Ayaan & Verdonk
.
Well the Dutch government of prime Minister Balkenende collapsed last night over a dispute involving our ex-member of parliament Somali born Ayaan Hirsi Ali (on the left) and our minister of immigration Rita Verdonk (both from the same Liberal Party VVD). And who is to blame... all eyes are on Lousewies van der Laan, the head of coalition partner D66, who apparently wasn't satisfied with just a reversal of the procedure of stripping Ayaan of her Dutch citizenship because of a (white) lie about her name in order to obtain Dutch citizenship years ago. It tells you something about the troubled situation the Dutch have with outspoken members of the public or parliament for that matter.
No idea when the next elections will be...but my guess is that there will be a change of government (with a much softer approach) soon.
Just put my furniture out for sale via e-mail to all the people I know here in Nagasaki and I certainly hope to flog it. The rest I will send by mail (by sea is very cheap) back home. Will take about 45 days but that's OK.
Had lunch for the last time with my conversation partner Kenichi, who gave me his bronze medal for winning the Kyushu Kendo championship. Love it. It's a very heavy and beautiful medal. Kenichi hopes to be a Japan champion one day but that will take much more practice he tells me and also more insight and wisdom on how peoples brain functions. It's not just a fight but a battle of wits.
It's still pouring down even though the weather forecast had stated that the rainy season would definitely end on the 28th June. How can they be so wrong...?? After having been adviced to put on the airconditioning in order to prevent your clothes and everything else from going moldy I've actually done so and it feels better too. Another piece of advice was to put a 15 watt lamp in your closet (apparently this is done in Indonesia).
Received also my last package from Paul. It's funny how things indicate the end of an era..well just a year actually.
The next group of Dutch students has been chosen to come over here and enjoy the blessings of the Japanese educational system.
Well the Dutch government of prime Minister Balkenende collapsed last night over a dispute involving our ex-member of parliament Somali born Ayaan Hirsi Ali (on the left) and our minister of immigration Rita Verdonk (both from the same Liberal Party VVD). And who is to blame... all eyes are on Lousewies van der Laan, the head of coalition partner D66, who apparently wasn't satisfied with just a reversal of the procedure of stripping Ayaan of her Dutch citizenship because of a (white) lie about her name in order to obtain Dutch citizenship years ago. It tells you something about the troubled situation the Dutch have with outspoken members of the public or parliament for that matter.No idea when the next elections will be...but my guess is that there will be a change of government (with a much softer approach) soon.
Just put my furniture out for sale via e-mail to all the people I know here in Nagasaki and I certainly hope to flog it. The rest I will send by mail (by sea is very cheap) back home. Will take about 45 days but that's OK.
Had lunch for the last time with my conversation partner Kenichi, who gave me his bronze medal for winning the Kyushu Kendo championship. Love it. It's a very heavy and beautiful medal. Kenichi hopes to be a Japan champion one day but that will take much more practice he tells me and also more insight and wisdom on how peoples brain functions. It's not just a fight but a battle of wits.It's still pouring down even though the weather forecast had stated that the rainy season would definitely end on the 28th June. How can they be so wrong...?? After having been adviced to put on the airconditioning in order to prevent your clothes and everything else from going moldy I've actually done so and it feels better too. Another piece of advice was to put a 15 watt lamp in your closet (apparently this is done in Indonesia).
Received also my last package from Paul. It's funny how things indicate the end of an era..well just a year actually.
The next group of Dutch students has been chosen to come over here and enjoy the blessings of the Japanese educational system.
posted by 狩人 (Hunter in Japanese) @ 6/30/2006 05:11:00 pm
4 Comments:
At 6:56 pm,
rianne said…
Beste Paul,
Hele boel is geklapt op het feit dat zowel CDA als VVD Verdonk zijn blijven steunen bij haar zo veelste misser. D66 werd niet meer betrokken bij de achterkamer politiek, dus niet serieus genomen. Bedoel als je zelfs al niet meer aan de achterkamer politiek mag mee doen. VVD en CDA wouden nota bene met z'n tweeen verder (met hulp van LPF). Het afdwingen van een verklaring bij Ayaan in ruil voor een paspoort is al helemaal stuitend.
Verkiezingen in de herfst.
At 12:28 am,
Anonymous said…
Well I think the motto of the next group should be "Nos morituri, Te salutamos" (hope the latin is correct)
I was surprised to hear about the fall of the government. Our papers suggest elections next May. You'll be delighted to hear that there reallyu is a drought now. The temp is 30 today and is expected to remain at that lever for the next week. I'll be basking in the sun. It's Europride tomorrow so I'll be swaying around dressed in shorts and t-shirt shouting at the police - the ones I know that is!!
David has now moved into bed and breakfast accommodation and we have the house to ourselves again. He is thrilled as it is in a nice clean house in a quiet area close to the tube - and he's off the drugs. He comes to our place during the day to use it as a lounge and his B&B is his bedroom. A happy solution for all.
Must go. Hope you can sell everything on e-bay for a fortune. Paint a Kanji on each item to increase the value.
Take care and speak soon, Chris xxx
At 1:37 pm,
Anonymous said…
Heerlijk de nederlands politiek. En met http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/ wie heeft er nog een soap nodig?
Van dat alles afgezien ben ik er nog steeds niet helemaal blij mee. Ik zie mevrouw, "ik ben niet rechts, ik ben niet links, ik ben recht door zee" nog terug komen. Haar politiek betekend voor mij dat ik niet gewoon zo maar terug naar mijn eigen land kan vanwege mijn vrouw. Dus ik "mag haar niet zo". (Diep ademhalen.... ik ben Zen... wauw wat een zelf beheersing...)
pato
At 10:46 pm,
Anonymous said…
Is this the end of the Blog? Am I to expect no more letters from Japan? Let me down gently. I'll suffer withdrawal symptons.
31 degrees today. In the office with no a/c. Temperatures going to last at least until Wednesday. If I were in Sitges it would be fine - but NOT in London.
Hope you are well and happy. Tell them all to stick their credits up their Kanji
Yours always, Chris
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