an elephant as a gift

There are these very good friends for many years.
They have children and these kids are the greatest in the world.

Let's face the truth: most children are a pain in the neck.
They are annoying, spoiled, irritating, noisy, demanding, smelling and obnoxious.
Only a very small amount of children are really nice kids.
Like the ones of the dear friends.

A boy and a girl.
Doing well in school.
Playing tennis and hockey.
Reading books and playing chess.
Respecting their parents and adults.

Each time when this lovely family is visited, a present is offered to the two children.
And it is a tradition now that they don't get silly things like a toy or a computer game or some other nonsense, useless and senseless thing.
Instead, each time they get a bookstore-check.
With which they can go to the bookstore around the corner and buy a book.
The intention is to give and learn the kids independence.
That they can make decisions for themselves.
To choose what book to buy.

Of course as an adult one can make a choice of a book to offer to a child.
Contemplating what would be educational and entertaining for the kid.
But in a way this is very patronizing.
Imposing certain ideas and thinking.
We can trust most children to be able to enter a book shop, look around and make an adequate choice.
They feel great when they are allowed this opportunity.
They believe they are taken serious by adults and that gives them the very necessary feeling of self confidence.

Nevertheless, the child must remain aware that it is the adult that is in charge.
And this can be done in a playful way.
An adult, really, doesn't need to shout and threaten the child to keep the authority.
There is another way.
More clever and effective.

Yesterday a phone call was made to the dear friends.
The young son happened to answer the phone.
Immediately the opportunity was grasped to make a memorable joke and teach the kid who is the upper dog.

The voice was deformed so he would not recognize who was calling.
"Are you by chance Martin E. ???" the voice asked.
"Yes, that is me!", the young boy replied.
"Well, Martin, my name is Robert Caruso and I am from the Foundation for the Protection of the most rare species in the world".
"I see", Martin said impressed.
"We may congratulate you, Martin, because you have won our annual contest!!!"
"That is great", Martin: already happy.
"So, tomorrow we will come to your house and bring the first price you have won!!!"
"What is the first prize then?", Martin asked.
"You have won this baby elephant and we hope you have a garden where it can roam and play, Martin".
"An elephant???"
"Yes, an elephant from Africa already about two meters high and eating tons of grass. You will be delighted with this elephant."
"But our garden is small and I don't know if my parents allow me to have an elephant."

Before the boy could become upset not knowing how to handle receiving an elephant, the voice was changed back to the normal mode and he understood then who was really calling.
Children like these kinds of jokes.
But we may wonder though who in this case is the child.



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Low battery

Almost every day in the Lux Photo Gallery in Amsterdam, the Netherlands appointments take place to give consultations.
The persons that come are photographers with several years of experience or photographers who recently finished their studies.
They come to talk about their work, their career, their creativity, their network and their ambitions.

Some of the persons that have booked a consultation come from far away.
They sometimes have travelled for two to three hours.
Just for a one hour consultation.

This though should never influence the way the consultation goes.
It would be a short time pleasing of a person to sugar coat only because a person has come from far away.
In the long term the person would be confronted with issues that were seen but not reported during the consultation.

Therefore, hundred percent of honesty is applied to persons coming for a consultation.
The truth is told.
If it is not good, the person is told.
If it is fabulous, that is expressed as well.
Even if they come from far away.

However, the way things are said during the consultation is always with love.
With consideration and empathy.
It is told in a diplomatic way.
And always offering alternatives.
A new way to go.
New ideas to work on.
It is never burning down and not planting immediately after.

This method of working is extremely exhausting.
It asks with each person one hour of total concentration.
And total commitment.

As there are two to three persons coming for consultations almost every day, slowly most energy available is drained.
It feels like being sucked empty.
And a longing comes to be again at the deserted beach in Mexico for a while.
To charge the battery.



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1 ball and 22 guys

There is something remarkable about what kind of sports American people love and the people of the rest of the world.

The rest of the world loves soccer but the Americans love sports like basket ball and baseball.
What is so remarkable is that soccer is played with the feet and the sports the Americans love with the hands.
There is no explanation for that.
In fact, it is puzzling.

Besides this major difference, the other observation one can make is that the sports the Americans love, have no worldwide importance.
Outside the USA, basketball and baseball are minor sports of no importance.
Therefore they are not on a worldwide level.
Painfully and shamelessly in the USA a competition of baseball is called "the world series", but the world has nothing to do with it.
It is a national American event bombarded with aplomb into a most important global thing which it is not.

Soccer though is loved by most people in the world except Americans who are too busy reading books or checking garage sales.

Now, the Dutch soccer team at the world championships currently taking place in South Africa
have beaten the team of Slovakia and has proceeded to the last eight.
On Saturday they will play Brazil that is a most dangerous adversary.
The Brazilian soccer team has been world champion several times.
Nevertheless, the Dutch people believe that this time they have a serious chance to become a world champion.
Stronger than any team in the world and that includes the United States who were not very unsuccessful in South Africa.

In the end, it is not much more than eleven guys running after a ball to be put in a cage as often as possible.
And eleven other guys running in the opposite direction with the same intention.
But soccer goes really deep in the feelings of the ones that love this sport.
Especially when it is a world championship and national teams play.
Suddenly nationalism and chauvinism come alive.
The way the nation is seen becomes related to the results at the world championship.
People believe they have a strong country with a beautiful culture and tradition and that they are clever and superior.
And this is expressed and learned from the results of their national soccer team in South Africa.
If they win, they feel they are all the best in the world.
If they lose, they feel the silly-billies of this planet.

Like recently when Mexico had to play Argentina.
The Mexicans lost 3-0 and the national coach said that they were not a country of winners.
And now the Mexicans believe they are good people but never winning.

But if the Dutch become world champion, be aware.
Every Dutch person will believe he is the king of the world.
While it is just soccer.



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A good question

The weather in the Netherlands is fabulous.
Warm and sunny.
And the Dutch are in a good mood: their national team is doing very well at the World championship of soccer in South Africa.
So far.

Therefore, every restaurant has put tables and chairs in front on the pavement for people to eat and drink in fresh air.
And they see the decorations many have put on their houses, their cars and bikes, to support the national soccer team.
Orange flags, orange banners, orange mascots.

An appointment was made with a friend and because of the happy mood and the good weather the meeting was to take place on the terrace of a bagel shop famous for its excellent caffé latté.

The friend was delayed but who cares when the sun is shining and the coffee tastes good?

But then suddenly a guy passed by who saw the pioneering photographer sitting there comfortably and content.
He stopped and said: "Excuse me, but are you Michel?".
How to deny?
The friendly person turned out to be a fervent and loyal blog reader.
And recognized his daily servant of words from the portrait picture that can be seen on the blog.

Of course the fervent and loyal blog reader was invited to sit down and was generously offered a drink.
Who expressed how amused and entertained he was by reading the blog daily .

Except for yesterday.
When a rather strange image was published and nothing else.
A woman could be seen and she didn't look very much alive.
To the contrary: attentive fervent and loyal blog readers noticed that a cable was around her neck having ended her possibility of breathing making her leave unfortunately this existence.
She might have been a bitch or she might have made hell of the life of her guy but it goes really too far to strangle a blonde, correct?

What was that image about, the friendly blog reader asked.
What was the idea of publishing such a horrific picture?

And, in spite of the sunshine and the good mood and the national soccer team doing well, there was no answer that could be found.
There were no reasons that could be given for shocking the readers so badly.

Only one answer could be given.
A rather silly one.

Don't know.




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Sey

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Where are we?

A very early saturday morning.
After a hectic and most intensive week.
The sun shines already brightly on the very green leaves of the tree in front of the wide open window.
Not only is the Queen of Dreams away to one of her engagements, no serious appointments are scheduled for today besides a lunch with a long time friend.

The day therefore is faced as one with nothing to do.
Available basically to relax and to recuperate from the many experiences of the last seven days.

But to do nothing is something that is not known how to do.
How to do nothing?
Like stay in bed and sleep and doze?
Or sit in a chair and watch from the window an occasional bird pass by?
That will be extremely boring.
And consequently irritating.
Resulting possibly in serious existential questions.

Because, what sense does it make to doze for hours in bed on a beautiful day like this?
How enriching is it to sit like a Madam Tussaud's wax figure in a chair breathing only?

The mental constitution, whether it is good or bad, whether it is wise or stupid, is to always undertake something.
To always want to make the best and most productive and most exciting and most creative of every moment life is allowed to live.

The thought is always: "I rest when death has come".
Until then, it is full speed ahead and build the castle to reach the sky.

Therefore this morning many activities were already performed.
And the mind is frantically working to come up with more actions to take.

One may say though: "This is not very zen, my friend".
The guru like lecturer may say:
If you cannot be peaceful,
if you cannot be totally relaxed,
and watch inactively the moments pass by,
instead of surfing them all the time,
you are not zen,
you are a racing car reaching the end without knowing where you have been.

Damned, now there is confusion.



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Anarchy destroys

The Netherlands is a country that is wealthy.
There is plenty of money.
They have an excellent welfare system.
Nobody lives in poverty.

These conditions boost individualism.
Living in a rich country drives people to get the best for themselves.
There is no need to do things together anymore.

This is why many people in the Netherlands have become extreme individualists.
The highest and most important in their lives is their individual freedom.
They must live without restrictions, otherwise they loudly protest.

In a city like Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, this attitude among the people can be clearly noticed.
The ones that ride a bicycle and of them there are many.

Driving the bike in town makes them sit on a moving island and nothing must get in their way or they get upset.
Because their individual freedom is obstacled.
It is very common to see cyclists who disrespect traffic laws and simply do what they want.

For example, intersections are equipped with traffic lights.
As we all know, a green light means you can proceed and a red light means you have to stop.
Not so for cyclists in Amsterdam.
If they approach an intersection, they look if any car is coming and if not, they simply proceed ignoring the red traffic light.

It is a similar situation with pedestrians crossing.
White and black lines on the road offer an opportunity to pedestrians to safely cross because the traffic laws say all vehicles must stop.
Not so for Amsterdam cyclists.
They feel they are above pedestrians and higher in a hierarchy.
They see pedestrians crossing, ring the bells of their bicycles and expect the pedestrians to get out of their ways.
If not, they get angry and start shouting severely:
"Get the fuck out of my way !"

It is a sad thing these demonstrations in traffic of extreme individualism.
Because a society that consists of people that only choose for themselves, is a society that is rotting from within.
It will shrivel and crumple and stumble.
Collapse in anarchy.
Lose the coherency of unity.
Rome revisited.


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Justified positivism

Lux Photo Gallery's Lars Boering called.
He is showing now an exhibition of the sequences in his beautiful gallery in Amsterdam and is the centre and magician of the many activities that surrounds this show.

Lars explained that a person from a well known national radio program had called.
He wanted to do a live interview with the successful artist.

Of course this was possible.
An interview on the radio may result in more people coming to see the show.
Sharing the vision and the message of the images.
Hence, an artist must be professional and not shy and be available for contacts with the press.

Fortunately the interview could take place by phone.
A journey to the radio studio that is far from from the city of Amsterdam takes much time and effort that is needed for already booked activities.

The producer of the radio program made a test call in the late afternoon and asked to be stand by at 8 pm.
At this time was a meeting about how to use in an effective way the internet.
Just before 8 pm the meeting was left and in front of the building, in the warm weather and in the quiet street, the iPhone was in the hand waiting for the oil drum band to start playing.

And indeed, just after 8 pm the phone rang and suddenly questions were asked and answers were given that could be heard by thousands of people.
While quietly walking up and down in the street.

Most part of the interview was about the book that soon will be published of the photo project "The most beautiful people in the world".

Two things excited the journalist.
First of all the fact that the book will be distributed worldwide for free.
Anybody anywhere can go to the website and order a free copy to have it send to the home.
This flabbergasted the journalist.
How can this be?
Who is paying for this?
The answer is very simple: a small part of the edition of this book will be produced as a "De Luxe"-edition and sold to collectors and fans.
This pays for the whole book effort.

But then the second reason for the excitement of the journalist.
The persons that are documented for the photo project "The most beautiful people in the world" have something beautiful, happy and positive to say.
Will that not make the audience cynical, the journalist asked.
That it will be perceived as a forced message of positivism?
That it is too subjective and too optimistic?
Painting the world community as a happy one while this is not true?

Many journalists try to get good and interesting answers by provoking.
By putting the issue in an extreme opposite way as is intended.
Or to label it in a very negative way so that a defense is expected.

Rule one for the interviewee is to remain calm.
Not to get aggravated, irritated or angry.
To remain wise, composed and calm.
To take the question as an opportunity to explain what it is all really about.

People are so used to see violence, trouble and negativity in newspapers, magazines, on the radio and on TV.
They have therefore become conditioned by the media to believe that the world is one big disaster.
But it is not.
Of course there are wars, accidents and natural disasters.
But those are exceptions.
In most parts of the world life is peaceful and happy and normal.
If that is reported, one cannot say this is cynicism.
Or a false demonstration of unjustified positivism.
It is the major part of our reality.

The journalist ended by saying he believed that "The most beautiful people in the world" was a wonderful project.
And it is.


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To hear the interview:
http://avonden.radio6.nl/2010/06/23/woensdag-23-juni-2e-uur/





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Love and respect

These days most of the time is spent giving consults.
Meeting photographers one by one in the gallery where currently is the sequence exhibition.

They come with a portfolio under their arms.
Always in time and always in a good mood.

For them it is important to show their work and to talk about their situation.
They expect it may bring them something positive.

The consultation is for one hour and most of that time the visiting photographer is talking.
Once in a while a strategic question is asked, but the floor is for the person completely.

What is most amazing is that these persons that have booked a consultation have questions.
Questions about their work, about their career and about their lives.
And the stunning thing is that they also know the answers to those vital questions.
The questions are connected to the answers but somehow only the questions are in their consciousness.
The answers are refusing to be accessible.
But they do enter the consciousness if another person is simple prepared to listen.
Prepared to be like a mirror.
To guide with very few but essential suggestions the person from the question to the answer.

It is a simple truth that if a person has an important existential question, an answer offered by somebody else, is ineffective.
It will not easily satisfy and end the question.
But the answer that is found within oneself, will make a person feel like having found the answer and therefore become able to proceed in life.

One of the important things, when giving consultations, is to learn that when a person comes and has all these questions, not to give any answers.
Very often the questions are well known and the answers easy and immediately available.
But giving these answers is damaging the one asking the questions.
With this approach the opportunity to find the truth oneself is sabotaged.

Even during a consultation questions may arise of which, in spite of assistance and guiding, the answers, often very obvious, are not found.
Even then it is better not to present the answers.
Because a truth can only become effective and complete when the person is ready to face and accept it.

It is in fact an extraordinary situation.
People come with their portfolio to look for expertise.
And this they find: within themselves.



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Some of us

Some of the loyal and fervent blog readers may have heard of a Dutch guy called Joran van der Sloot.
He became world famous when on the Carribean island of Aruba, where he lived with his parents, an American girl went missing.
Natalee Holloway disappeared and was never found again.
She had spent the last night of her life with Joran van der Sloot who never wanted to tell what exactly happened.
He was arrested but the police had to release him as evidence was lacking.



Although Joran van der Sloot is a young man, born in 1987, he has an attitude rarely found in boys of his age.
In spite of his looks, he is ruthless, merciless, rough, barbaric with no respect for nothing and nobody.



For example, he has never cared for the anguish the family of Natalee Holloway is going through.
By keeping silent about what happened, he left them unable to accept the probable death of their girl.
Joran van der Sloot went even as far as proposing the family of Miss Holloway to pay him $ 150.000 for him to reveal where her body was buried.

Recently he went to Lima, the capital of Peru.
Joran van der Sloot loves to play poker and to hang around in casinos.
Also there he met a girl and he took her to his hotel room.
In the morning he left the hotel room and took two taxis to drive him over the border into Chili.
The girl was found death: with a broken nose, bruises and strangled.

Soon, Joran van der Sloot was captured by the Chilean police.
And delivered to the Peruvian authorities.
Who heard him confess to murdering the Peruvian girl.



Now Joran van der Sloot is in the Castro Castro prison awaiting his trial.
He could get 30 to 50 years.

But of course he is only concerned for himself.
He is afraid he will be killed by other prisoners and wants to be in a safe part.
With a cell for himself.
A privilege few prisoners in Peru have.
And he is blaming now the Peruvian police from having him make statements that are not the truth.
He is saying now he did not kill the Peruvian girl and that it was a set up.

For sure, eventually a movie will be made about the life of Joran van der Sloot.
Although he is young, he has had an extraordinary life so far.
And his karma seems to be designed in a way that more surprising events will take place in his life.
A life that is rather sad.

Fantasies from Sunday

A Sunday in Amsterdam with different things to do.
Accompanied by the Canon G10 camera.
Making pictures with a specific purpose.

When those pictures are disconnected from that purpose, what happens?
What happens when they are put in a completely different context?
Like publishing them here on the blog?

The images become something else.
Out of their original and intended context they start free floating.
In the mind of the viewer who will connect the image to something that is for others an unknown fantasy.

And that is what is offered here today.
An opportunity to look at the pictures below and to make your own story.
To find and see your own fantasies.


















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Food for thought

The Queen of Dreams was stormed and conquered by an army of bacilli.
She has the flue and keeps herself warm in bed.

Therefore it is the pioneering photographer who is doing the cooking.
The shopping and the washing of dishes also.

Last night it was ecological round brown rice.
With pumpkin in a soft silk tofu sauce.
Lightly salted and flavored with garlic.

A major moment in life occurred later at the dining table.
The Queen of Dreams said: "But, this is delicious!"

Then a conversation developed about food.
And together it was researched what kind of food was considered "sympathetic" and what food not.
Like pumpkin: both had the serious opinion that pumpkin was a sympathetic vegetable.
Another vegetable that made it to the status of sympathetic was broccoli.

But then sorry, sorry for the carrots, onions and the brown beans, they didn't make it passing the judgment of the strict jury.
They were all considered not sympathetic at all.

If vegetables can be sympathetic or antipathetic, can people be tasty or delicious?

Open opening

Last night opening of the exhibition in the Lux Photo Gallery in Amsterdam.

© Merel Waagmeester

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Artist'blues

Visiting countries is making friends.
And after leaving the countries the friendships continue thanks to internet.

Yesterday a message was received from Tehran, Iran.
From a young woman who wrote this story:

No country for young artists

This story is about Mina, a young lady who is a painter…
Living in Iran is not so easy for a young, artist female and specially a FEMALE. Maybe being an artist (female artist) in the other countries is not a strange event, but here everything sounds more different.
Mina has studied painting in one of Iran universities called “Shahed”. She was very good at that time, a top student and in that time there was no problem the same as happened later (because being a student in Iran is a good point for every one included women). But after her graduation from the university, painting became more difficult for her because it did not make money for her and it had no value in social position. Most of the people can not understand why she is involved in this nonsense business, in their opinion she should do traditional things like as marriage and bringing a child, but she still is single. This is not so easy to explain to them when you are at the age of thirty, explain about why you are still single and marriage is not your only aim in your life, most of the people specially women say that time passes very quickly and you can not bring a healthy baby when you are getting old.
At this time Mina works in a high school as an art teacher and works more seriously in the field of painting. Her effort for continuing this difficult situation and not giving up was very important for me, because I can understand her situation very well.
Traditional society is very strong and resists about new movements. Our society is a kind of traditional society and traditional painting like Gol-o-Morgh (that means flower and nightingale) always was belonged to men society, now Mina is trying to appropriate this tradition as one of the first women in her own way.
Nowadays everything has changed and traditional society is fighting with new generation. New generation wants to be different from the past, but it dose not want to ignore the past, it wants to make new things, new roles, and new paintings or in a better word new attitude and of course it’s not easy. There is no place for the artists, the space is very limited, as an artist you can work in your home or you can have your own studio but it depends on your income! But it sounds that you do not have any social support for being an artist and nobody cares about what is in your mind and what is your achievement in this field. If you want to be successful in the area you should be so rich or you should be connected to foreign countries markets and Mina does not have anyone, so working with these limitations inside the country is really great for me and I hope to show this part of our lives in the best way.

Yesterday in the Netherlands a young photographer was met who talked about his struggle to get his work published and exhibited and who explained how hard it was to make a living.
Worldwide it is always a problem to be an artist.
And this is understandable.
In the end, an artist choses to follow the own desires, passions and interests usually totally disconnected from what is important for the society.
The artist wants a privileged position: while the others go to the office or to the factory and live in a disciplined rhythm not only to their own benefit but also to society, the artist wants to wake up in the morning and work during the day at the own choice only.
And make products that are not of direct use to society.
Hence, the blame never is with society when an artist feels to complain.
It is the artist who is responsible for the own choice that is made and the consequences of that choice should be accepted without bothering anybody.



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Stress is destructive

Over the last couple of years it has happened every time when a journey was made from the USA to Europe.
Boarding the Jumbo in Los Angeles the sneezing would already start.
A tickling in the nose causing terrible sneezing and tears coming from the eyes.
Embarrassing too, being surrounded by hundreds of people put tightly together in a large airplane.
They won't say anything but some may think it might be the Mexican flue or at least a transferable cold.

Once arrived in Europe, the sneezing becomes epidemic, furious and frequent and soon the whole usual feeling of being healthy and strong evaporates.
The constant sneezing drains all energy and soon a light fever develops.
That is the moment that the best and only place to be is in a warm bed.
With warm caring of a healthy and loving person.

Like this time, all appointments had to be canceled.
And days were spend feeling miserable and awful and weak and failing and tragic.

But the Queen of Dreams, now a nurse as well, said: when you are sick, be sick.
Don't fight it.
Simply deliver yourself to it and be it.
Go through it.
Because a mind not in agreement with the state of being causes stress.
And stress is a destructive power.

So, with warmth, care and love, combined with homeopathic medication, the physical protest for leaving the Americas and going to Europe was embraced.

And it is going already much better.




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Love in the forrest

Now in the Netherlands.
A sophisticated country where people live in peace, comfort and wealth.
Most is well taken care of and organized in an efficient way.

Yesterday for example a walk in the forrest.
From the centre of the city bike lanes are made for cyclists to reach safely the forrest that is close to the town.



In the forrest, a former estate of a baron, well kept paths make walking an ultimate pleasure.
People that happen to pass by each other on a path greet.



A pancake house next to a small river serves excellent food.



And the sun is shining and it is warm and there is love.
Because the Queen of Dreams on her skeelers showed the way to the beautiful forrest.

joyous journey

Observations while traveling from San Jose del Cabo in Mexico to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

1/
Great concept!
Right in front of the airport building of San Jose del Cabo, also known as Los Cabos, a storage business has opened.
Called Anchor Storage run by Ignacio and Ileane Duarte.
It is the perfect place to park a car, a boat or an RV.
There is 24/24 security and costs for an RV just one US Dollar a day.
In Summer, 3 months for $ 50.
And this includes a 3 minutes ride to and from the airport with a shuttle.
For a small additional fee, the RV is completely cleaned a few days before returning.
And this cleaning includes washing all sheets and towels.

2/
Los Cabos airport is not as small and cosy as the Mickey Mouse one in nearby La Paz, but still it is relaxed and people working there very friendly and without stress.
Even the employees of security who seem not to be there to fight terrorism but to be nice to the travelers.
But it is strange that the restaurant in the departure hall of Los Cabos Airport closes in the late afternoon.
As of then, all passengers leaving can only eat from fast food shops.
Like a Dodger's hot dog shop or a Domino Pizza outlet.
Or eat a plastic wrapped pre-prepared sandwich from a coffee shop.

3/
The flight from Los Cabos to Los Angeles was with an old MD90 used by American Airlines.
Because the two jet engines are placed against the airplane body in the back, there is little noise while flying.
And then it was announced that the pilot's name was Maureen Something.
A woman flying the machine and having the lives of the passengers in her hands.
There was no noticeable shock among the fellow passengers hearing this piece of information.
Or they had not heard it, or it didn't matter or they had their own thoughts about it.
In general one can ask the question if it is an issue: a woman flying a commercial airliner.
And of course the answer is no.
Why would a woman not be able to fly a plane?
It would be something to worry when it was announced that as an experiment a chimpanzee was allowed to fly the plane.
For sure passengers would hear this and wish to leave the plane instantly.

Nevertheless, halfway flying north the Baja peninsula, Maureen suddenly made the plane turn to the east.
Towards Florida.
While the destination, Los Angeles, remained in the northwest.
A funny feeling this was creating and it was wondered if the pilot being a woman was allowed now to penetrate the thinking.
Because what is the logic to fly from the south to Los Angeles making a detour to Miami?
Before real panic could break out and the different fantasies of what was possibly happening could become too extreme, the plane eventually turned from going east to going northwest.
When coming near Los Angeles Maureen the pilot came on the PA system.
To inform that the plane had been going off course and that therefore it would land with a delay of over 15 minutes.
It landed safely and smoothly so who the worries about the pilot?

4/
Entering the arrival hall of Los Angeles International airport.
Where a passenger needs to meet an immigration officer.
To reply to several questions, have finger prints taken and a portrait picture made.
Just before entering the hall, about five Jumbo jets had arrived from the far east.
From China, Thailand, Japan and Korea.
There were over a thousand oriental people in line to meet an immigration officer.
And few immigration officers available.
As a consequence, it took one hour of standing in line before to be interrogated and fingerprinted.
The waiting by itself was already pretty annoying, but most irritating was that employees of China Airlines, with the consent of the Immigration officers, would organize preferential treatment for their Chinese customers.
They would be allowed to come out of the line and were put to the front to be serviced first.

5/
The night was in the Four Points Hotel near the LAX airport.
There was a line in front of the reception desk.
One woman had to check in all the guests.
In front waiting was a well dressed man.
Looking like a Columbian nobleman.
With beautiful shoes.
But he had a vague resemblance to Sadham Hussein.
When it was his turn he had to confess to the woman he had no reservation for a room.
And she explained that the hotel was booked full.
Due to a convention and graduations.
Obviously, the man was without a room to spend the night.
Because the woman said that all hotels were booked full.
It was realized that the room that was booked oneself would have two King Size beds.
The idea was born to tell the man to wait and after getting the key to the room to offer him that he could stay in the same room.
Getting one of the two beds.
The woman of the reception told the man to try the Renaissance Hotel next door and he left.
The impulse to call him and ask to wait was then in the balance.
He might be able to find a room in the other hotel, was a thought.
But the major thought was that it is very unusual to offer such a thing as sharing a hotel room to a complete stranger.
Very crazy idea.
But it is also a very good thought.
Now there is regret the sharing of the room was not offered to Saddham.

6/
The British Airways Jumbo loaded to maximum capacity with passengers left Los Angeles before official departure time.
And later the pilot proudly announced landing in London would be 20 minutes ahead of schedule.
Everybody happy.
But once near Heathrow Airport, the pilot announced there was no landing opportunity yet.
Over 20 minutes the Jumbo had to circle in the sky to wait for the landing strip to become available.
How much fuel is a Jumbo burning to circle in the sky uselessly and senselessly for 20 minutes?
How much more pollution is created in this way?
And once landed, the gate was not available and the plane had to wait on the tarmac for 15 minutes.
Final arrival time: 20 minutes late.
And the food on the plane was meagre and awful.

7/
The happiest moment of the journey was to arrive at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Waiting there was the Queen of Dreams who had been returning to Europe some days before.
Flying KLM, getting excellent food and arriving on schedule.

While arriving the national soccer team of the Netherlands were playing their first match for the world championship in South Africa against Denmark.
This is why many could be seen dressed in orange.
The Dutch national colour.
Or with decorations like Dutch flags in a hat on the head.
The orange mania again.
In the city, warm and in sunshine, many people enjoying themselves because of the soccer match, that was won with 2 to 0.
Many dressed in orange and singing and dancing.
Arrived in a happy country.





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hotel harrows

Hotel Four Points in Los Angeles, USA.

The bed just after arriving.

The bed the next morning...





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Catching a girl

It happened last week in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

A man went to shop in the department store H & M.
54 year old Matteo Janiri.

Meanwhile, 3 floors up, the 4-year old girl Philine managed to escape the attention of her parents.
She climbed onto the railing of the escalator.
Lost her balance and fell into the gap between the floors.

She yelled and screamed while falling and this made Matteo Janiri look up.
He realized a child was falling down.
And he realized she was falling right down to where he was standing.
Instinctively, he spread his arms and caught the girl.
And saved her life.

This story was reported in the Belgium newspaper "Het Laatste Nieuws".
Whose journalist interviewed the deeply shocked Matteo Janiri shortly after the amazing event.

This Matteo was most impressed by the fact that he happened to be in the right place at the right time to save the girl's life.
And this, according to him, had come from his decision not to go to the department store by car but by tram.
This public transportation system made him arrive later in the department store compared to if he had come by car, so he believed.
By coming to the department store later, in his opinion he arrived in time to catch the girl.

Matteo should get a medal and a kiss from the girl.
But his theory of the tram making him be in the right place at the right time makes no sense.
There must have been thousands of reasons why it was him that happened to be there to catch the girl.
So, there are no reasons.
There are no explanations.
It simply happened.

But, H & M, how about installing escalators where no children can climb on anymore?




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a 25 minute blog

This is in a tremendous hurry.
Within 25 minutes the blog must have been written and published.

What is the hurry?
Is it a train that has to be caught?
A plane leaving soon?
An important meeting maybe with hotshots?
An escape from a coming disaster?
The Japs attacking with their Zeros soon?

Not all of that.
It is that the first match of this year's World Championship of Soccer starts in 20 minutes.
In South Africa.
For them comfortably at 4 pm but that is 8 am Mexican time.

The opening match happens to be South Africa playing Mexico.
Therefore, the Gonzales family at Punta Boca del Salado, Baja California switch on their small solar powered SKY-satellite TV.
And watch expecting, as Ismael said last night, Mexico to win 2-0 or even 3-1.

Of course not all the members of the Gonzales family are able to watch.
Ketcha has no strong interest in soccer to begin with and then there is her work in the kitchen: the men need breakfast.
And Gumaro has his cows to milk and these animals always have his priority.

It is Ismael and Juan Manuel and Edgar who watch.
Their work can wait.
Which is not much these days to begin with.

Juan Manuel has a big truck to transport sand.
But because building houses in this area, due to the economic crises, has come to a standstill, he hardly has work.
Ismael drives a water truck to supply the houses in the area of the rancho.
But the foreign owners of these houses are not coming anymore that often: they are struggling to make money where they live.

For the next two weeks it will be soccer to see.
The most interesting soccer because the championship is between national teams.
The players basically want to win for the glory of their country.
Not for their bank account as they are used to do.

Watching soccer on TV has been giving up a long time ago.
Once it was allowed that the teams of cities could buy players from anywhere in the world.
This has created the situation that teams from cities like Manchester in the UK and Madrid in Spain consist mainly of non-Madrid and non-Manchester players.
Even non-Spanish and non-British.
This has resulted in teams winning competitions who were having the most money.
Able to buy players from anywhere.

But now the US-team is composed of Gringo's only.
Playing the UK-team of only English guys tomorrow.
And Monday Holland boys play Danish boys.

Only 10 minutes left.
Have to run.
2-0 Ismael predicts.
Let's go and see.



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We have mail!

Back in the dry river bed of Punta Boca del Salado near the rancho of the Gonzales family in Baja California, Mexico.
Just for two days until the airplane leaves from San José del Cabo for Los Angeles on Saturday.
Time now to reflect and prepare the European tour.

One of the reflections is about a text received from a fervent and loyal blog reader.
That she wrote in response to a blog about the piracy, banditry and killing by the Israelian navy recently when they stopped and confiscated a civilian boat in international waters.

Fervent and loyal blog reader says this:

Hello Michel,
I wanted to share the link attached with you. I was reading about the firing of Helen Thomas from the White House News Correspondence position she has held for years through the Hearst Corporation. Her comments about Israel were to me (like so many others) unbelievably ignorant and arrogant. I am happy she is finally out of the White House. Researching this situation brought to my attention the man, a Rabbi, that filmed her as she answered his questions. The link is a recent article he wrote about the Jewish Homeland and how it came to be. I think the most important part of the article is the fact that the Jews were given 25% of the land that was being disputed and the Arabs would not recognize even that. The Arabs, it seems, given this fact, are responsible for the ongoing fighting, due to their unwillingness to walk away from that 25%. It is also my understanding that Israel ultimately gave up a large portion of that 25% (all the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean) in an attempt to create peace. So they are left with significantly less than 25% of the originally disputed land. It is disheartening and dangerous how these facts have been forgotten and are not spoken of in the media. All non-Jewish human beings should recognize the rights of the Jews to peace and a country to call their own. The Holocaust did not happen only in Germany and Poland - it happened around the world. Even Canada is guilty for turning away a ship full of Jewish refugees during WWII and for permitting ongoing anti-Semitism among our countrymen. To atone for what happened we must recognize and support the Jewish peoples' right to a country of their own.

So, is that true?
That the Arabs are responsible for the ongoing fighting?
That Israel is the good guy and the Arabs the bad guys?
Is it all that simple?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The link our fervent and loyal blog reader was sending:

http://rabbilive.com/RabbiLIVE/Articles.html




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Fresh oil

A truck is like a human being.
You have to put fuel in it for it to run.
And then there is the maintenance.

The oil of the engine needs to be changed every now and then.
And also the filters.

Yesterday the Fuso Szulc therefore had to be taken care of after it completed successfully 24.000 miles.

In La Paz, Baja California, Mexico is no Mitsubishi Fuso dealer.
Therefore servicing a Mitsubishi Fuso truck needs to be done by other experts.
One reason only: to change oil and the other needed service a Mitsubishi oil filter, air filter and diesel filter are needed.
And specific Mitsubishi tools are needed.

Service for this particular and unique job was found, thanks to dear friend Alonso Lopez, with the La Paz Isuzu dealer.

They managed to track down original Mitsubishi Fuso parts and had them shipped by special courier.
Mecanic Daniel did an excellent job supervised by engineer Mario.
And as a bonus the Fuso Szulc was washed with high pressure water as an extra service of the La Paz Isuzu dealership.

Opening knowing

One of the exciting activities of these days is organizing an event, together with the expert Queen of Dreams, that will take place during the upcoming exhibition at the Lux Photo Gallery in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

These days an exhibition always comes surrounded by activities.
Lectures, workshops, interviews: anything that promotes and connects to the exhibition is explored.

One of the things that is going to happen are private consults.
Taking place in the gallery where on the walls the work is exhibited.

There are two groups of people that can book a consult.

The first group are photography students that are finishing about this time their studies.
Who are starting to work as a professional or autonomous photographer.
In a market that has many professional photographers already and very little openings for good jobs and assignments.
Hence, it makes sense to talk with an experienced photographer who is in the business for many years.
To show the portfolio with photographs and explain the business plan.
To answer questions to find within oneself adequate and effective answers.

The second group are photographers that are working on their images for some time.
But who are feeling that they don't know how to progress.
Who might feel stuck.
Like having turned into a dead end street.
How to get out of that deadlock?
How to find new enthusiasm and élan?
How to have pure happiness again in photography?
Also for these photographers it makes a lot of sense to book a consult, show a portfolio of images and talk about their situation.
To obtain a better realization of the current situation to start seeing new ways to take with new optimism.

These days a publicity campaign is going on to inform photographers that consults are soon available.
These photographers can apply now and make a reservation.
Quite a lot already have been responding and the schedule will be complete with bookings soon.

There is an important and unique aspect to these consults.
The financial one.
Basically, the consult is for free.
Participants are requested to pay € 25 ($ 30) but that is to cover the administration costs.
The consult, that takes one hour, is for free.
The consultant is not making money.
To the contrary: the time, energy and expertise is made available as a gift.
Why is this?
It is because it is believed that a truly sincere and total honest assistance, counseling and guidance cannot have a financial involvement.
If it would be for the money, too many awkward aspects would possibly start to play a role.
Like the consultant trying to have the consult take as many hours as possible for maximum financial profit.
But also it has a strong positive psychological effect on the participant: every advice given is disconnected from any interest.
It is coming from generosity and therefore already appreciated for that reason.
It makes the participant open.
And allows absorbing the expertise deeply: where it is effective.

The consultant trusts life and has no hesitation to work sometimes for free.
To give is beautiful and beyond finances.

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For more information about the Lux Photo Gallery, click on:
http://www.luxphotogallery.com/



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A nice fitting shirt

Of course it was remembered that in a city there are cars, houses and people.
And that this concentration of humanity results in a certain hecticity.
Life moving faster and more furious than that of a monk in a monastery or a fool on the hill.
Or a pioneering photographer at a desolated location along the Mexican Pacific coast.

Hence, all this that was found in the city was no surprise and easily adjustments were made to be able to deal properly with the drastically changed circumstances.
In the end, 34 days had been passed in reclusion and retreat.
Accompanied by the Queen of Dreams, it were the pelicans frequently flying by and the ocean rolling non stop its waves on the beach and not much else there compared to a city that was the situation of the space called El Triple.
Peace and harmony.
Close to nature.
The sun rising and the moon shining.
The wind blowing and the water flowing.

But knowing the city so well from former visits and stays, it was like simply putting on a new shirt.
In the morning the beach, in the afternoon the boulevard.
No problema.

But there were two interesting surprises the city offered.
Related to sound!

The first evening in town was a lovely dinner with dear friends Alonso and his beautiful lady Irma in a fabulous restaurant called "El Zarape".
Where they serve traditional Mexican food in an amazing interior that is related to different states of Mexico.
They also have a large room in this restaurant dedicated to Frida Kahlo with her paintings on the walls.

Once back in the camper and in the comfortable bed, sleep did not come immediately.
And it was almost a shock when, still wide awake, it was realized something important was missing.
Something that had been heard for over 34 days.
The permanent sound of the ocean.
The waves crashing on the beach and the rocks near the location where the Fuso Szulc was located.
A sound that is often strong and always there.
It is not realized all the time when near the ocean that this sound is in the ears.
But it can be so loud that it wakes up a person at night.
And often it is realized that this permanent sound of the waves crashing can be lightly disturbing.
It creates a certain unrest.
A light turmoil in the head.
But last night in the city of La Paz there was no sound of the ocean anymore.
There was an ultimate peace.
No sounds whatsoever.
Not even of cars.
It was like a beautiful gift to enjoy deeply.
Finally free of the permeating pestering of the ocean.

And then this morning.
Although the evening had ended close to midnight, awaking was as usual just before the sun to rise.
And a second huge surprise was heard.
Birds singing.
With joy, bliss and virtuosity making the one listening happy also.
At El Triple are hardly any birds that sing in the morning.
No serenades to greet the day and mark the territory or seduce the female.
And this is a sad aspect of El Triple: when no birds sing, nature is not very much alive.
Therefore this morning getting out of bed was postponed to gratefully listen to the singing of the birds.
Amazing tunes and all in perfect harmony without any dissonant.
More melodious than Mozart without any false notes.
What a joy to listen to birds.
How happy that makes.

Gee, this shirt fits nice!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For more information about the restaurant "El Zarape", click on:
www.elzarapelapaz.com



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Hungry heat

It is grey, cloudy, windy, cool and miserable at El Triple, Baja California, Mexico.
And that is great.
Because today the Fuso Szulc will leave the location it has been for over 33 days to head for the city of La Paz.
A three hour drive.
From the boondocks to where they walk dogs.

The last days have been peculiar.
Supplies had been running extremely low.
Very few fruit and vegetables left.
No more cheese, honey and juice.
The Queen of Dreams had to highly improvise every night to put a decent dinner on the table.
This situation was often discussed and contemplated.
With as a result that several times a day a feeling of hunger was revolting in the body.
Feeling hungry while the amount of food being put into the body was almost similar as in days of sufficient supplies.
It was therefore just a psychological matter.
Thinking the fridge was almost empty and realizing some regular food items missing, made the mind push the thought to feel hungry.

But that will soon be all over.
This afternoon the supermarkets of La Paz will come into sight.
And all those items that had been so sourly missed over the last weeks will be purchased.

But then a new missing will be created.
Right now, at El Triple next to the Pacific Ocean, temperatures are maximum about 24º C (75º F) because of the very cool ocean and breeze.
However in La Paz, it will be 36º C (97º F): hot and steamy.
While believing living in a sauna, thoughts will return to the cool temperatures of El Triple.

This is how our minds twist and turn.
Making us feel hungry and longing for coolness.

So then Osho comes along.
And with him, hundreds of other enlightened persons during the last thousands of years.
Who all say, stay in the moment.
If it is hot, experience the heat and forget of how it is somewhere else.
And if you eat normal quantities, forget about the empty fridge.
You are not somewhere else or in another time.
You are here and now.
Even when it is hot, Osho?
Deodorize.
Even when there is no cheese?
Say cheese.



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Human warmth

What I need, the Queen of Dreams said this morning, is human warmth.
And she moved herself against the other body and in a most close embrace enjoyed all the warmth she longed for.

Human warmth?
Yes, the one that is different from the warmth one can feel when taking a sunbath.
Which is also an exquisite sensation: to feel the sun warming the naked skin.
There are people who spend hours laying in the sun to feel this warmth.
Enjoying how the body absorbs it to make the muscles and the bones feel young again.
Flexible and painless.

Human warmth?
The one that is different from the warmth of a heater.
From an electric heater or a gas heater.
Or from a wood stove or the radiator of a central heating system.
To put the body close to it and feel the warmth radiating while outside it is snowing and the wind blows the animals into their hideouts.
To feel the warmth on one side of the body and the cold on the other side.
To put the hands to the fire and feel the energy from wood logs that have been growing for years donating now the warmth one craves for.

Human warmth?
The one that is different from the warmth that feels when one takes a bath.
In a bathtub or in the warm sea.
When the water is maybe 25º C (77º F).
To enter the bathtub and immediately feel this ultimate comfort of the perfect harmony between the temperature of the body and the one of the water.
Or to dive into the warm sea and immediately feel a unification with the water because of its wonderful temperature.
In the steaming bathtub or the tropical sea, one can feel like being surrounded by warmth as during the time when a child in the womb of the mother.

But all these situations with warmth, in the sun, near the fire and in the sea, do not compare to the warmth the Queen of Dreams found this morning.
Because human warmth is more than just temperature.
It comes with love.



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Nietzsche for President

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a German who lived from 1844 until 1900.


He was a philosopher and philologist and wrote critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science.

There is a lot to say about Mr. Nietzsche but better is to read some of his quotes and realize that although they are over 120 years old, they remain of importance and relevance.
Applying even now to our every day life:

A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything.


A friend should be a master at guessing and keeping still: you must not want to see everything.


A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.


A great value of antiquity lies in the fact that its writings are the only ones that modern men still read with exactness.


A pair of powerful spectacles has sometimes sufficed to cure a person in love.


A subject for a great poet would be God's boredom after the seventh day of creation.


A woman may very well form a friendship with a man, but for this to endure, it must be assisted by a little physical antipathy.


Admiration for a quality or an art can be so strong that it deters us from striving to possess it.


After coming into contact with a religious man I always feel I must wash my hands.


Ah, women. They make the highs higher and the lows more frequent.


All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses.


All sciences are now under the obligation to prepare the ground for the future task of the philosopher, which is to solve the problem of value, to determine the true hierarchy of values.


All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.


All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.


All truth is simple... is that not doubly a lie?


Although the most acute judges of the witches and even the witches themselves, were convinced of the guilt of witchery, the guilt nevertheless was non-existent. It is thus with all guilt.


An artist has no home in Europe except in Paris.


And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.


And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.


Anyone who has declared someone else to be an idiot, a bad apple, is annoyed when it turns out in the end that he isn't.

Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit: for merit itself is offensive.


Art is not merely an imitation of the reality of nature, but in truth a metaphysical supplement to the reality of nature, placed alongside thereof for its conquest.


Art is the proper task of life.


Art raises its head where creeds relax.


At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.


Before the effect one believes in different causes than one does after the effect.


Behind all their personal vanity, women themselves always have an impersonal contempt for woman.


Blessed are the forgetful: for they get the better even of their blunders.


Character is determined more by the lack of certain experiences than by those one has had.


Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies.


Do whatever you will, but first be such as are able to will.


Does wisdom perhaps appear on the earth as a raven which is inspired by the smell of carrion?


Egoism is the very essence of a noble soul.


Every church is a stone on the grave of a god-man: it does not want him to rise up again under any circumstances.


Every man is a creative cause of what happens, a primum mobile with an original movement.


'Evil men have no songs.' How is it that the Russians have songs?


Existence really is an imperfect tense that never becomes a present.


Experience, as a desire for experience, does not come off. We must not study ourselves while having an experience.


Extreme positions are not succeeded by moderate ones, but by contrary extreme positions.


Faith: not wanting to know what is true.


Fanatics are picturesque, mankind would rather see gestures than listen to reasons.


Fear is the mother of morality.


For art to exist, for any sort of aesthetic activity to exist, a certain physiological precondition is indispensable: intoxication.


For the woman, the man is a means: the end is always the child.


Genteel women suppose that those things do not really exist about which it is impossible to talk in polite company.


Glance into the world just as though time were gone: and everything crooked will become straight to you.


Go up close to your friend, but do not go over to him! We should also respect the enemy in our friend.


God is a thought who makes crooked all that is straight.


Great indebtedness does not make men grateful, but vengeful; and if a little charity is not forgotten, it turns into a gnawing worm.


He that humbleth himself wishes to be exalted.


He who cannot give anything away cannot feel anything either.


He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?


He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.


He who laughs best today, will also laughs last.


He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.


Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.


I assess the power of a will by how much resistance, pain, torture it endures and knows how to turn to its advantage.


I cannot believe in a God who wants to be praised all the time.


I do not know what the spirit of a philosopher could more wish to be than a good dancer. For the dance is his ideal, also his fine art, finally also the only kind of piety he knows, his "divine service."


I love those who do not know how to live for today.

It is not surprising that eventually Friedrich Nietzsche, who came up with the concept of the Ubermensch, became insane and spend the last 11 years being cared for by his Mom and sister.




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Stunning pictures

One of the major reasons the Queen of Dreams is staying at El Triple, Baja California, Mexico is her ambition to make pictures.
In the desolated landscape she finds a subject in the pioneering photographer.
And creates impressing images with a powerful symbolism.










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Jerking jokes

There is so much misery in the world and sometimes in our lives that we must crack jokes now and then.
Simply to have life bearable and not to throw ourselves over the cliff.
To compensate the tear with the smile.
To balance the pain with the laugh.

Like recently, the crew of the Fuso Szulc based now at the deserted location of El Triple in Mexico where life is simple and harsh and two persons live in a contained space with poor supplies, relaxation is sometimes found in cracking jokes.
Like one saying to the other recently: "Damned, again you didn't switch off the light in the fridge".

The crew couldn't stop laughing while there might be selected fervent and loyal blog readers who may remain stone cold and think what was so funny about that.

Fortunately, to stop any bickering about whether a joke is funny or not, a research team of the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. did a project to find out what are the best jokes in the world.
This project was created by Professor Richard Wiseman together with the British Association for the Advancement of Sciences.
It involved people from all over the world sending in their favorite jokes and rating how funny they found the jokes submitted by others.
Over 40,000 jokes were received and 1,5 millions ratings made.

The British scientists found that the best joke in the world is this one:

A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?”
The operator, in a calm soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard.
The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says: “OK, now what?“

The best joke in the USA though, according to the research team of the University of Hertfordshire, is this one:

A man and a friend are playing golf one day at their local golf course. One of the guys is about to chip onto the green when he sees a long funeral procession on the road next to the course. He stops in mid-swing, takes off his golf cap, closes his eyes, and bows down in prayer.
His friend says: “Wow, that is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. You truly are a kind man.”
The man then replies: “Yeah, well we were married 35 years.”

Different from the best joke they found in Canada:

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ballpoint pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion to develop a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to 300°C.
The Russians used a pencil.

Then they found this joke from somewhere and it is hard to believe in no country it is a favorite:

An Alsatian went to a telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote, “Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof.”
The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog: “There are only nine words here. You could send another ‘Woof’ for the same price.”
“But,” the dog replied, “that would make no sense at all.”

Enough jokes for today.
Or do you have a good one to share?




++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The research of the University of Hertfordshire on jokes can be found here:
http://www.laughlab.co.uk/




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Israelian banditry and piracy

Israel has carried out a bloody massacre by attacking a civilian ship in international waters and killing at least 9 persons.

It has created a turning point in the relationship between Israel and Turkey: the Turkish ambassador to Israel is withdrawn.

The boarding by Israelian soldiers of the civilian ships sailing in the Mediterranean Sea was an attack on international law, the conscience of humanity and world peace.

This bloody massacre by Israel on ships that were taking humanitarian aid to Gaza deserves every kind of curse.

It is demanded that Israel immediately halts its inhumane blockade of Gaza.

The Israeli raid proved how good they are at killing people.

Israel, in no way, can legitimize this murder.
It cannot wash its hands of this blood.

We will not turn our back on Palestine, Palestinians and Gaza.

Israel: It is damaging your country's image by conducting banditry and piracy.
It is damaging interests of Israel and your peace and safety.
It is the Israeli people who must stop the Israeli government in the first place.

Israel cannot ensure its security by drawing the hatred of the entire world.

Bold statements?
Made by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey yesterday.



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