Saturday, October 10, 2015

The TTIP protest

Today I joined in a protest against TTIP together with my friends Gerrit, Danny and Jos. I don't normally do this but the way that TTIP is pushed through makes my blood boil. Let me explain a little...

TTIP is a trade deal between the US and the EU. It's signed on a government level and should make trading easier, mostly for big companies. To make trading easier, the deal makes sure that regulations are made the same in the US and the EU. That's bad for Europeans because we have way stricter regulations to protect our health for example (chemicals in food, work conditions etc.).

An even worse thing is the ISDS chapter in this deal. It describes how disputes between a company and a country (yes, a COUNTRY) get settled. Basically this happens in private courts and behind closed doors, outside our regular, public justice system.

The worst thing is that this deal is being negotiated in insane secrecy. The ONLY people with easy access to the deal's documents are a key group of politicians and... plenty of lobbyist from big corporations! WHY?

After this deal gets signed, the people living in a country are completely owned by big corporations and there is nothing we can do about it. When for example a country restricts smoking, big tobacco companies can sue that country for lost income. Billions of euros can be up for grabs this way. Euros that could be spent on healthcare, schools, the needy etc. etc.

Resistance to this TTP deal is growing and right now, more than 60% of the people that read up on it, is against it.

TTIP must be stopped! It is NOT GOOD FOR US.

So after talking the talk for a year, today I had a chance to also walk the walk. This will not change things immediately but it generates talk and it shows that people are waking up. It also shows support to those actively fighting this deal in politics.

I sincerely hope that I am able to also wake up a few people.

All together there were about 7000 people. We gathered on a square and then marched through town to Museum square.











At Museum square they handed out free food after this walk. Lovely!




After that long walk Gerrit and I figured we deserved a few pints.

Later we were joined by Danny and Jos and we went out for some Indian food. Yummmm :-)

Friday, October 9, 2015

Crispy

Crispy morning today.

The other day I also bought a jack for my car. Just incase you know.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

The extra sun

On my way home I spotted an extra sun. It was actually reflection in the sky. And it was also making a rainbow inside the cloud. It looked cool but my little phone was unable to really photograph it.

This morning I bought myself a torque wrench. It's a cheap one but better with than without so to say. It's looking good though.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The bank visit

I went to the bank this morning to see if I can get work on my house financed. Yes I can. So that was good. Moving on to next week's meeting wih the other people in my building... Pffff.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Car searching

The car search continues... But first I have some other financial matters to look into with someone from my bank tomorrow (not car-related).

On the ferry home.

Before I went to sleep I read in KR8 cruise magazine a little bit and there was a 6 pages article about the BIG MEET in Sweden. I have to go there sometime as well. Maybe next year. Anyway, there was a page about Dutchies they met while there. And...

It's my garage-lord (where I park my car) and his wife! It was funny to see them in the magazine.

Monday, October 5, 2015

The Ka

I'm thinking of buying myself a very little, cheap car and I came across this one. I never really liked them but I'm warming up to them as we speak ;-)

Sunday, October 4, 2015

The Raider

I got Raiders! I got Raiders! They're selling Twix in a retro-wrapping for a limited time only. Very groovy :-)

This is somebody else's engine but it's the same type as mine, a Ford 351 Cleveland. I have bought a replacement for my own fuel pump (in circle).