A little history of the world
An amazing book by Ernst Gombrich. On my first day of holiday I travelled from the icy and prehistoric fields of Europe towards present time. A surprisingly clear and well constructed written ‘epos’. Read more
Aug 24
Mar 3
The yearning for a way out (no poem)
My view: In 2009 it were the banks, in 2010 it are the countries, in 2011/2012 it will be the municipalities. The global financial crisis eventually will fully hit our streets and neighbourhoods. We did not expect this. Did we? Read more
Dec 20
Pelican Cry
Sometimes there are, within my daily mainstream of images, some which ‘enter’ the heart. This is one: the Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), smothered in oil. Read more
Dec 19
A new European Risk Management approach
With the appointment of Herman Achille van Rompuy as our new President of the European Council, we entered a new era. His second name promises a lot. It was “easily” done on a Thursday evening in Brussels the 19th of November. It was a rainy day, but with a very special feeling. The news rushed all over the Europe and I expect all over the world: Europe has chosen his first president. Read more
Dec 13
Poverty
Last weekend was dedicated to Christmas preparations. I understand for the most of us. Shopping, tree, lights, the first Xmas tones, a look on a possible composition of an exclusive but promised simple dinner. In combination with this the reading of “The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights” by Irene Khan (impressive!) and lots of John Lennon music the last days brought me in that special reflection mode ‘and what have you done, another year over…” Read more
Dec 11
Dec 7
Surprised by Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel, the current Chancellor of Germany, concluded mid October 2010 “That the idea to build a multicultural society and to live besides each other has failed”. Read more
Nov 13
Bees & government
Honey bees are brilliant at collective decision making’, according biologist Thomas B. Seeley on the Harvard Business Review Blog. Read more
Oct 10
Father and Daughter
A film by Michael Dudok de Wit (2000).
How a run and a hug from the father (55′) shows how immense love can be and how temporary the true moment of sharing.
Sep 14
Emily Dickinson
Reading the iBook ‘Poems by Emily Dickinson: two of her friends describe in the preface how they found, perceived and eventually published the poems:
“In many cases these verses will seem to the reader like poetry torn up by the roots, with rain and dew and earth still clinging to them, giving a freshness and a fragrance not otherwise to be conveyed.“
As if you can feel, taste here poems, which are original as the woman who wrote them. Straight from the Earth. After reading some, I fully agree.
Sep 12
To hold society together
Budget cuttings are necessary, I know. But at the same time it is quite a challenge how to handle and to prioritize. It is my conviction that public services are a natural part of the glue that holds society together. And public services (from the perspective of a municipality) are a part of being a shared community. We, local government, should not weaken the seams.
If we do so, we threaten the fabric of society (Brendan Barber, TUC). For mayor, aldermen and city managers quite a challenge to work along this way. To organize citizens, society and stakeholders. This brings us, speaking as a city manager, completely in a new role. From our velvet, legal, bureaucratic and CEO chairs to the people and the problems in the street. There is no other way. My drive: to hold society together.
Jun 26
Ground
These chords of Vladimír Godár, came into my heart and soul almost instantly, they went through all barricades, caressed the feelings of ‘incredible loss’. These astonishing music paralyzed my muscles and bones from the first notes, forced me to stop, prohibited to proceed and let lost friends in. Why is music so powerful? To unlock what is inside me? Ground.
Jun 19
Lessons from the past
This presentation of Jared Diamond describes our cultural situation today.
Jun 13
Leader on the spot
Barack Obama visiting the oil-hit Louisiana coast on Friday. Photograph: Win McNamee/pool/EPA. Guardian, Sunday 30 May 2010 12.06 BST
This picture tells the complete story of President Barack Obama, British Petroleum and the pollution of the ocean, the shore and inland ecosystems.
Jun 4
To lose a friend
Yesterday it was. Ad Ovaa suddenly died. On a very sunny day. The contrast could not be bigger.
Sitting ‘quietly sad and lost’ in my garden, the birds singing their summer songs and planes drawing lines high in the evening sky, I remembered the innumerable small moments of the last tenths of years, all full with good feelings, respect and friendship. ‘Ad and Nel’ were a fixed value in the life of my parents. Ad was one of the few people my father felt strongly linked with, a soul-mate. Ad was a value for life: true, honest, intelligent, involved, analytic, drive, focussed, loyal, reliable, modest, nice, never complaining, always there and a man of the world. And as son of my father I know that these are the values he tried to educate me on. Read more
