Amat victoria curam!

Platon photographed the leaders of the world for The New Yorker. Next that they are great pictures it gives a nice reflection of the diversity of how people look like around the globe.

Jag har mycket ork för studerar på svenska och Rosseta Stone level ett är nästan färdig.
Men nya böcker vara under vägen och jag tänkar den jag behövar ätminstone sex månader till jag talar litten svenska...

In the campaign of Annise Parker the fact that she is a lesbian was never brought up. Even all the pictures of Annise were of her alone, although she has a partner for 19 years, Kathy Hubbard (and three - adopted- children). Even stranger if you realize that she began her career as an advocate for gay rights in the 1980s...
But anyway: her election is a big thing 'cause Houston became the largest city in the United States to elect an openly gay mayor!

The new Christmas Carol is a visual Bonanza. Especially in IMAX 3D. A must see for all bankers, let's say as a special bonus ;-)

Barack did it again - with his Nobel Peace prize acceptance speech he eloquent explained why when being in pursuit of peace one sometimes have to be prepared to take up arms and to combat. He also addressed the criticism of some that you got this prize way to early. In short: it was an other example of how to speech...

Take a moment to read the end - wow!

Somewhere today, in the here and now, in the world as it is, a soldier sees he's outgunned, but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, scrapes together what few coins she has to send that child to school --because she believes that a cruel world still has a place for that child's dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of deprivation, and still strive for dignity. Clear-eyed, we can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that -- for that is the story of human progress; that's the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

It can be quite difficult to read your first poem when you are 8 years old... But with a little help of everyone Lisa made a splendid performance.

I thought it would be a good idea to take a (little) break from my -grueling- trainings schedule and so today I started 14 days without JohnJohn and the gym - well maybe I"ll pop-in to do some running...

Lately I've run into some troubles with my Honda CB1000R. I am not sure why, but I keeping getting little flaws with this bike. The last thing is that I cannot rely on the head light anymore. So maybe I must look out for a new bike in spring. What about the new Kawasaki Z1000? 1043 cc - maroon brown with a (imitation) snake buddy seat. So bad it is awesome again :-)

After Wallander, Annika Bengtzing, Beck it is now the end of our DVD box of Van Veeteren. So we have seen almost all swedish detectives available on DVD (with subtitles). I liked Van Veeteren especially because it supposedly is set in Amsterdam - or Maasdam as it is called in the series. The funny thing is that the whole thing is filmed in Sweden...

Santa Claus was in town and he brought me a beautiful set of exclusive Viktor & Rolf dinner plates. So that's why...

A nice series of photos by Ernst Coppejans of gay escorts in their "work" environment...

Richard Renaldi took pictures of boys in the small New England city of Fall River, Massachusetts.

A sweet new application of the Meertens Institute: based on the municipal registers of The Netherlands they can tell you how many people there are with the same last name and where they live... So my family comes from Limburg :-) and we are with 7000 Joostens...

An amazing mash-up that shows aircraft traffic above the Netherlands. You can see where which plane flies, how hight, where to etc. etc. This is a brilliant example of the things to come in a websquared world... They even have a layar application. :-)

Ramses Shaffy, the only chansonnier we ever had in Holland died yesterday. He symbolises warmth, artistic strenght and above all passion for life. Luckily for us he left a legacy of beautiful songs which we can enjoy until the end of times... This great picture is from the sixties when Ramses started to become an icon of the Ducth culture.

On the museumsquare right in the center of Amsterdam this construction was set up as a memorial to the many people that still die of Aids each day because they cannot get any treatment.

Today Jose Maria Di Bello, of Argentina should have married his partner Alex Freyre in Buenos Aires but a judge ruled otherwise. The union was to be Latin America's first legal gay marriage

The couple thought it won the right to marry when a judge ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage violated Argentina’s Constitution.
The mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, said the city would not appeal, in effect inviting other same-sex couples to pursue their rights in court.
“We have to live with and accept this reality: the world is moving in this direction,” he said.
Mr. Freyre, 39, the executive director of the Buenos Aires AIDS Foundation, and Mr. Di Bello, 41, an executive with the Argentine Red Cross, sued after being denied a marriage license in April. Their request was granted by Judge Gabriela Seijas, who said that laws limiting marriage to a man and a woman violated the constitutional rights of equality.
The ruling sets no precedent beyond this case, but other gay and lesbian couples may cite it in court if their requests for marriage licenses are denied.
No other country in Latin America allows same-sex marriage, though some jurisdictions allow same-sex partners to form civil unions with many of the same rights.

Barack and I are fed up of these meetings about Afghanistan. Just send in those damn extra troops will you? We have other things to do. Joe broke with protocol and took of his jacket and my Diet Coke was out of my reach. Pfft...!

Marijn tried whether the kindle could resist any rough handling - it did not :-( The screen broke and the kindle was useless. In came Amazon Customer Service and they (amazingly!) replaced our kindle for free. So now a new kindle is on its way and the old one back to the states for recycling. Thank you very much Amazon for this outstanding service - you have proven again way you are our (book)store of choice.

We all know Canali were a decent suit will cost you about € 2000. Or suitsupply where you can find one for a mere €400. But now - in this time of crisis - Metro/Makro comes with the ultimate price: €40!
The dry cleaner is more expensive... But I guess if you try to dry clean these babies you won't get anything back that you can wear. But who cares?

I couldn't help being distracted by Jan's new underwear campaign - what's wrong with me? Am I suddenly interested in dull, fat belly, skinny older men? :-)

In the little town of West Fork, Ark., a 10-year-old boy named Will Phillips is refusing to stand up in school and say the Pledge of Allegiance until the time comes when he can truly believe that the U.S.A. really does offer “liberty and justice for all.” According to Will "Gays and lesbians can’t marry, and there is still a lot of racism and sexism in the world.” - “They should have the right to marry, and I won’t swear that they do”Amazing isn't it? and that in West Fork Arkansas(population 1200)! WILL deserves a lot of respect for his actions and ideas. I guess there is still hope for the USA :-))
Have a look at the CNN interview - it will make your day I am sure.

"Bob's World, TASCHEN's yummy new book (and DVD!) of highly camp, often sexy, and occasionally iconic male nudes, is a wonderful treasure... about the work of Bob Mizer. The (hilarious) video will explain all...

A great new book from Taschen about the election art of the Obama Campaign. Hundreds of artists and designers expressed support for the Obama candidacy by designing posters and submitting them to designforobama.org for free download. This selection of the very best—curated by Spike Lee and Aaron Perry-Zucker—is a visual document of the most inspirational U.S. presidential campaign in living history.

14-year old Ralf Mackenbach has starred in the musicals Tarzan and Beauty and the Beast and he has played in several TV-commercials. Yesterday He won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Kiev.
with his own song "Click Clack". The song is not so great but look at the performance of Ralf and his team as dancers: It's really good! :-) You can see that they are following a professional preparatory training at Lucia Marthas Dance Academy in Amsterdam.

Eddie was admitted to the prestigious PAN art fair in Amsterdam. During the opening his stand drew lots of traffic and attention.

Jag började åter läsa pjäser av Herman Heijermans. Han var författare holländsk och början av 1900 mycket populär för sin samhällskritiska pjäser. Utgivet på svenska är "Diamantstaden (1908)".

The Yamaha BODiBEAT automatically matches music to your exercise pace, selecting songs that have a similar tempo to your running or jogging speed. When you change pace, BODiBEAT selects and plays a different song from your playlist to match your new pace. So far for the good news. The bad news is that it is expensive ($180 for a 512Mb player) has a monochrome tiny screen, a bulky appearance, a lousy headset and an even worse heartmonitor ear clip. Can't wait till Nike Plus comes with a heart monitor iPhone plug-in...

Jag har laddat ner Rosetta Stone och Svenska level 1 till 3. Den här program arbeta med bilder och ljud och är mycket intuitivt. Jag hoppas skulle förbättra min svenska snabb!

Please vote here if you like it...

BUTT magazine have released their 2010 calendar. Contributions from the likes of Wolfgang Tillmans! Buy it from your local americanapparel

Because of the movie "Hilde" based on the autobiography of Hildegrad Knef I downloaded her best tracks. After all these years it still is great to hear her sing with her unusual (smokers) voice.
Never saw a movie with her though. Heike Makatsch is great in Hilde by the way - she really IS Hildegard.

We collected all the snowwhite AH figures - but now we don't know what to do with them...
Or - better- what to do anyhow: maybe we have to wait for an other collectors item :-)

Göran (played by Gustaf Skarsgård) and Sven are a gay couple who’ve recently moved to the homogenous suburbs precisely so they can adopt a baby. They’ve gone through a long process, and to their delight, they’re told that they can soon expect a child, age “1.5 years.”
That, of course, turns out to be a typo. The only child available to them is a very troubled, and very homophobic 15-year-old boy, Patrik. :-)

På svenska:

Patrik, 1.5

Paret Göran och Sven Skoogh har just flyttat in i ett villaområde och godkänts som adoptivföräldrar, men barnet de får visar sig vara en kriminell tonåring, Patrik. Ett kommatecken har hamnat fel i byråkratin och in kliver en femtonårig homofob med kriminellt förflutet.

Och på film vet vi ju att det oftast för med sig bra saker, i slutändan.

Wanna swim?

An example of little-noticed provisions in a mammoth health care bill taken up Saturday by the House of Representatives are lower taxes for gay couples who receive health benefits from employers. Such benefits are now treated as taxable income for the employee, and the employer may owe payroll taxes on their fair-market value. Under the bill, such benefits would be tax-free, just like health benefits provided to the family of an employee married to a person of the opposite sex. Thanks to Nancy and Barack...

Li Wei from Bejing states that his photos are not computer montages and that he works with the help of props such as mirrors, metal wires, scaffolding and acrobatics. He then removes the wires and scaffolding with Photoshop to create seemingly impossible photos like this one.

I dag jag är starter studera svenska. Jag förstår svenska lite, för svenska och holländska liknar varandra mycket. Jag utnyttjar en bok “Basiscursus Zweeds” av Adrie Meijer. Också är en webbsida www.wrts.nl stor för et öva för grammatik. Jag hoppar att tala bra svenska snart!

Triumph and TAG Heuer made a special edition of the Bonneville: The McQueen - in the colors and style of the Gulf livery of the No. 20 Porsche 917 McQueen drove in the film Le Mans. I'd think I rather go for Steve McQueen's original Triumph he used for the jump in The Great Escape...

At my favorite clothing store: "Zeeman" you can now order a free boxer (yellow or blue). Is this the end of the Bjorn Borg Empire? ;-)

I just ordered Carmine Gallos' book about the awesome presentation skills of Steve Jobs. Just a quick sneak preview of the best tips:

Plan in Analog

Steve Jobs presentation has all the elements of a great movie—heroes and villains, stunning visuals, and a supporting cast. And, like a movie director, Steve Jobs "storyboards" the plot. Before you go digital and open PowerPoint, spend time brainstorming, sketching, or whiteboarding. Remember, you’re delivering a story. Slides complement the story.

Focus on Benefits

Your listeners are asking themselves one question: why should I care? Steve Jobs sells the benefit behind every new product or feature—and he’s very clear about it. Why buy an iPhone 3G? Because "it’s twice as fast at half the price." What’s so great about Time Capsule? "All your irreplaceable photos, videos, and documents are automatically protected and easy to retrieve if they’re ever lost." The Apple Web site also keeps the focus on the benefit, with features like "10 Reasons Why You'll Love a Mac." Nobody cares about your product or service. They only care about how your product or service will improve their lives.

Sell Dreams, Not Products

Steve Jobs doesn’t sell computers. He sells the promise of a better world. True evangelists are driven by a messianic zeal to create new experiences. When Jobs introduced the iPod in 2001, he said, "In our own small way, we’re going to make the world a better place." Where most people see the iPod as a music player, Jobs presents it as tool to enrich people’s lives. Of course, it’s important to have great products. But passion, enthusiasm, and a sense of purpose beyond the actual product will set you and your company apart.

Create Twitter-Friendly Headlines

Can you describe your product or service in 140 characters? Steve Jobs offers a headline, or description, for every product and each headline can easily fit in a Twitter post. For example, when Jobs introduced the MacBook Air in January 2008, he described it simply: "The world’s thinnest notebook." That one sentence speaks volumes. Jobs will fill in the details during his presentation and on the Apple Web site, but he finds one sentence to position every product.

Introduce the Antagonist

In classic stories, the hero fights the villain. The same holds true for a Steve Jobs presentation. In 1984, the villain was IBM (), known as"Big Blue". Before Jobs introduced the famous 1984 television ad to a group of Apple salespeople, he created a dramatic story around it. "IBM wants it all," he said. Apple would be the only company to stand in its way. It was very dramatic and the crowd went crazy. Branding expert Martin Lindstrom, says that great brands and religions have something in common: the idea of vanquishing a shared enemy. Creating a villain allows the audience to rally around the hero—your product.

Draw a Road Map

Jobs outlines the story—the narrative—at the beginning of every presentation. At the Sept. 9, 2009, music event, Jobs told the audience he would be talking about three products: iPhones, iTunes, and iPods. Along the way he provides verbal guideposts such as "iPhones. The first thing I wanted to talk about today. Now, let’s move on to the second, iTunes." Help your listeners follow the storyline.

Create Visual Slides

Apple products are easy to use because they eliminate clutter. It's a design philosophy that applies to every Steve Jobs presentation. There are no bullet points in his presentations. Instead Jobs relies on photographs and images. Where the average PowerPoint slide has 40 words, it's difficult to find seven words on 10 of Jobs' slides. The technique is based on the idea that information is more effectively recalled when text and images are combined. For example, when Steve Jobs unveiled the Macbook Air, Apple's ultra-thin notebook computer, he showed a slide of the computer fitting inside a manila envelope. That image was worth a thousand words. "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication," Jobs once said. Be sophisticated. Keep it simple.

Obey the 10-Minute Rule

Neuroscientists have found that the brain gets tired after 10 minutes of any presentation. In other words, no matter how engaging the speaker, audiences will tend to tune out after approximately 10 minutes. A Steve Jobs presentation lasts about 1.5 hours but every 10 to 15 minutes, he breaks up the content with video, demonstrations or guest speakers. He doesn't give his audience time to get bored.

Make Numbers Meaningful

In every Apple presentation, big numbers are put into context. On Sept. 9, 2009, Apple Vice-President Phil Schiller said that 220 million iPods had been sold to date. He placed that number into context by saying it represented 73% of the market. He broke it down even further—and took a jab at the competition—by saying Microsoft (MSFT) was "pulling up the rear" with its 1% market share. Schiller learned his technique from Jobs who always puts large numbers into a context that's relevant to his audience.

Use Zippy Words

Steve Jobs described the speed of the new iPhone 3G as "amazingly zippy." Where most business presenters use words that are too technical, vague, or confusing, Jobs' language is remarkably simple. He rarely, if ever, will use jargon that cloud most presentations like "best of breed" or "synergy." His language is simple, clear, and direct. Legendary GE ( GE ) CEO Jack Welch once said, "insecure managers create complexity." Exude confidence: speak simply.

Share the Stage

Steve Jobs is closely aligned with Apple but his presentations are rarely one-man plays. Jobs shares the stage with business partners, musicians, and employees. In October 2008, Jobs invited Apple's chief design guru, Jonathan Ive, to give the audience a tutorial on how Apple created a computer frame from a single piece of aluminum. Jobs could deliver the information himself, but he offers the stage to others who have a unique role or perspective.

Use Props

In addition to stunning visual backdrops (his slides), Steve Jobs brings props for show and tell. After introducing new products or features, Jobs will often sit down at a computer or pick up an iPhone and demonstrate how it works. These demos are simple, but often very dramatic. When Jobs introduced Macintosh in 1984, he walked to the center of a darkened stage and slowly pulled the computer from inside a black bag. He pulled a floppy disk out of his pocket, slowly inserted it into the computer, and walked away as the computer came to life.

Plan a Water Cooler Moment

There's always one moment in a Steve Jobs presentation that is the water cooler moment, the one part of the presentation that everyone will be talking about. These showstoppers are completely scripted ahead of time. For example, when Jobs unveiled the MacBook Air, he removed the computer from an inter-office envelope to show just how thin it was. It's the one moment from Macworld 2008 that everyone remembers. Plan a showstopper.

Practice. A Lot.

Steve Jobs spends hours rehearsing every facet of his presentation. Every slide is written carefully, every presentation staged like a theatrical experience. Steve Jobs makes a presentation look effortless, but that polish comes after hours and hours of grueling practice. I don't believe Steve Jobs is a natural presenter. If you watch video clips of his presentations going back 20 years, you will see that he improves significantly every decade. The Steve Jobs of 1984 had a lot of charisma but the Steve Jobs of 1997 was a far more polished speaker. The Steve Jobs who introduced the iPhone in 2007 was even better.

Dress Appropriately

Steve Jobs can wear a black mock turtleneck, blue jeans, and running shoes because, quite simply, he has earned the right to dress anyway he wants. For most communicators, it's best to dress a little better than everyone in your audience. Don't throw away the suit just yet!

One More Thing…Have Fun!

Steve Jobs makes every keynote seem like fun. During the January 2007 Macworld keynote presentation, Jobs' clicker failed to advance the slides. Instead of getting rattled, Jobs paused and told a funny story about the time he and "Woz" (Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) built a TV jamming device and had fun messing up TV signals in Wozniak's dorm at UC Berkeley. Once the slides were fixed, Jobs moved on as if it had been planned. He smiles, laughs, and seems to genuinely enjoy himself on stage.

The letters of Vincent to his brother Theo are as famous as his paintings. And next to the books with the letters and the excellent website where you can find and read all 902 letters online you can also download a new (307 Mb!) app with an interactive approach to the letters.

As seen at Leaseplan Raamsdonksveer...

You know when you're getting a tiny bit older when one of your friends hit the 50 mark.

Lex is still going strong and we had a great party at his masonry Lodge in Amsterdam (which happens to be one of the oldest in the world). Having Dan Browns' Lost Symbol in mind I was glad that Lex finally could en light me about the rituals and symbols of the Masons.

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