Writing a piece on the minor that my classmates and I have attended the past few months, proves more difficult than expected. Therefore I have decided to start with a brief outline of the minor itself. The minor European Union Policies is a program offered by the Avans School of International Studies (ASIS). For me, this is not the academy of Avans that I usually attend, since I usually study Management, Economics and Law at the Academy of General Financial Management. For me, choosing European Union Policies turned out to be a good decision.
The lectures turned out to be rather challenging, which is something that my own study lacks sometimes. Not only the fact that the entire minor was in English, but also the fact that we all have to deal with cultural differences between ourselves and our classmates, made the minor into something completely new for me, since I am used to studying in Dutch, with only Dutch students. However, it never felt a like a bad thing that we all come from different backgrounds (though the majority of the group exists of Dutch students, which probably makes it a lot harder for the foreign students than for me).
When I look at the contents of the minor, I think that there are many good things, and a couple of things that could do with a little adjustment here and there. For me, it would have been a good thing, if for instance debating had been in the first half of the minor instead of the second, since it is sometimes a struggle to get things done in time now. This not necessarily mean that debating costs the most time, but the division of the subjects throughout the period the minor takes place in, is in my point of view not ideal. However, I do realise that this might also have something to do with my planning and organisational skills. But let’s not look at the downsides alone. The tutor group sessions, in which learning goals were created and later discussed, proved for me to be a good way to get myself acquainted with the material. Especially since I had hardly any knowledge from European institutions or policies before attending this minor. Though for me it has been a little challenging not to get into an argument or a discussion with classmates and moreover, the teachers, all the time. At my own academy, I am used to rather informal manner of conversation with my teachers, and to the possibility of open discussion with the most of them. During this minor I have come across some teachers who do not appreciate my ways that much, so I have had to make myself ‘shut up and listen’ a little more frequent than I am used to.
Overall though, I can say that the minor European Union Policies has been a positive experience for me, which I have enjoyed, and where I met some great people!
Saturday 28 November 2009
Hands off government!
The title might not immediately tell you what the contents are, but what is meant is the ‘credit crunch’, and when that has been clarified, my point of view is immediately clear.
Due to investments that could not be accounted for, and due to governments which have shut their eyes for the risks taken by bankers and investors around the globe, the financial situation worldwide has gone down the drain. That in itself is rather upsetting, but what upsets me even more personally, is that the governments, who for many years allowed the missteps and risky investment and who have pretended not to notice what was going on, all of a sudden decided that they should do something, that they would act rather than ignore the situation.
Personally, I believe that they should have stayed away again, just like they did when the investments were made. You cannot play ostrich when you like and then start acting like Napoleon, telling others what to do when that suits you better. Either you are there when the missteps are taken, or you lie low all the time. It is bad enough that the civilians in society do as they please, but the government is supposed to set an example of good behaviour. Civil servants who act from their profession, are meant to look either one way, or the other. It is impossible to look both ways, and still achieve a proper result.
The governments try to solve problems by cutting working hours, by which they fictionally try to keep the market going. But that is exactly what happened in the USA in the thirties. The government also tried to keep the market going fictionally, and they tried doing that by working with money that wasn’t available. Which is exactly what is happening now. The Dutch government for example, has implemented a rule that when a company cuts working hours, the remaining hours will be paid with money which is generally used to support the unemployed. This is just a way of shifting the problem to a later time, since nothing is actually solved by these sorts of measures. The best thing for the governments to do, is to keep their hands off, and let the market sort the problem.
Due to investments that could not be accounted for, and due to governments which have shut their eyes for the risks taken by bankers and investors around the globe, the financial situation worldwide has gone down the drain. That in itself is rather upsetting, but what upsets me even more personally, is that the governments, who for many years allowed the missteps and risky investment and who have pretended not to notice what was going on, all of a sudden decided that they should do something, that they would act rather than ignore the situation.
Personally, I believe that they should have stayed away again, just like they did when the investments were made. You cannot play ostrich when you like and then start acting like Napoleon, telling others what to do when that suits you better. Either you are there when the missteps are taken, or you lie low all the time. It is bad enough that the civilians in society do as they please, but the government is supposed to set an example of good behaviour. Civil servants who act from their profession, are meant to look either one way, or the other. It is impossible to look both ways, and still achieve a proper result.
The governments try to solve problems by cutting working hours, by which they fictionally try to keep the market going. But that is exactly what happened in the USA in the thirties. The government also tried to keep the market going fictionally, and they tried doing that by working with money that wasn’t available. Which is exactly what is happening now. The Dutch government for example, has implemented a rule that when a company cuts working hours, the remaining hours will be paid with money which is generally used to support the unemployed. This is just a way of shifting the problem to a later time, since nothing is actually solved by these sorts of measures. The best thing for the governments to do, is to keep their hands off, and let the market sort the problem.
Friday 9 October 2009
Breda best city centre
The city centre of Breda will be ‘the best of The Netherlands’ for the next two years. This article caught my eye immediately when I saw today’s newspaper. The article was even on the front page. Of course I always knew that Breda had a lovely city centre, and that the atmosphere was laid back and typically ‘Brabants’, but the fact that we actually left the cities of The Hague and Maastricht behind us makes me feel proud. Especially since Maastricht has for many and many years been seen as the city with the best town centre.
The article in the newspaper states that the fact that Breda won this election can give the city of Breda an enormous economical impulse. Of course that is a very good thing, and a very interesting thing to read, but I think that for most people from Breda and the surrounding villages it is mainly the acknowledgement of their city as being ‘the best’ that makes them smile. Of course we are all aware of the fact that our victory here will lead to more tourism, since people will want to see the ‘best city centre’ with their own two eyes. And we are also aware that Breda has a very good location between a couple of motorways and is therefore a very attractive city to start a business venture in.
For me personally the winning of Breda gives me an extra reason to promote Breda. I can now actually say that we have the best city of the country, without lying of being too subjective. Our city has been chosen out of three cities as the best. And what makes it even more fun for me, is that my mom is from Maastricht and we always have discussions about which of the two cities, Breda or Maastricht, is the better city. Well mom, there you go, Breda won the competition and will be the best city for the next two years.
The article in the newspaper states that the fact that Breda won this election can give the city of Breda an enormous economical impulse. Of course that is a very good thing, and a very interesting thing to read, but I think that for most people from Breda and the surrounding villages it is mainly the acknowledgement of their city as being ‘the best’ that makes them smile. Of course we are all aware of the fact that our victory here will lead to more tourism, since people will want to see the ‘best city centre’ with their own two eyes. And we are also aware that Breda has a very good location between a couple of motorways and is therefore a very attractive city to start a business venture in.
For me personally the winning of Breda gives me an extra reason to promote Breda. I can now actually say that we have the best city of the country, without lying of being too subjective. Our city has been chosen out of three cities as the best. And what makes it even more fun for me, is that my mom is from Maastricht and we always have discussions about which of the two cities, Breda or Maastricht, is the better city. Well mom, there you go, Breda won the competition and will be the best city for the next two years.
't Hart van Breda
I would like to tell you about the bar my best friend and I used to go to in order to have a drink before we would go dancing. Unfortunately I have to say ‘used to go’, since the pub burned down on 27 April 2009. When I first heard that ‘t Hart had burned down, I could hardly believe it. I was in Maastricht at the time, and there were more people from Breda present in the pub we were at. We actually gathered and started talking about ‘t Hart.
‘t Hart van Breda is a place where many of my free hours were spent. The pub wasn’t even a very special place at first glance. It had couches, tables, chairs and a bar, like the average pub on the corner. But that was exactly the strength of the place. Everyone, both the elderly and the youth, felt at home there. People came there to have a lunch break from their shopping spree, to get a cup of coffee after work or to have a drink and a talk in the evening. They had a small menu and you could have both simple meals and finger food. There were cocktails, all sorts of coffee and the staff was always friendly.
Luckily, immediately after the fire it was decided that ‘t Hart would be rebuild, so that the people of Breda could have their coffee, their lunch of their cocktails at the same place where they used to. I am personally very glad that they are rebuilding the place, since even now, months after the fire, my best friend and I talk about wanting a cappuccino or a cocktail from ‘t Hart van Breda. A place which is literally in our hearts.
‘t Hart van Breda is a place where many of my free hours were spent. The pub wasn’t even a very special place at first glance. It had couches, tables, chairs and a bar, like the average pub on the corner. But that was exactly the strength of the place. Everyone, both the elderly and the youth, felt at home there. People came there to have a lunch break from their shopping spree, to get a cup of coffee after work or to have a drink and a talk in the evening. They had a small menu and you could have both simple meals and finger food. There were cocktails, all sorts of coffee and the staff was always friendly.
Luckily, immediately after the fire it was decided that ‘t Hart would be rebuild, so that the people of Breda could have their coffee, their lunch of their cocktails at the same place where they used to. I am personally very glad that they are rebuilding the place, since even now, months after the fire, my best friend and I talk about wanting a cappuccino or a cocktail from ‘t Hart van Breda. A place which is literally in our hearts.
Monday 14 September 2009
God's middle finger: into the lawless heart of the Sierra Madre
I would like to share my perception of a book I recently read, which on occasion made me blink my eyes about thirty times in absolute disbelief. The book I am talking about is called God's middle finger, and that is precisely the name the area the book reports about deserves, especially considering the fact that the book is a factual travelling story by the British author Richard Grant, who currently lives in Arizona, USA.
Mister Grant at one point in his life decided he wanted to visit the Sierra Madre in Mexico, an area filled with drugs, and where murder is as he states 'the national sport'. He wrote a book on it, in which he tries to explain in detail what he saw there. He did a terribly good job describing the tension that constantly defines the atmosphere in the remote Sierra Madre desert.
What struck me was how incredibly tough the drug dealers in the area are. They actually kill purely because they can and rape girls because they know the girls will never report to the police, since the police are mainly corrupt and bribed by the drug mafia. Moreover, the girl will probably be raped by the police too because they get aroused by the dreadful stories she tells. Trespassers in the area are likely to be raped in the most gruesome manner and afterwards will probably be killed and left to be eaten by the wild animals that inhabit the area.
All this seemed to me to be the perfect scenery for a horror movie, but the facts are there: these weird and terrible things actually do happen in the Sierra Madre, and the government will not address the problem because the drugs in the area provide for more than fifty percent of the national income of Mexico. Thank God that he has pointed his middle finger in the direction of the Sierra Madre and not ours, is all I can say.
Mister Grant at one point in his life decided he wanted to visit the Sierra Madre in Mexico, an area filled with drugs, and where murder is as he states 'the national sport'. He wrote a book on it, in which he tries to explain in detail what he saw there. He did a terribly good job describing the tension that constantly defines the atmosphere in the remote Sierra Madre desert.
What struck me was how incredibly tough the drug dealers in the area are. They actually kill purely because they can and rape girls because they know the girls will never report to the police, since the police are mainly corrupt and bribed by the drug mafia. Moreover, the girl will probably be raped by the police too because they get aroused by the dreadful stories she tells. Trespassers in the area are likely to be raped in the most gruesome manner and afterwards will probably be killed and left to be eaten by the wild animals that inhabit the area.
All this seemed to me to be the perfect scenery for a horror movie, but the facts are there: these weird and terrible things actually do happen in the Sierra Madre, and the government will not address the problem because the drugs in the area provide for more than fifty percent of the national income of Mexico. Thank God that he has pointed his middle finger in the direction of the Sierra Madre and not ours, is all I can say.
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