On the LH flight from Brussels to Munich:
OP-ED from yesterday's Int Herald Tribune
Gandhi Wuz Robbed
By MAUREEN DOWD
When he heard the Nobel Peace Prize shocker on Friday, Bill Clinton went into one of his purple rages. He picked up the phone and dialed the one person on earth who would be as steamed as he was.
CLINTON: Hey, man, it’s me. This thing is plumb crazy. Can you believe it?
W: No way, Jose!
CLINTON: First that prig Carter. Then that prig Gore. And now President Paris Hilton. The guy’s in office three days and he gets the peace prize? He should have gotten the Nobel in chemistry, because chemistry’s all he’s got. Talk about a fairy tale. This ... is ... just ... wrong! It’s killing me, man. I feel like my head’s explodin’. First I had the vast right-wing conspiracy, and now I have the vast left-wing conspiracy.
W.: I hear ya, 42. As if his head wasn’t big enough. This cat is all cage, no bird. He doesn’t have a clue.
CLINTON: Heck no.
W.: See, I’m the one who should be mad. Let me tell you, this Norwegia thing has nothing to do with him. It’s just another way for the pinkos of the world to drop a cow patty on my legacy. All that garbage in the prize statement about how special La Bamba is for bringing back wimpy multilateral diplomacy, dialogue and negotiations, the kind my dad and Scowcroft loved. Those Nobel ninnies are so lulu left they make the U.N. look like a Fox jamboree. The rookie already got rewarded once for not being me when he got elected. Gosh, what would he do without me?
CLINTON: Fine, but you never expected to win this prize. You were the quote-unquote war president and proud of it. I had to put up with a gazillion hours of Arafat’s insanity, but I guess that still wasn’t enough for those Oslo ice queens. I guess ending ethnic cleansing in Bosnia wasn’t enough, or bringing peace to Northern Ireland. And I guess my work with the Clinton Global Initiative saving lives in Africa and hanging with Bono and Barbra wasn’t enough.
W.: Calm down, bro. You gotta take care of that ticker.
CLINTON: It was a case of premature adulation.
W.: Heh-heh-heh. Yeah, very pre-emptive, sort of like Cheney’s pre-emptive war policy.
CLINTON: If they weren’t going to give it to me, they should at least have given it to the Chinese human rights movement or the Iranian protesters or AIDS workers in the Congo. Or even Bono.
W.: Yeah, man. Bono.
CLINTON: That would have helped make life better for the good guys and harder for the bad guys. Once again, action loses out to talk, just like with Hillary and Obama in the campaign. Nobel Prize for blah-blah-blah. Heck, I used to be considered a pretty good talker myself.
W.: It’s aggravating, I agree. But look at it this way, 42. Everybody’s laughing at La Bamba. He gets a Nobel for nada. Being loved by Europeans isn’t gonna do him any good here in the U.S. of A. I whupped that Frenchy Kerry, didn’t I?
CLINTON: The only peace Obama has made is bringing together the Taliban, Rush Limbaugh, the Palestinians and the Israelis to agree the guy is undeserving. It just confirms everyone’s suspicion that all this dude knows how to do is dazzle.
W.: He doesn’t want to be a Decider. He wants to be a Transformer. He transformed, all right — from Miss America to Miss Universe. He’s a five-spiral crash, and getting the gold is just a reminder of all he hasn’t done. He’s going to have to look over and see that big medallion hanging up there in the Oval, mocking him as an empty suit, a pretty boy beloved by the Blame-America-First crowd, whenever he has to send more troops to Afghanistan, or the Taliban act up, or Iran fires up for nukes.
CLINTON: Maybe you’re right, George. Some winners think the Nobel’s the kiss of death. Any peace prize that goes to Henry Kissinger but not Gandhi ain’t worth a can of Alpo. Heck, if Gandhi had known he was going to lose out to Henry the K, he could have had more time to eat french fries and chase girls.
W.: And finish getting dressed. Heh-heh-heh.
CLINTON: Barack’s going to give that $1.4 million away to charity. I got a charity. How ’bout he just signs it over to me? Speaking of money, we need to do another of those joint lecture things.
W.: I’m fairly footloose. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Go choke on a herring, Norwegia!
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Dear Percin
Thanks for your letter. It is always a pleasure to read. Leuven indeed has traffic jams, many too. Especially the Bondgenotenlaan is always jammed during rush hour. Somehow truckdrivers find this the right moment to unload their goods for the shops.
My day was quite interesting as well. It all started yesterday. After talking to you, I talked to Dragan a bit, then called Ivonne, sent Tena an sms, after which she called me. And the circle was round again. Today at work was as usual, with the difference that a colleague more or less got fired which of course caused the necessary gossip and excitement. We now are only women in the office, except for the boss. Great success. One colleague probably has Swine Flu so we're all washing hands 10 times per day and super cautious on vitamins and sleep.
Did my part of bureaucracy battling as well. Brussels-centre won't register me until I cancel the registration process in Schaarbeek. Schaarbeek of course doesn't really understand how does this thing work, e-mail? I don't quite understand yet how working people manage to take care of their municipality papers, bankaccounts, insurances, ... I'd need a whole week off to arrange it all!
So yeah. Watched the new Woody Allen this evening. Very nice.
See you tomorrow in Leuven?
Love,
Robin
My day was quite interesting as well. It all started yesterday. After talking to you, I talked to Dragan a bit, then called Ivonne, sent Tena an sms, after which she called me. And the circle was round again. Today at work was as usual, with the difference that a colleague more or less got fired which of course caused the necessary gossip and excitement. We now are only women in the office, except for the boss. Great success. One colleague probably has Swine Flu so we're all washing hands 10 times per day and super cautious on vitamins and sleep.
Did my part of bureaucracy battling as well. Brussels-centre won't register me until I cancel the registration process in Schaarbeek. Schaarbeek of course doesn't really understand how does this thing work, e-mail? I don't quite understand yet how working people manage to take care of their municipality papers, bankaccounts, insurances, ... I'd need a whole week off to arrange it all!
So yeah. Watched the new Woody Allen this evening. Very nice.
See you tomorrow in Leuven?
Love,
Robin
Monday, 12 October 2009
What did i do today?
I know that there are many people in this world that spend every day like the day before. I know i m not one of them...
My schedule today
Woke up at 07.00, got ready and got in the bus to Leuven central station to go to Brussels, on the way, there is a traffic jam, is there traffic jam in Leuven too???? My god.
Anyway, made it to the station, a bit late, but better than never, missed the train by 1 second, waited for 20 minutes for the other in the cold morning. Hopped in the train, was planning to study, but fell a sleep. Woke up by the announcement ' We are at Gare Du Midi '.
Got off and headed to the Ukraninan Embassy where i was already rejected on Friday because i had scanned documents. I m bringing scanned documents again, i know, i never learn. But this time AGORA Kyiv organizers called them and asked them to agree those papers till the originals arrive.
Entered the embassy after changing two trains, the embassy is in the middle of nowhere. Got in, no one in the queue, sweet. The woman asked me what i want, i said i need to apply to visa. She told me i have to wait for the council, i told that i have a lesson in 1 hour, and i know already that i ll be late for it. She called another lady which is her superior, i remembered her from friday. Tried to explain her that i brought scanned invitation again, but at first she told me she cant accept it. Then she remembered the phone conversation and took the documents. Normally for me Ukranian visa process takes 9 days, and i had only 7 days left. She told me to pay the double fee for fast visa ( 3 days ), and i start begging, telling that i m a poor student, and if i pay double, i cant eat anything this month. Almost about to cry. She says ok, pay the normal fee. Nice:)
Got out of the embassy and started running, 20 minutes till the lesson in Leuven. Ran to the station, already 11.00 am. Took the train, and it made an announcement ' The driver isnt here yet '. My god! I m in Leuven around 12.00 pm, started running as fast as i can to the class, got there at 12.10 pm. Listened to the remaning %25 of the lesson. Tried to be involved in the class from what i have studied. At the end, went to the teacher and sucked up, saying i m sorry.
Another 4 hours of class, lots of listening, writing and participating. I m an excellent student:) Meanwhile informing my g/f that i m hopefully getting the visa.
Lessons finished, i m dead. Its around 18.00. Went to my dormitory, eat soup. Did the day finish for me? Of course not. Left for the gym around 19.00, met me dorm responsibles on the way. They thanked me a lot for the activities i held for students integration on the first day, and told that the students thought they planned it, even though it was my plan. Again, some one takes the credit for something i did. I m used to it already:)
After 1 hour of sport, went back to my dorm, took a shower, and now i m here. Need to do some work for ' Where Does Europe End? ' but before i ll get something to eat.
Busy day, but me like:)
My schedule today
Woke up at 07.00, got ready and got in the bus to Leuven central station to go to Brussels, on the way, there is a traffic jam, is there traffic jam in Leuven too???? My god.
Anyway, made it to the station, a bit late, but better than never, missed the train by 1 second, waited for 20 minutes for the other in the cold morning. Hopped in the train, was planning to study, but fell a sleep. Woke up by the announcement ' We are at Gare Du Midi '.
Got off and headed to the Ukraninan Embassy where i was already rejected on Friday because i had scanned documents. I m bringing scanned documents again, i know, i never learn. But this time AGORA Kyiv organizers called them and asked them to agree those papers till the originals arrive.
Entered the embassy after changing two trains, the embassy is in the middle of nowhere. Got in, no one in the queue, sweet. The woman asked me what i want, i said i need to apply to visa. She told me i have to wait for the council, i told that i have a lesson in 1 hour, and i know already that i ll be late for it. She called another lady which is her superior, i remembered her from friday. Tried to explain her that i brought scanned invitation again, but at first she told me she cant accept it. Then she remembered the phone conversation and took the documents. Normally for me Ukranian visa process takes 9 days, and i had only 7 days left. She told me to pay the double fee for fast visa ( 3 days ), and i start begging, telling that i m a poor student, and if i pay double, i cant eat anything this month. Almost about to cry. She says ok, pay the normal fee. Nice:)
Got out of the embassy and started running, 20 minutes till the lesson in Leuven. Ran to the station, already 11.00 am. Took the train, and it made an announcement ' The driver isnt here yet '. My god! I m in Leuven around 12.00 pm, started running as fast as i can to the class, got there at 12.10 pm. Listened to the remaning %25 of the lesson. Tried to be involved in the class from what i have studied. At the end, went to the teacher and sucked up, saying i m sorry.
Another 4 hours of class, lots of listening, writing and participating. I m an excellent student:) Meanwhile informing my g/f that i m hopefully getting the visa.
Lessons finished, i m dead. Its around 18.00. Went to my dormitory, eat soup. Did the day finish for me? Of course not. Left for the gym around 19.00, met me dorm responsibles on the way. They thanked me a lot for the activities i held for students integration on the first day, and told that the students thought they planned it, even though it was my plan. Again, some one takes the credit for something i did. I m used to it already:)
After 1 hour of sport, went back to my dorm, took a shower, and now i m here. Need to do some work for ' Where Does Europe End? ' but before i ll get something to eat.
Busy day, but me like:)
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Back 2 Brussels
What am I missing this weekend:
- Raindance cinema festival, 3 free tickets
- huge free tennis event
- tennis table coaching
- disco ice skating
- a Birthday BASH with my cousin's crew
- lodo Alfano abolition pub crawl with Italian mates
- cultural anthropology field work
- meeting up with salsa guy
- seeing someone I didn't see for quite some time and whom I do miss
- preparing my Politics, History and Society presentation for monday morning
- ...
Buy hey, what am I gaining:
The FAMILY is in BRUSSELS!
Yeah, that's a proper B2B ;-)
- Raindance cinema festival, 3 free tickets
- huge free tennis event
- tennis table coaching
- disco ice skating
- a Birthday BASH with my cousin's crew
- lodo Alfano abolition pub crawl with Italian mates
- cultural anthropology field work
- meeting up with salsa guy
- seeing someone I didn't see for quite some time and whom I do miss
- preparing my Politics, History and Society presentation for monday morning
- ...
Buy hey, what am I gaining:
The FAMILY is in BRUSSELS!
Yeah, that's a proper B2B ;-)
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Bold risk takers
I stumbled upon an interesting quote on TV.
"That's what [...] wants: people who seem bold risk takers but never actually do anything. Actually doing things gets you fired. In fact I'm writing a book on this very phenomenon.
- Really, you're writing a book?
No, that would be doing someth... Are you even listening?"
Hehe.
"That's what [...] wants: people who seem bold risk takers but never actually do anything. Actually doing things gets you fired. In fact I'm writing a book on this very phenomenon.
- Really, you're writing a book?
No, that would be doing someth... Are you even listening?"
Hehe.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
To anybody complaining about the AEGEE intranet I say...
...have a ride on new UCL IT services!
In the super-organised University College London, out of the people I know, not more than 10% managed to submit autonomously their course choices online, whereas not less than 100% had problems with them.
The reply to my inquiry was:
Dear Tena,
I've tried replicating your problem and the problem I have is even worse than yours.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
But at least privacy in the UK is for sure taken seriously?
Ehm... the amount of compulsory information asked to submit left myself puzzled.
But certainly everybody is going crazy and shouting out loud, as the deadline for submission of the courses already passed?
Well, no.
New systems require some patience.
Teachers are annoyed, but - If there was no Portico, one should invent it. - they say.
If there was no intranet, one should invent it.
In the super-organised University College London, out of the people I know, not more than 10% managed to submit autonomously their course choices online, whereas not less than 100% had problems with them.
The reply to my inquiry was:
Dear Tena,
I've tried replicating your problem and the problem I have is even worse than yours.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
But at least privacy in the UK is for sure taken seriously?
Ehm... the amount of compulsory information asked to submit left myself puzzled.
But certainly everybody is going crazy and shouting out loud, as the deadline for submission of the courses already passed?
Well, no.
New systems require some patience.
Teachers are annoyed, but - If there was no Portico, one should invent it. - they say.
If there was no intranet, one should invent it.
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Get a life on the island
September was brilliant.
Things I was missing from home(and am gonna miss now):
- the colours
- the sea
- running along Barcola Beach (new entry)
- my dog barking a blues along with the harmonica
- driving my car
- the Eagles, Balasevic, De André in my car, me singing along
- OSMIZE
- playing guitar at Baciuchi's
- cooking all together at home
- eating delicious food
- laughing out loud in a restaurant with my family, shocking all the waiters
- doing things with my friends, doing things for my friends.
That much I cannot complain about the place I ended up in:
- a wonderful university
- my department, with the biggest specialized library in the world
- the cutest room in the cutest flat in the best area ("East is dodgy, South is for losers, West is posh, North London is just cool!")
- tennis, concerts, theatre
- fantastic new people...
...who do amazing stuff like this (activate subtitles on right bottom corner):
Things I was missing from home(and am gonna miss now):
- the colours
- the sea
- running along Barcola Beach (new entry)
- my dog barking a blues along with the harmonica
- driving my car
- the Eagles, Balasevic, De André in my car, me singing along
- OSMIZE
- playing guitar at Baciuchi's
- cooking all together at home
- eating delicious food
- laughing out loud in a restaurant with my family, shocking all the waiters
- doing things with my friends, doing things for my friends.
That much I cannot complain about the place I ended up in:
- a wonderful university
- my department, with the biggest specialized library in the world
- the cutest room in the cutest flat in the best area ("East is dodgy, South is for losers, West is posh, North London is just cool!")
- tennis, concerts, theatre
- fantastic new people...
...who do amazing stuff like this (activate subtitles on right bottom corner):
Friday, 2 October 2009
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Percin in Hungary
Picture 1- Percin arriving to Koszeg, to the hotel in the city centre, being proud of the location
Picture 2- Percin having the opening speech in front of 50 people, including the mayor and the rector.
Picture 3- Percin showing off with Jerzy Buzek's patronage on WDEE project
Picture 4- Percin moderating a panel discussion of Dushana Zdravkova
Picture 5- Dushana Zdravkova falling in love with Percin
Picture 6- WDEE team, AEGEE-Pecs, Dushana and Rina Tsubaki taking a group photo for the Hungarian media
Picture 7- Percin and his new girlfriend showing their tongues:)
Picture 8- Percin telling the rulezzz of the event:P
Picture 9- Percin and his bitches ( same place, different story )
Picture 2- Percin having the opening speech in front of 50 people, including the mayor and the rector.
Picture 3- Percin showing off with Jerzy Buzek's patronage on WDEE project
Picture 4- Percin moderating a panel discussion of Dushana Zdravkova
Picture 5- Dushana Zdravkova falling in love with Percin
Picture 6- WDEE team, AEGEE-Pecs, Dushana and Rina Tsubaki taking a group photo for the Hungarian media
Picture 7- Percin and his new girlfriend showing their tongues:)
Picture 8- Percin telling the rulezzz of the event:P
Picture 9- Percin and his bitches ( same place, different story )
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