kubok

One reason I have not read yet: scapegoating. In my country, back in the early 2000s it was the “terrorists” who made it possible to enforce a few unpopular and unconstitutional policies. Nowadays, it is the “immigrants” who take our jobs (we have a job shortage), housing (which was sold off to investors) and health care (which was sold off to investors). Point to a group that cannot defend itself and people will vote in your favor.

Yes! I totally forgot about Imajica. I need to re-read it.

Spoken from a European perspective: within a few decades, the US will lose its status as a superpower as it slides into isolationism. You simply cannot be both isolationist and a military and economic superpower. Add to it that much tech is still in the US, but people are waking up to the inherent vulnerability in that. Think government data being on US servers.

These developments will hurt the entire world in the short term and new superpowers will rise. Russia has had its day, but China and India will be the top dogs. I am not discounting Brazil either as a local superpower is South-America. We do probably not want it, but they have the people and the production capacity.

The next four years will accelerate all that. I have already read the first questions about F-35 warplanes being a wise choice as the US could potentially disable them remotely. That would turn them into expensive paperweights at the whim of the US. If the US themselves are less than stable, that would be a very precarious situation.

One joke that both my kids loved at that age goes as follows:

There’s this farmer who sits with his dog on a horse-drawn cart. Suddenly, the horse turns its head and says “Beautiful weather, boss!”. Obviously, the farmer is stunned. Then the dog nudges him and says: “Huh that’s funny. That horse just talked.”.

Maybe ‘Wies’ was short for ‘Louise’?

A very old-fashioned Flemish name: Veerle. One of the few bad-ass girl names in the Dutch language. It is derived from medieval times, when ‘Veerlen’ were travelling warrior women. I do happen to know several men named Fons, some even younger than me. I even know a man named Wies (his full name is Aloysius).

I find it inconceivable that no one has mentioned ‘The Princess Bride’ yet.

If you cannot chew with your mouth closed and you are older than 6 years, you should not be allowed to vote, operate heavy machinery or have children.

No, you don’t have a “challenge” for me. You have a problem and are trying to make it mine.

Bring in the downvotes, but Spotify. I listen to music several hours a day, both old and new and it helps me discover lots of new music and even genres. For me personally, that’s worth the money.

Always English. I live in a country where developers are hard to find. Chances are that I will get colleagues who do not speak my native language (yet).

Amon Tobin - Easy Mufffin

I am not sure about ‘ever’ (I am old and have been reading for over 4 decades now), but a book I hate-read recently was Foucault’s pendulum by Umberto Eco. It is meant to be a satire on conspiracy theories and as such it is still a relevant book after 35 years or so. However, the point of satire is to get to the point eventually, preferably within 500 pages. It was pompously written and sometimes felt like a showcase of ‘look how much I know!’.

As much as I loved many of Stephensen’s books, I could not get into Anathem.

I recently hate-read Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco. I had started reading it twice and stopped after a few chapters. I am aware that the book is meant to be satire, but the point of satire is to be to the point instead of having to slog through 600+ pages of drivel.

Exactly. Fucking parasites!

I recently told a seven year old that I am a wizard. I already have the beard and being a programmer, that is exactly what my customers feel about my work.

I switcthed to barefoot shoes for hiking and everyday. They are the opposite of sturdy, but well worth the investment. As a guy in his late forties, I have fewer little nagging pains.

Running shoes because when you wear ill-fitting shoes, you will hurt yourself eventually.

Towel day!