Tuesday, November 29, 2005

correction, Sinterklaas


I made a spelling error in the last post. Sinter Klaus is the proper spelling.

The pic was taken outside the train station in Eindhoven.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Sinta Klaus


In the Netherlands, not only Santa Claus on the 25th of December, But Sinta Klaus and his crew (Black Pete and His horse) Not making this up, really, I'm not!! For all you Clevelanders, I couldn't believe either...
Sinta Klaus comes from Turkey, where he did good deeds but then somehow he went through spain, picked up Black Pete, and now he visits the Netherlands, around this time of year, Black Pete throws these hard cookies called phonetically of course, "paper notes" at the children... now here is the kicker, if the children are bad, Black Pete will put them in his bag and take them back to Spain with him... oh man, this is the tradition, not kidding.
So clean that mold out of your shoes and get them ready for some treats, because St.Nick's day is around the corner and Sinta Klaus and Black Pete will be here with some treats!

tunes

I love radiohead!!

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Bell Tower


Tallest Tower in the Netherlands resides in Utrecht. Utrecht is in the middle of the Netherlands. Very cool city!

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Reading material

http://www.feasta.org/documents/papers/oil1.htm

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Enjoy all your families, and your time together.
And Chad, make sure you run like a clydesdale in the turkey trizot!!!!!
I am there with you if not in body, but in mind.
I will definitely miss my mom's cooking today.

Monday, November 21, 2005

couldn't resist this one


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4454738.stm

Thought for the day, check the pic!!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

No Micky D's for you!!!

Check this site out, http://www.wewantourmoneyback.ca./
Trade disputes- canadian people taking action in form of Boycott of McDonalds

Friday, November 18, 2005

it was so nice, needs another look

day trip using PTO!!!


So, I woke this morning and looked out the window, it was beautiful sunrise, not a cloud in the sky, I thought, ummm, no!
I got in the car and drove south, found this cool place called Luxembourg. I am happy!

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Plan B

Well, I was supposed to be either in Denmark or close to it by now, but a good friend of mine, call him george, had some car problems and was unable to make it here today. Bummer. So I burned a vacation day, as an american dude, I am pissed about that, cause those days are like gold. Heck we come to work in the states with 3rd order respiratory influenza just so we don't have to use that PTO!!! That is the common joke, that the Dutch like to bring up, "the how many days off do you get in cleveland?" thing. Yeah, it is a on the thin side, not sure what legal mandates arose here in this part of the world that gave the workers such large, comparatively, amount of holiday time. This has been a big problem for me since the beginning of my Marconi experience 5 years ago. I think the system is flawed of course but what is the solution? That is a bit more difficult than simply bitchin' about the lack of PTO. Forget the P, how about UP, unpaid?UPTO, I think many americans would use this option if HR departments were more open and friendly to the concept of a satisfied employee. For the last year, I took only 2 or maybe three days of personal time. That for my history of work is extremely low and bordering on insanity!!! Not sure how this came to be, but regardless of the fact, I am now at the point where I have been told by the HR here that I only have roughly two weeks of personal time. Not sure how the calculations work, oh, yeah, and I took one week off work before I left for here, to clean my apartment and get things in order, hardly what I would call personal time spent resting? I think I need to speak with some management guys to this point. It just hit me now how I will approach it. Regardless, the point still exists, there has to be some happy medium in this area. People need time away from work, time spent, maybe with family, reading a book, creating art, fixing a broken backyard fence, whatever. Work hard-Play Hard, is how I live my life. Two weeks, is an insult! I love my work, but you must take a break, longer than 10 days away from work. Again I am not sure where this serfdom mandate became a standard. How did it work when people were farming the land? There was no time, right, because no technology existed to faciltate the chores of life. I thought one of the benifits of technology and modern civilization was to incorporate the concept of human rest, chill time? My friend with the bad car, works like 20 hour days, killing himself with his own business. Yeah, it is rewarding, he can live as he wants, the choices are his to make, but industrialization of the world has a bit of social baggage, no? (not talkin environmental here) Maybe that is the Protestant work ethic and the spirit of captalism at work, and I just don't realize it? If so, once understood, solutions could begin to be presented to counter as a solution to the current format of personal time for employees. Drawing a huge generalisation, warning, just a generalisation warning, but Protestants are what I would call the first work-aholics. We know that the U.S. has a strong Protestant or "Christian" back bone and the beginnings of the country were influenced by sorts from this flavor. Is it possible that this Protestant or work ethic is the driving force for the U.S. broad based HR policy of 2 weeks of personal time? What is frightening is that most emerging markets are employing this same policy for there workers? Is this true or no? Not sure, but I have heard murmurings to this sort. If so, with the ever encroaching imperialistic tendencies of the Cheney world order would it not be possible that all societies employ workers to this same standard?
All of us, if given the time, money and balls could start our own business, and one day after blood sweat and tears could maybe take some time.
Before I digress to much and get lost in my thoughts, I simply am advocating a stronger policy toward UPTO, unpaid personal time off. Ok, i am done ranting, time for a bier.
ciao

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

trip to the sea!


Took the A58 to the coast from Eindhoven, about 1 hour more or less drive time...
Very nice!

Saturday, November 12, 2005

week two


Carnival in autumn? An office party, Dutch style. Who said they didn't know how to throw down a good time?

Thursday, November 10, 2005

missing home


Reflecting on the last couple of weeks, I must admit, I am missing home and all the good people back home.

Monday, November 07, 2005

rubber band effect

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/07/business/07move.html?hp&ex=1131426000&en=5aa13860fa86497a&ei=5094&partner=homepage
A new york times article, about reverse migration, from california to the, midwest??

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Petrol station in Aachen, Germany


Free market at it's best.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

colors

Friday, November 04, 2005

week one


After one week here I must say, I am a bit tired. I have eaten three days this week a doner kebab, and will probably have another one tonight. The city here roughly has about 200,000 people, it is quite dense and the view out of my hotel room is one to marvel. Everything is in it's place, modern efficiency, from my window it looks like one of those miniature models of the ideal urban environment. Traffic lights for cars, with no above ground electrical wires, traffic lights for pedestrians, traffic lights for bicycles, it is awesome really. And the traffic doesn't cease until 4 or 5 in the morning.
I almost search for that stip of wild over grown shrubs, or dirty paper ridden sidewalk. But it is very difficult to find in the city center. Everything is maintained and moves as one system. Amazing what planning does for a society, but that is europe!!!
Maybe I could take just a bit of this back to Cleveland with me, just maybe??
Another thing is how amazingly different the news abroad is from the states. I mean it is actually watchable, unlike the lame excuse for news that is transmitted nightly in the states. I am no europhile, I love Cleveland and proud to be from there, but somethings work and it would be grand if we could begin to influence our political system to move in this more sustainable direction.
I think it is funny recently I see that oil companies raking in record setting profits.
Of course they are!! They are run by business men, and the business men know, and knew their supply is now and will be for the next few years, the greatest it will ever be. The Hubbert's Peak is upon us.

There must be an alternative to what is presently presented to middle americans. If the right in power in government, in the media insist on no compromise of their unthoughtful ways, then the left needs to unify and stop complaining about their one most important to their cause issue, collectively pick three key points build a platform, make a logo, and buy advertising time on the right owned media stations. Influence people positively just like the right has been influencing negatively with fear based propaganda. It truly is a struggle now. The left needs to get off their high "I am so educated" horse and remember who made america work? Specific issues are important but it is the day to day stuff that matters most. The nation, and the world for that matter can only function when in balance. The balance is lost currently. Bring it back!!!! Start a new group, get involved, express your ideas openly with colleagues or friends. Disagreement is ok, it is silent acceptance that is most dangerous.