No, he can't.

At least you expect this kind of stuff from a Republican, but when it's a Democrat hailed as "the bringer of change" and god knows what else...well, it makes it all the more infuriating.

So with the European parliament trickling full of nationalistic Europhobes (I'm linking to the UK but I might as well link to any other European country), the Flemish one filling with Flemish Belgophobes and the Walloon one filling with a corrupt party..... how will things fare the coming years.

Hmz.
Allow me to be slightly sceptical.

And Belgium is EU President in July 2010? Let's hope we still have a federal government by then!

And another thing (because I'm on a roll): the pope is a dick.
I'm allowed to say this, I'm Catholic -in name anyway-.

So "saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction.

He explained that defending God's creation was not limited to saving the environment, but also protecting man from self-destruction.

Is it now? Really? Yes, I can see how it's virtually the same thing.

And meanwhile you refuse to compensate victims of sexual abuse, people abused by *your* God-given staff, do you? You bastard.

At least I'll know what to say when we ever have a child, and a priest tries to earn his money by trying to pressure me into having it baptised. He'd better be prepared for a rant.


Told you, Christmas brings out the misanthropist in me.

Prominent liberal groups and gay rights proponents criticized President-elect Barack Obama Wednesday for choosing evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the presidential inauguration next month.


A quote?

Rick Warren: I’m opposed to the redefinition of a 5,000-year definition of marriage. I’m opposed to having a brother and sister be together and call that marriage. I’m opposed to an older guy marrying a child and calling that a marriage. I’m opposed to one guy having multiple wives and calling that marriage.

Steven Waldman: Do you think, though, that they are equivalent to having gays getting married?

Rick Warren: Oh I do. …

… Most people, you know… I have many gay friends, I’ve eaten dinner in gay homes, no church has probably done more for people with AIDS than Saddleback Church. Kay and I have given millions of dollars out of “A Purpose-Driven Life” helping people who got AIDS through gay relationships. So they can’t accuse me of homophobia. I just don’t beleive in the re-definition of marriage.


Yes. But at least he has many gay friends who don't mind the fact that he equates their relationships to that of a man marrying a child.

through slog

Obama's speech writers are geniuses, I hope they get paid well.
And while I'm thrilled he's won (last night it suddenly dawned on me... what if the world ends up with US Vice President Palin?? Good god!), now let's see what he's made of. He's only human, and his politics don't agree all that much with mine (though it's better than what the alternative would have been), so let's see.

I heard Barack Obama say that there was no Black America and no White America. No Latino America or Chinese America. Just a united America.
Beautifully put.
But as I hear about the fate of Proposition 8 and other amendments, it turns out there's still very much a gay America and a straight America. In Arkansas gay couples are now banned from fostering or adopting children. Children, and here's the ironic part, that have generally been abused or neglected by their very straight -probably married- parents. I work in foster care. Measures like these, knowing how great the need for foster parents is in little old Belgium -let alone the United States- are criminal.
It makes me so angry. So very very angry. That a county which calls itself the most evolved in the world, the greatest in the world, would seek to actively discriminate against people just for who they live with, for who they fall in love with. And that no high ranking politician has the balls to say to people that marriage is not a relgious thing, and that -since all men are created equal- it should be open to everyone. Seems only logical, no? But apparently it's not. And that makes me furious.

The most important input on the American election, must be that of Tim Gunn. I love the comments on Joe the Plumber ("it's ok, he's a plumber").

Also through Alsion:
US Department of health proposes to define contraception as abortion.

Er... Well, I guess it's good news for Durex. Unless that won't be allowed anymore either. Because, you know, you're preventing possible life!

Quote from Bush on the G8 summit

The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.


Come on, this has to be hoax, right?
(through theStranger)

Oh please.

In short? Campaigners on the Greek island of Lesbos are to go to court in an attempt to stop a gay rights organisation from using the term "lesbian".
(...) The man spearheading the case, publisher Dimitris Lambrou, claims that international dominance of the word in its sexual context violates the human rights of the islanders, and disgraces them around the world.

It disgraces them?
Woe is them.
Well, thank god minister Van Brempt has started her "tolero"-campaign eh. "We're not lesbians, we're tolero", that'll teach em.

When I heard Ian Paisley on the radio news this morning, I was in absolute shock. He'd said something like "There's no denying that the Northern Ireland of today is a much better Northern Ireland than it was in the past" and I thought he actually sounded *sensible*.
"Ian Paisley" and "sensible" in the same sentence, it's enough to shock anyone awake on a Wednesday morning.
But then of course I read this article in which he says "Unionists are no longer protesting against a London/Dublin deal with which we have no truck, We are inside the building administering British rule over Northern Ireland."
Yes... that sounds much more like him.

What do we read on deredactie.be? "During riots in Serbia, protesters threw stones at several embassies including the Belgian embassy (because it was en route to the American one).
Yes, our very own embassy under attack by hooligans, because our government recognised the indepence of Kosovo.

What does the BBC say? "(..apart from the American embassy...) The embassies of the UK, Germany and Turkey and businesses with Western links were also targeted by protesters."
So...where is Belgium?? Eh? Eh?!
Do we not count? Are we invisible? Did they only throw tiny stones at our embassy? Perhaps they did, maybe the protesters were charging past and in their haste some little pebbles were kicked up.
Still, I'm dismayed and angry at the BBC's refusal to include us in the list of victims. I propose we all stage a protest at the British embassy in Brussels. "We demand recognition! We want to be mentioned!" And if they don't apologise we start with economical sanctions. No more mushy peas, no more support for British artists and null points for Eurovision!

Speaking of Eurovision (because yes of course, that should be the main focus of Serbia's political crisis!)... couldn't Kosovo have waited until June to declare independence? The Serbs have three months to calm down... seriously, they do not want to mess with me if they endanger the Contest. Thankfully the EBU is already looking at other locations for the contest... I can sleep peacefully, another potential crisis averted.

Yesterday, the tragic news reached me that "The wiggle wiggle song" is no longer in the running to become Iceland's Eurovision entry. This is a grave travesty of justice and in a perfect world we would not stand for this. There'd be a riot.
Unfortunately this world is flawed, a point further proven by the increasing likelihood of a "McCain/Huckabee" (Huckabee for crying out loud! He who compared queers to animals!)-ticket for the Republican presidential nomination.

Tonight I shall attempt to make the world a brighter place by accompanying Warskinny and Fenriz to the recording of Eurosong. Granted, no-one will pay attention to the people on stage once they notice my radiant personality in the crowd (I'm hoping Katrina will flirt with me -I didn't know she was a lesbian btw-), but that can't be helped.
I'll try not to jump up and down in front of the cameras like the muppet I am (though to be honest I'll probably hide at the first notion of one pointed towards me), but if you were to see me on telly, I'm giving everyone a little wave in my fantasy.

I'd tell you how to recognise me, but I fear that won't be necessary. Have I posted that many photos of myself online in these past years? I can hardly remember any, but I must have done. Yesterday this cute guy came up to me at the WJNH-party (why always a guy) and introduced himself as Vlied. Vlied! Fabulous. Sorry I was so quiet, Vlied, but that's my away-from-the-computer personality. As you were able to tell I'm just one big shy softie.

I'm sure this test is far from representative (minimum amount of questions, no shades of grey), but apparently I should be rooting for Hillary.
Even though 60% is hardly stellar is it, but then I presume I'm a tiny bit more left of center than she is.

For the second time in six months Yves Leterme fails to form a new Federal Government.

( my probably coloured explanation of the impasse )

(yeah, we make excellent window decorations)

Looks like Rufus (who was fantastic yesterday) would better not go to Iran. Well, it's not like we didn't know this already, but it's the first time I believe someone has officially said "yeah, we kill you perverts" instead of "you don't exist in Iran".

Lovely. Apart from that I believe all is well in the world.
Oh it's not. Famine, death, destruction, Paris Hilton. It's a pretty shitty place.

Forgive me, I'm in a hell of a bad mood.
Ever feel like everyone's moving forward (buying a house etc) and you're stuck (no money for a house, sick of this place)? Yep. That's me.

Still no new government? (For the record, we had elections on June 10th. That's... oh 152 days ago (or 151?))

Well, don't blame me! I didn't vote for them.

Ah yes, this is how we recognise our Tories.

Oh no, you have got to be kidding me.

It's so comforting and good to know President Bush is taking out money to protect kids against the dangers of AIDS and other STDs.
And I'm sure this will be a right hit with the kids. I know I'd have *loved* it.
Way to go, president Bush!



An example to live by!
But hang on... I'm not married... oh dear.

through The Stranger