugh at all those silly designs. But since some time I started to appreciate watching fashion shows. I have to admit, first of all I like it because of the ladies walking on the catwalk. The Victoria's Secret fashion show makes a excellent watch to all the top models! If you have forty minutes of spare time, I could recommend to fill it watching the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2008! (great quality)


Anyway nowadays I can appreciate fashion shows for more reasons than just the girls. I love many creative designs, I rather see it as a piece of art then a piece of cloth. Nonetheless the designs can be useful to lead to real life cloth designs, they wouldn't been seen on the streets like this.
Not a lot of people will walk the streets in this design by Victor and Rolf!

But it is a nice piece of art! It's creative and beautiful.

And then there is the shows itself. The catwalk is often nicely designed. It's has to be creative along with the clothes. The music often is nice too. It has to have this good rhythm to walk on. And if all that is not enough, there can be something special too. I saw some great projection on some kind of transparent layer, which gave a very cool effect as if things were flying through the catwalk, in the Diesel ‘Liquid Space’ Holographic Fashion Show (unfortunately not the best quality)

I don't think the clothes were some much in the attention in Diesel's show. perhaps they weren't so great and they tried to cover that by focusing on the visuals

A show I really like very much is the Versace Fall 2006 show. It has all the good ingredients, nice cloths, nice catwalk design, nice music, nice camera work, it all fits, it all works. And above all at 5:10 this girl (Inguna Butane):

Watch the Versace show at Ryoni.com (this site has more nice video's btw ).

What do you think of fashion shows? And if you know some great video's to share, please do not hesitate to link to them here!

Wibi Soerjadi is a piano player from the Netherlands. When I was just a kid (not so long ago some may even say I still am ) I saw a documentary about him on tv. I did not understand how this young piano player became so rich having a huge house and expensive cars. I mean who is going to pay for some classical piano music nowadays? But if you hear and see him play it may not be so strange after all.

In the video below he plays the gladiator transcription in a four-hand technique (don't ask me the details), I think its quite impressive! The framerate of the video is actually to low to follow up his speed. And not just speed it is, there is still feeling in his play!

In ´The Gladiator´ transcription Wibi Soerjadi uses a 4-hand technique.. Well, as you might understand this is extreme difficult, even for a piano virtuoso like Wibi Soerjadi. But to help us understand what a 4-hand technique is he composed a 2-hand technique with just one hand.. Melody ás acompany is played with one hand. Double this and you have a 4-handtechnique. So now you know why he plays a 2-hand technique with one hand .. This clip has not been edited! Enjoy =)

The clip they are talking about is the one below (pirates of the caribbean):


Hope you like it too

Last week I wrote a blog post with some critics to Israels actions. I'm glad to have heard there is been agreed with a ceasefire by both parties. After loosing the lives of thirteen Israeli (of which three civilian) and more than 1250 Palestinians, of which more than half were civilians according to the UN, hopefully no more lives will be lost in these useless fights.

Still after this last post, a lot of you seemed not to agree with my statements. Even being a bit upset. Well, I have to agree I might have sketched the situation a little black and white. Of course as always things are covered in shades of gray, but to give a clear picture of my point, I simplified certain things. It doesn't mean I don't agree with what I said earlier, but I feel compelled to clarify my meaning.

I believe many people have a wrong idea of the situation. What Israel really is, whether Palestinians are terrorist or a nationality. I don't blame you for that, I didn't knew, nobody tells you, so if you're not sure about how it is, please try to find some factual information. You can read something like Wikipedia on this subject if you doubt me.

Let me again give you in short how it is. Before Israel ever existed, there was a country called British Mandate of Palestine. We are now at the beginning of the 20th century. Some Jews decided it was a good idea to go and live in this land, these people were called Zionists. The number of allowed migrants were kept limited, because it wasn't to much fun for those already live there getting all these migrants.

In 1947 the land was divided in two states one Arab one Jewish, so still one land. Instead of try to live like this for a while, the Jewish state declared independence in 1948, which the Arabs didn't like because the land which was part of the Jewish state was also their heritage and they always lived there. Nevertheless Israel (from then a new nation) started war against the Arabs, separating from them and even annexing parts of the Arab parts.
Normally we would call Israel the oppressor in a case like this, and the Arabs would be the suppressed people. Really I don't see how you can explain it otherwise.

So when you claim Israel has the right to defend themselves against terrorist attacks, you're claim would be really doubtful. First of all Israel is the offensive side, so speaking of defending is a bit strange. Second speaking about terrorist would be wrong, it's just a political opponent calling it terrorism is choosing side. Just like [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorist}Wikepedia says it:

The concept of terrorism is itself controversial because it is often used by states to delegitimize political opponents, and thus legitimize the state's own use of terror against those opponents.

Lets continue, as I already said it's hard to see Israel as a nation on it's own without Palestinian arias. They are part of the same land. Just look at the map.

It is unreasonable to expect Palestinians to live in a prison like this. You know they can't move normally in their own land, when they go to work, to family, or anywhere, if they are even allowed they have to spend hours to reach their destination without it being far away.
They are economically cut off.

Piotr ask:

Please tell me why have Hamas terrorists dug underground tunels between Israel and Palestinian border? Because of friendship? Are they going to send flowers to Israel?

Let me answer your question. They have been cut off, isolated, imprisoned. That's why they are digging tunnels. And about the flowers... They do cultivate flowers in Palestine, but they can't export them because they have to go through Israel. So actually they could dig the tunnel to send flowers

I think a lot of people would be surprised if they read the facts. The image drawn out for you by the media, by governments and Israel itself of course, is very much wrong from the real picture. Please feel free to form your own opinion, but make sure you know some facts around this issue!

Then concerning the US influence among this conflict. Karma wrote her concerns that information around the subject wasn't correct, let me comment on that by some quotes (again quite some wikipedia, yes I know I use it a lot for reference in this article...)
Hopefully I don't upset you to much here

Karma:

Woah..woah...!!!Everyone here has this information wrong. I am a native of the United States and we are not on the Isralies side of anything, and no one and I do mean no one controls the United States except the United States.

Wikipedia:

The United States Congress places considerable importance on the maintenance of a close and supportive relationship. The main expression of support for Israel has been foreign aid, which Congress monitors closely along with other issues in bilateral relations. Congressional concerns have affected different Administration's policies over the last 60 years.
You can read more on Wikipedia.

Karma:

Everyone needs to look toward China about the weapons that the Isralies are using. We have since closed our borders in trade with China because of this.

Wikipedia:

The nation's military relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems designed and manufactured in Israel as well as some foreign imports. The United States is a particularly notable foreign contributor; they are expected to provide the country with $30 billion in military aid between 2008 and 2017.[163] The Israeli- and U.S.-designed Arrow missile is one of the world's only operational anti-ballistic missile systems.[164]

And again Wikipedia:

On July 14, the US Congress was notified of a potential sale of $210 million worth of jet fuel to Israel. The Defense George Bush Security Cooperation Agency noted that the sale of the JP-8 fuel, should it be completed, will "enable Israel to maintain the operational capability of its aircraft inventory." and "The jet fuel will be consumed while the aircraft is in use to keep peace and security in the region."[9] It was reported in 24 July that the United States was in the process of providing Israel with "bunker buster" bombs, which would allegedly be used to target the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah guerilla group and destroy its trenches.[10]

American media also recently questioned whether Israel had violated an agreement not to use American-supplied cluster bombs on civilian targets. Evidence during the conflict had shown that cluster bombs had been used in civilian areas, and several bomb particles remained undetonated after the war causing hazard for Lebanese civilians. Israel has responded to these accusations by saying that it had not violated any international law.[11]

About China it says:

Over the years, the United States and Israel have regularly discussed Israel's sale of sensitive security equipment and technology to various countries, especially the People's Republic of China. U.S. administrations believe that such sales are potentially harmful to the security of U.S. forces in Asia.

So Israel is selling your US weapons to China. That's real nice of them isn't it?


Karma:

We are still at war with the middle east, our husbands,fathers,brothers,daughters,wives and sons are there and dying for their country and what ever country that has called upon us. We are a civil,peaceful,patient and powerful country and we try to converse with these countries to find the best solution to try to prevent going to war and sometimes it takes a long time and sometimes war is the only solution. We go to other countries aid BUT who comes to the United States aid, huh?

Yes I know, and it is especially a great gesture by those men that are fighting there. Nevertheless you could ask your government why you fighting those particular wars. People of Iraq didn't really ask for it (and understand me well, that doesn't mean they are not glad with your help), but I can imagine they are a bit doubtful about there oil leaping out the country all the sudden.
Unfortunately here are a lot more wars you can 'choose' from, just look to central Africa. Why don't we hear anyone about the killings of millions of people over there? Not interesting enough for ourselves?

Globalpolicy.org

The four giant firms located in the US and the UK have been keen to get back into Iraq, from which they were excluded with the nationalization of 1972. During the final years of the Saddam era, they envied companies from France, Russia, China, and elsewhere, who had obtained major contracts. But UN sanctions (kept in place by the US and the UK) kept those contracts inoperable. Since the invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003, much has changed. In the new setting, with Washington running the show, "friendly" companies expect to gain most of the lucrative oil deals that will be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in profits in the coming decades. The Iraqi constitution of 2005, greatly influenced by US advisors, contains language that guarantees a major role for foreign companies.

And of course those weapons of mass destruction that weren't found.....
Let me remind that US is not the only one. Europe is happy to join in this 'heist'.


Karma:

We defend us.

Great! Against what exactly?

Karma:

What ever news that is broadcasting this dribble to their people are not reporting the truth. Do you think that we would sell or trade weapons to a country that is at war with us? Come on people, get the facts and truth right. I have more to wright but im upset now so i'll leave it at what it is dribble.

Since Israel is an ally and not an enemy, it's not so strange to provide them with weapons.

One last thing I would like to say. I think the US tends to be so arrogant thinking they can tell the rest of the world what they should do, but at the same time they have a very narrow perspective on how the rest of the world might think. Having no clue what's happening outside the USA.
Of course this is my general impression, there are exceptions, and I have no doubt of all the good intentions of it's citizens. And I mean that, so the last few lines might give the idea I hate Americans, but its absolutely not the case. I like the most!

Sorry for the long, boring post. Feel free to respond.

After the 'incident' of today, I really had to write this. I hope people will read it and it will open up some eyes if not yet open. I have a message especially to all people in western countries (in particular from the US): Stop supporting Israel, condemn their actions and last but not least take action against it!

To start let me give a brief history lesson.
A long time ago Jewish people lived in a land somewhere in the neighborhood of Israel today. They had their own religion. In those times there were many ethic groups and nations that did not survive through history, because these nations have been reshaped by history (wars are fought, lands divided or combined, etc.). This also was true for Jewish people. The Romans did banish almost all Jews out of Palestine. They lived disintegrated around Europe. More and more they started to see themselves as ethnic and religious group instead of having an own nationality. This made it more easy for them to integrate in societies in Europe. In general Jewish people became wealthy (eventually), because they were good in trading.

A nasty detail in history is that Jews were persecuted during the crusades in Europe. So all Christians today who think they have a peaceful religion, think twice. People were killing hundred of thousands Jews in name of your religion. And also know Jesus was a Jew, I wonder what he would think about that! Another nasty detail: From 1492, when the Islamic Spain was reconquered, 200.000 Jews were banished. Apparently they were better off in the Islamic society!

Anyway lets continue. In the beginning of the 20th century the situation wasn't to bright for most people in Europe. And like always people start to blame things to some minority that does fit in worst. Like today we seems to blame everything to the Muslims, and we did it (and still do) with black people as well. In that time people didn't liked Jews so much (they were rich, while others were poor and this doesn't make you popular). And so it happened that in WO II they had to suffer a lot, an awful lot.

After the war western countries, with all the miseries of the war fresh in the memory, made a bad and cowardly decision. Instead of giving the Jews a good place in their own society and respect them as they are. They gave them a piece of land which didn't belong to neither the Jews nor to the people who decided to give it to them. It's actually an easy solution to get rid of the 'problem Jews', while making them happy with their own 'promised' land. But in the land they were promised and what was called Israel were already living other people. They lived here already for like two thousand years.

So quite easily to understand people in Palestine weren't to happy to see their country being called Israel all the sudden. Also quite understandable they did not really like to see more settlements arise. And also quite logic they don't like to be told what they may and may not do in their own country. Even more understandable they are not happy that they may not even travel through their own country anymore and can't see their family anymore. So although it may not be the right way to deal with things I can understand that they fire a missile into Israel so now and then. I would do the same.

So now going back to Europe and the US, they see their plan of putting the Jews in their own country not working that great as they hoped, so they think: lets give those Israeli some weapons to defend themselves. Israel does take these weapons and uses them, and not only uses them to defend the self claimed land, but also to expand it and to more and more suppress the original inhabitants.

We did fail enormously with Israel. You cannot expect to take someones land away for suffered people from another war and expect they will live next to each other in perfect peace. We cannot give the Jewish people everything they would like because they became some kind of saints after the second world war. It's not fair towards the Palestine people. It is ethically wrong. Everyone with his eyes open will see this.

I'm glad here in Holland at least the media starts to be a little more critical about the actions of Israel. Were nearly all people here were pro-Israeli just a year ago, things slowly seems to change. If you were not pro-Israeli before you were a fascist. It's still a sensitive subject, even more then fifty years after the war. You can give names to Muslims as much as you like, but Israel is 'holy land'. I guess in the US it is even more. I bet the news of Israel having hit a UN building with a Phosphor bomb is brought positive: “We are glad to report our US produced Phosphor bombs do an outstanding job for our Israeli friends!” (I don't know if this is true, but most Israeli weapons are from the US anyway)
Luckily more people see and are willing to say it out loud that things are awfully wrong with this.

I really hope things will change, we should not sit and watch how our experiment in the middle east keeps failing, but we should be brave man, except the failure and act. First of all stop the experiment, then search for new solutions.

A while a go our prime minister said he wanted to have the VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie - Dutch East India Company) mentality back with the people. It was clear to everyone he mend the mentality of hazardous and big thinking. Ruling the world again and flourish. This time is also referred to as the golden age. It is the time we separated from the Spanish kingdom, defeating the British Navy in their own harbor which is “considered to be the greatest defeat in English naval history”, and it's the time we found the city of New York (then known as Nieuw Amsterdam (New Amsterdam)). So it's the time we had power and money.
Still the statement of the prime minister was controversial, because it was also the time we earned a lot of money on slavery, robbery and other types of things not to be proud of.



In line of this statement of the prime minister I would think he should show his teeth to the rest of the world. Why are we so shy not to disapprove Israels acts and fight against it? Why don't we use that moral from those golden ages any more? We defeated the British navy back then, why can't we stop the Israeli in their acts against the Palestine people now? Since their isn't happening anything from our government I do start to believe the prime minister was talking about the other mentality of the golden age: 'earning' money from injustice in unethical business!