In September I in rolled in the minor European Union Policy (EUP) I thought that it would be a great experience. In retrospect in turned out to be alright. It started with an easy schedule with just a couple of hours each week, I really thought it would be a walk in the park. But like most things in life it turned out to be harder than it looked.
The curriculum that was offered to us was just not that hard, but how it was rapped up made it for me very tricky to follow. Let me explain this. Every Monday we would have a tutor group session with half a class. In that session we would read a newspaper article and try to understand it. After understanding it we would formulate learning goals for ourselves. Now the fact that we have 2 half classes the learning goals are thus different. How can there be coordination between 2 classes? Very simple, because the teacher would structure the meeting. Also we would have a rotating chairperson who was in charge. But in reality he or she would just ask us if we understand the text not more not less. In my opinion the chairperson is just a puppet, the real decisions were made by the teacher and also we would look at the teacher for guidance. I’m more in favour of the teacher heading the class en the students flow. Maybe my lack of experience with this type of schooling makes me more negative about but I do know.
The learning goals where in my eyes not very helpful because why buy books if you only formulate learning goals. Ok I have to admit that the law textbook was used during class but the economix textbook was just referred too during sessions to look things up in. I’ m more the classical way kinda guy. Buy a book, sit down read it, have discussions with the teacher about it, ask for clarification when need it, do assignments based on that book, make a test. Thats my viewpoint and it a pretty good one I might add.
What I liked was negotiation, that was nice because the subject it self made you active in wanting to participate. In my case anyway. Also lessons like debating where helpful. English however was low done my to do list because we would have a project almost every 2 weeks. English it self as a subject I could understand why we would have it, but I had rather grammar lessons then writing blogs and proving that you have learned 5 words a week.
My conclusion is that EUP is a very good minor but the tutor group session would be better if structured differently. I think the teacher should be in command of the whole lesson and he can point a different assistant each week. Also the exams need to be more focused on textbooks and lectures should be more about the textbook.
donderdag 3 december 2009
woensdag 2 december 2009
Crisis in Dubai
There is no place in the world, when it comes to investment, like Dubai. Its 7th heaven for architects, investors, and the oil sheiks themselves. But now during this period of financial crisis it seems that the heavens have finally cracked open.
Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971. In the beginning Dubai acquired its fortune by trading oil, but during mid 90’s it started profiling it self as a more tourist place with a lots of investment opportunists.
But when the credit crunch hit the world it particularly hit hard in Dubai. Dubai hasn’t the massive oil reserves that Abu Dhabi has, so it is more dependent on foreign investments. During the crisis the money seemed to stop coming. That was particularly bad for the city of Dubai because with ongoing projects and a 1.2 million construction peope that need to get paid it seemed that Dubai’s party was coming to an end. Lucky for the Dubai big brother Abu Dhabi invested billions of dollars and leaned it even more. So for it looked like Dubai was saved. Think again.
This week a story broke in the media that Dubai World (one of the biggest national companies) is in financial trouble. Its on top off the already existing problems that Dubai has. (Expats who are feeling the country and leaving there expensive cars at the airport with an I’m sorry note. Small firms who go bankrupt, scandals with false investment opportunities.)
I hope for Dubai’s sake that the government is coming with a good plan because so far they haven’t done anything expect panicking. I think the best thing to do is not stop construction but to complete buildings that are already underway. They can ask Abu Dhabi to help finance because economic activity creates revenue, that revenue can be split big Abu Dhabi. Lucky for Dubai the end is near. I only hope they have learned some lessons for the future, like maybe its not a good idea to build a mile high tower.
Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. 1971 Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi and five other emirates, formed the United Arab Emirates after former protector Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971. In the beginning Dubai acquired its fortune by trading oil, but during mid 90’s it started profiling it self as a more tourist place with a lots of investment opportunists.
But when the credit crunch hit the world it particularly hit hard in Dubai. Dubai hasn’t the massive oil reserves that Abu Dhabi has, so it is more dependent on foreign investments. During the crisis the money seemed to stop coming. That was particularly bad for the city of Dubai because with ongoing projects and a 1.2 million construction peope that need to get paid it seemed that Dubai’s party was coming to an end. Lucky for the Dubai big brother Abu Dhabi invested billions of dollars and leaned it even more. So for it looked like Dubai was saved. Think again.
This week a story broke in the media that Dubai World (one of the biggest national companies) is in financial trouble. Its on top off the already existing problems that Dubai has. (Expats who are feeling the country and leaving there expensive cars at the airport with an I’m sorry note. Small firms who go bankrupt, scandals with false investment opportunities.)
I hope for Dubai’s sake that the government is coming with a good plan because so far they haven’t done anything expect panicking. I think the best thing to do is not stop construction but to complete buildings that are already underway. They can ask Abu Dhabi to help finance because economic activity creates revenue, that revenue can be split big Abu Dhabi. Lucky for Dubai the end is near. I only hope they have learned some lessons for the future, like maybe its not a good idea to build a mile high tower.
British Climatic Research Unit's emails hacked
Awhile back there was a story in The Guardian about a hacker who has gotten access to some confidential emails of a renowned scientist. Not this on itself wouldn’t have been a major issue if the emails were about regular stuff, but the emails where not. In the emails the scientist discussed some pretty shady stuff with fellow scientists. Stuff that you only read about in Tom Clancy novels.
In the content of the stolen emails were some remarks made about how to “hide” data that isn’t consistent with global warming. Also remarks about getting an “editor fired” and some other remarks that could be fuel for sceptics and conspiracy theorists.
But what I had the most problems with was not the fact that the emails where stolen or that climate change data is being falsified. No that I’m used to, politicians lie and always have evidence to back up there lies so some scientists surly must also be liars. My main concern is why the mainstream media is ignoring this issue? Is it ludicrous for me to think that journalist must cover all the news items that are of importance? Really non of the big media agencies did cover this. Not Reuters, not Associated Press even CNMBC was quite. I find it strange not to read about it. In Holland the PVV has asked for a debate and successfully gotten it, but in the media nothing is reported about the date of the debate nor about the outcome of that debate. Even Google is involved with this. There was an article about it on Fok.nl about how Google doesn’t give you suggestions when you type in “Climate-gate”. In the first week when the story broke out it was possible to find it in the suggestions that are automatically give to you by Google. Now there is nothing of the sort, no really go find out for your self. Just type in Climate-gate. Nothing!
An article in the Telegraph (30-11-2009) spoke about whistleblowers not hackers surly this would have been breaking news all over the world? But no mainstream media kept on covering the car crash of Tiger Woods and Michael Jackson’s movie revenues.
Maybe the “powers that be” don’t want you to know that global warming is a big scam. Maybe they want you to fear the end of the world and pay more ridiculous taxes to avert it. Whatever the reasons is it should be covered by my local newspaper! I’m sick and tired of clicking on page 50 of my Google search results to find something about it.
In the content of the stolen emails were some remarks made about how to “hide” data that isn’t consistent with global warming. Also remarks about getting an “editor fired” and some other remarks that could be fuel for sceptics and conspiracy theorists.
But what I had the most problems with was not the fact that the emails where stolen or that climate change data is being falsified. No that I’m used to, politicians lie and always have evidence to back up there lies so some scientists surly must also be liars. My main concern is why the mainstream media is ignoring this issue? Is it ludicrous for me to think that journalist must cover all the news items that are of importance? Really non of the big media agencies did cover this. Not Reuters, not Associated Press even CNMBC was quite. I find it strange not to read about it. In Holland the PVV has asked for a debate and successfully gotten it, but in the media nothing is reported about the date of the debate nor about the outcome of that debate. Even Google is involved with this. There was an article about it on Fok.nl about how Google doesn’t give you suggestions when you type in “Climate-gate”. In the first week when the story broke out it was possible to find it in the suggestions that are automatically give to you by Google. Now there is nothing of the sort, no really go find out for your self. Just type in Climate-gate. Nothing!
An article in the Telegraph (30-11-2009) spoke about whistleblowers not hackers surly this would have been breaking news all over the world? But no mainstream media kept on covering the car crash of Tiger Woods and Michael Jackson’s movie revenues.
Maybe the “powers that be” don’t want you to know that global warming is a big scam. Maybe they want you to fear the end of the world and pay more ridiculous taxes to avert it. Whatever the reasons is it should be covered by my local newspaper! I’m sick and tired of clicking on page 50 of my Google search results to find something about it.
zondag 4 oktober 2009
Stratumseind
There is a magical place in Eindhoven where people meet, have a drink and have fun. No not the parking lots or the woods. This place is called Stratumseind and is located near city hall and at the end of the shopping district, you can’t miss it!
Stratumseind is nationally known as the party centre of Eindhoven and for all it’s pubs, cafes and discos packed up in one place. There are a verity of places where you can go to, you can even go club hopping without getting tired because all of the clubs are at a stone throw distance from each other. There are not only small places in Stratumseind but there are also the bigger clubs like Danssalon and Effenaar. But to be frank there are not located at the center of Stratumseind but more a 5 minute walk( sober) from it. Time will not be your main issue of concern I should be more worried about walking in a straight line to that place. Also near Stratumseind there is an Irish pub for those who want to taste(= Stout beer) that culture while visiting Eindhoven’s Stratumseind .
If this isn’t convincing enough for you to drop by Eindhoven to have some fun, this will surely make you swing by. On Thursday there is something called Studentenavond (= Studentnight) this is the place to be if you want cheap beer, easy sex and lots of drugs. Really I’m not making this up there was an article about it the local newspaper. Because this is an essay and not a scientific piece you go look it up.
By the way I’m not telling you nice folk to go out there and be the best drug addict you can be. I’m just pointing out the things that happen in the real world. So don’t get mad at me get mad at politicians or Canada.
So where you going to be this Thursday?
Stratumseind is nationally known as the party centre of Eindhoven and for all it’s pubs, cafes and discos packed up in one place. There are a verity of places where you can go to, you can even go club hopping without getting tired because all of the clubs are at a stone throw distance from each other. There are not only small places in Stratumseind but there are also the bigger clubs like Danssalon and Effenaar. But to be frank there are not located at the center of Stratumseind but more a 5 minute walk( sober) from it. Time will not be your main issue of concern I should be more worried about walking in a straight line to that place. Also near Stratumseind there is an Irish pub for those who want to taste(= Stout beer) that culture while visiting Eindhoven’s Stratumseind .
If this isn’t convincing enough for you to drop by Eindhoven to have some fun, this will surely make you swing by. On Thursday there is something called Studentenavond (= Studentnight) this is the place to be if you want cheap beer, easy sex and lots of drugs. Really I’m not making this up there was an article about it the local newspaper. Because this is an essay and not a scientific piece you go look it up.
By the way I’m not telling you nice folk to go out there and be the best drug addict you can be. I’m just pointing out the things that happen in the real world. So don’t get mad at me get mad at politicians or Canada.
So where you going to be this Thursday?
zaterdag 3 oktober 2009
G.I. Who?!
A wile back I went with a couple of friends to the movies. One of my friends took his kid brother with him, so we choose to visit GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra. When we were in line we were all exicted because this movie would be a trip down memorielane. Moste of us (if you 20+) still remember GI Joe as a cartoon and as a action figures. The hours have spend watching it on TV and enacting it far exceeds the time I spend on my…uhh homework. So after getting our tickets checked we all walked to our seats.
The movie is about two US soldiers who are ready to transport some weapons for NATO, while doing so they get hijacked by a group of weird looking supersoldiers and one of the soldiers ex-girlfriends. While this plays out on the screen I start laughing with my friends, because its clear to us that this is going to be an idiotic movie. The only one of us who was still seriously watching this movie was my friends kid brother. Anyway back to the movie. So wile the US troops get a ass whooping another secret faction swoops in to save the day. Its clear to us that these people are the good guys and amidst all the chaos its also clear to US troops that they are here to help, no blue on blue casualties in this movie. For those who don’t know the term blue on blue it a military term used for getting fired upon by your allies. So after the secret faction introduces her self as being GI Joe, weird actually because when I was a kid I specifically remember GI Joe being and individual with some friends and not an organization called GI Joe.
After introduction the soldiers are taken so there super secret hide with all kinds of exotic technology and if not exposing your hid out to a bunch of strangers isn’t worse enough they ask them to join . At this point I had a hard time focusing on what’s going in the realm of GI Joe. If this wasn’t punishment enough the director thought I would be cute if he would add couple of twists in the plot. And really why is it so that in almost every American action movie of this past 5 years the French always get screwed? It happened in this movie several times. The Eiffel Tower got bombed, the French streets got demolished and even a couple of bad jokes about the frogs, uhh I mean the French.
To make a story short this movie is by far the worst movie I saw in this decade. The acting is bad, some of the actors are not convincing and the story is flawed. Some mysteries in the movie just get solved in few seconds and a stolen plane if flown by using old Celtic words, thank god there is a GI Joe who speaks old Celtic. Really this movie is that bad. But the good side of this movie is well.... uhhh...uhmm... No sorry can’t think of any, this movie just isn’t for me.
Now after reading this movie review and you still think; what is this guy talking about? Then you would have the same feeling as I had during the whole movie.
The movie is about two US soldiers who are ready to transport some weapons for NATO, while doing so they get hijacked by a group of weird looking supersoldiers and one of the soldiers ex-girlfriends. While this plays out on the screen I start laughing with my friends, because its clear to us that this is going to be an idiotic movie. The only one of us who was still seriously watching this movie was my friends kid brother. Anyway back to the movie. So wile the US troops get a ass whooping another secret faction swoops in to save the day. Its clear to us that these people are the good guys and amidst all the chaos its also clear to US troops that they are here to help, no blue on blue casualties in this movie. For those who don’t know the term blue on blue it a military term used for getting fired upon by your allies. So after the secret faction introduces her self as being GI Joe, weird actually because when I was a kid I specifically remember GI Joe being and individual with some friends and not an organization called GI Joe.
After introduction the soldiers are taken so there super secret hide with all kinds of exotic technology and if not exposing your hid out to a bunch of strangers isn’t worse enough they ask them to join . At this point I had a hard time focusing on what’s going in the realm of GI Joe. If this wasn’t punishment enough the director thought I would be cute if he would add couple of twists in the plot. And really why is it so that in almost every American action movie of this past 5 years the French always get screwed? It happened in this movie several times. The Eiffel Tower got bombed, the French streets got demolished and even a couple of bad jokes about the frogs, uhh I mean the French.
To make a story short this movie is by far the worst movie I saw in this decade. The acting is bad, some of the actors are not convincing and the story is flawed. Some mysteries in the movie just get solved in few seconds and a stolen plane if flown by using old Celtic words, thank god there is a GI Joe who speaks old Celtic. Really this movie is that bad. But the good side of this movie is well.... uhhh...uhmm... No sorry can’t think of any, this movie just isn’t for me.
Now after reading this movie review and you still think; what is this guy talking about? Then you would have the same feeling as I had during the whole movie.
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