03/02

On-page link, opens in this window 03/02/24 Our very own Enron
On-page link, opens in this window 03/02/23 And now...
On-page link, opens in this window 03/02/13 The Iraq situation
On-page link, opens in this window 03/02/05 Courtship continues - and miscellaneous

03/02/24

Global grocery store operator Ahold said Monday it overstated earnings in 2001 and 2002 by at least $500 million and said two top executives will resign, raising concerns about its corporate accounting methods. [...] The disclosure shook investor confidence in the company and called into question the soundness of the accounting methods it used to post earnings from newly acquired companies. Its shares in Europe recovered slightly in late trading to close with a loss of 63 percent at 3.59 euros ($3.90).
Off-site link, opens in new window Washington Post: Ahold admits it overstated earnings

03/02/23

We don't have a gouvernment yet.

And I found myself agreeing with LPF Immigration Minister Nawijn. He proposed to grant a pardon to asylum seekers who have been waiting for a decision whether or not they can stay for more than five years, and who are well-integrated in Dutch society. LPF's current coalition partners were against the proposal, but a Parliament majority consisting of Labour, the Socialists, the D66 political reform party, the Greens, the Christian Union and one member of the Christian Democrats voted in favour. These latter parties put forward a motion to extend the pardon to all asylum seekers who have been waiting for a decision for more than five years, which would be 5,000 to 7,000 in stead of the maximum of 2,300 covered by the LPF's motion. This latter motion didn't get a majority as the LPF didn't support it.

And clouds are gathering above the Dutch Royal House. In 2001 Princess Margarita, daughter of one of the Queen's younger sisters, married a commoner. According to the Princess and her husband their union was never accepted by the family, who shunned the couple and alledgedly went as far as spying on them and gaining access to the Princess's husband's social security file. The couple has now gone to the press and their stories have pushed sales of the German Die Stern and the Dutch HP / De Tijd magazine to record heights. And juicy stuff it is, the Queen nodding off after drinking too much at a family dinner... Prince Bernhard's relationship with his personal assistant... The Royal House stated that they didn't recognise themselves in the articles but that, out of love for the Princess, they would not comment on them. The latest news is that the couple is intending to sue the Royal House for damage done to the husband's business. The second installment of their story is in this week's HP / De Tijd, and there will be a third next week.

More Dutch politics and current events:
On-site link, opens in this window Dutch politics in 2003

I may not update this weblog very often during the coming months. I'm getting settled in my new job and I'm thinking about relocating. Also, I should be working on the thesis that I need to write to finish the postdoctoral course that I'm doing. In stead, being the Princess of Procrasination that I am, I've decided to write a novel. I'll probably end up finishing the thesis just in time anyway. That's what usually happens.

Anyway, if you'd like to check progress on the novel, it's linked below.
On-site link, opens in this window The 50,000 word novel

03/02/13

A poll about Iraq, which is now the main item in the news here. This poll was in the Netwerk tv show last night.

"The Netherlands should take part in a war against Iraq, if there's a UN mandate."

(Fully) agree:54%
(Fully) disagree:31%
Neutral:14%
Undecided:1%

"The Netherlands should take part in a war against Iraq, even WITHOUT a UN mandate."

(Fully) agree:13%
(Fully) disagree:75%
Neutral:11%
Undecided:1%

"The Netherlands should support the Frech-German proposal to give the weapons inspectors more time."

(Fully) agree:65%
(Fully) disagree:21%
Neutral:12%
Undecided:2%

"Which country do you consider the largest threat to world peace, Iraq, North-Korea or the US?"

Iraq:36%
North-Korea:7%
US:39%
Other:11%
Undecided:7%

Article (in Dutch) on the Netwerk TV website:
Off-site link, opens in new window Article (Dutch)

The results, split up per party that the respondents voted for in the last elections. Also in Dutch, though non-Dutch speakers should be able to figure out what it says. Questions and answers are presented in the same order as above; CDA=Christian Democrats, PvdA=Labour, VVD=liberal conservatives, SP=socialists, LPF=List Pim Fortuyn and GroenLinks=the greens.
Off-site link, opens in new window Detailed poll results (Dutch)

More Dutch politics and current events:
On-site link, opens in this window Dutch politics in 2003

03/02/05

Labour and the Christian Democrats have been talking. The latest news that two "informateurs" have been appointed, one from each party, to further investigate the possibility of a center-left gouvernment.

More Dutch politics and current events:
On-site link, opens in this window Dutch politics in 2003

Since Monday I'm working again. It's odd how easily I'm getting used to that, after several months of not doing very much at all. The commute is a drag, though, and in the evenings I find myself having too little energy to do anything much. On the off chance that the person I'm supposed to send some stuff is reading this: it's coming, I promise.

I'm currently reading part 2 of The Lord Of The Rings and enjoying it immensely. Tried to read it years ago but gave up after a couple of pages. Saw the first movie at the end of 2001 and didn't like it that much (coming in late, and the sound being played at a painfully loud level didn't help). Saw the Two Towers movie a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Saw Fellowship again a week ago and loved it even more, so I decided to give the books another try. I needed some persistence to work my way through The Hobbit and Fellowship, but with Two Towers I'm really beginning to enjoy Tolkien's pacing and writing style.



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