> Don’t remember if this was very early on New Years Day.Yes, I do remember, it was.At 12, Midnight, Rati and me drank from our water andcongratulated each other on 2008.It is going to be great.This is my table.And I really like this shot. Best wishes for 2008.

>Oliebollen & Appelflappen In the Netherlands we eat Oliebollen & Appelflappen at New Years Eve. (we call it old years evening) Oliebollen became donuts in the States, you put a hole in them but here it is batter with raisins deepfried. Appelflappen is dough with apple and sugar. I love appelflappen.In Amsterdam there are many…

> In 2007 my favorite cup broke. Xaviera bought it back from Scotland where she visited the fringe festival some seven years ago. Daily I drank my coffee from it, till Britta hit the table it was on and it broke in many pieces. Xaviera says Philip will fix it. And that she now knows…

> Last week Rati & me were at the Pink Filmdays and saw some great films. We were both impressed by the film Stretch, risk or die French Drag King Océan LeRoy has been a celebrity in Berlin’s transgender scene for years. Famous for his performances of quick transition from woman to man, Océan also…

> I am sad and shocked that this woman got killed. Why? Why have no respect for life?

> Tyrrhenian Sea and Solstice Sky Credit & Copyright: Danilo Pivato Explanation: Today the Solstice occurs at 0608 Universal Time, the Sun reaching its southernmost declination in planet Earth’s sky. Of course, the December Solstice marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the south. When viewed from northern latitudes, the…

> This flat will be demolished soon and is now used as an art project. I like it a lot. clipped from www.volkskrant.nl  

> The left woman smoked. The right woman never touched a cigarette

>It is a grey and cold day here in Amsterdam this December 14th of the year 2007. The dark days before Christmas, de donkere dagen voor Kerst as we say here. But when I stumbled upon this beautiful video my day was light and my smile big. Enjoy with me these musicians who seem to…

>Chanting With Our Entire BeingBy TED MORINOEditor in Chief, World Tribune, SGI-USA’s Organ Weekly Newspaper What is the correct approach to chanting? Fundamentally, I think it can be said that if after chanting daimoku you feel refreshed and revitalized, then you chanted great daimoku. In many of his writings, Nichiren Daishonin states that chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo…