One myth busted, one myth confirmed!

Last Monday I had this motoring experience that kinda startled me. For some reason I didn’t mention it to you guys. I don’t know why. Maybe I thought it wasn’t all that interesting, maybe I couldn’t find the words. But today I really want to get it all out.

So, when driving home from work, I decided to make a little visit to MediaMarkt, a local electronics department store. I wanted a memory card for my cell phone so I can use it to store music and photos. Anyway, at a certain point I changed lanes and started overtaking a truck and a Volvo stationcar. When I was half way passed the Volvo, the driver decided to take over the truck and came sideways in my direction. With a car behind me braking wasn’t an option, so the only thing I could do was honk and make an evasive maneuver. The Volvo kept coming and I kept hitting my horn. Eventually, he noticed me and went back to his own lane, behind the truck. I overtook the truck and changed lanes ones more. The car that had been behind me overtook me and speeded away. Then, all of a sudden, the Volvo appeared and cut me of, almost hitting the front of my car. He stayed in front of me, hitting the brakes without need to do so, trying to harass me. I in return gave him the thumbs up to show him I thought of him being a real man. What a hero. Eventually, he slowed down because of more trucks and I again overtook the Volvo.

While overtaking him I took a good look inside the Volvo. To my surprise the driver somewhat looked like an distinguished gentleman with a grayish mustache. Next to him in the passenger seat was a teenage girl. The backseat was down, as if they were on their way to pick up something large. I imagined they were on their way to Ikea, which would explain daddy’s driving; he wasn’t at all in the mood for some Swedish family shopping. But still, this guys driving was dangerous enough for him and other drivers, but he was risking his kids life as well. What a responsible dad. I wonder what his wife would say if she knew about all this. True, Volvo’s are strong and safe cars, but everything has its limits.

This time I stayed in the left lane, because of the series of trucks in the right lane. The Volvo came up behind me and started flashing his lights, tailgating me in an attempt to evoke a reaction. I couldn’t care less. As the exit to the A16 came in sight the Volvo suddenly changed lanes, filling a narrow spot in between two trucks. He really didn’t want to miss the exit, but seemed to be unaware that the exit is a two-lane exit. I changed lanes when the second lane of the exit came up and I drove of, leaving the Volvo far behind me.

Curious to see if I was right or not, I decided to drive down to Ikea and see if my Volvo friend actually would turn up. After a couple of minutes he did. He parked his car, got out and went inside. He wasn’t a big guy, surprisingly, and I took a good look so I could recognize him in case I ran into him. I parked my car across from his, took a photo of his license plate (may come in handy) and went in after him. At first, I thought of addressing him on his driving. But I was so pumped with adrenaline, I was afraid I would hit him. I realized it would cause more trouble than needed if anything physical would happen. A lawsuit, Police, or worst of all: getting banned from Ikea. I grabbed some drinking glasses (which we needed anyway) and stayed behind the guy. Eventually, he grabbed the stuff he needed and went to the register. I followed and got in line behind him. At a certain point he looked over his shoulder and recognized me. I noticed he froze up, so I smiled at him, making clear I had recognized him too. He turned away and avoided looking back. Take away a guys weapon (in this case his car) and look what he’s left with. Nothing. He paid, looked back once more and headed to the elevators. I smiled, nodded my head and paid too. While he was waiting for the elevator, I took the stairs down.

I just took place behind the wheel of my car when he showed up at his Volvo. He opened the trunk and a minute I thought about getting out of my car and offering him to help load the items he had bought. Naturally, I didn’t. I started my car, revved the engine and turned out of my parking spot. I drove passed him really slow to make sure he was aware of my presence. The little guy was probably crapping his pants. And so he should. I smiled and felt satisfied. I enjoyed scaring the guy. Hopefully he'll realize there are more ways then one how he can be held accountable for his actions. He can crash, someone else can crash, he can be pulled over by cops and loose his license or someone will stop him, get out and punch him in the face.

I left the Ikea parking area and drove off to MediaMarkt. I bought the memory card and now I’m able to listen to 300 songs on my cell phone! And Suzanne was very happy with the drinking glasses I bought. I haven’t seen the Volvo since. So, that's one myth busted: Volvo drivers aren't all behaving like gentlemen, and Volvo's are no longer the desired car for the desinguished; they're driven by sad people as well. Myth confirmed: small men drive big cars. Has to do with compensation..

Happy Birthday!

Last year I made a boo-boo by declaring the 31st of April was the actual birthday of her majesty the Queen Beatrix. Naturally, I fucked up.

But this year I’m right, spot-on on the date. She’s having her Birthday today! And hopefully she’s still a frequent visitor of Dailyyoghurt, so here we go: congratulations your majesty, on your 69th birthday. You don’t look a day over 68! ;p

The Flying Dutchman will fly!

I first posted on the newest theme ride in my favourite theme park ‘De Efteling’ over a year ago.

Back then, all I had to go on was this shady image. The months following I tried to keep you up to date. Including images of the build, news on problems concerning the technique and finally, sadly, the shocking news about the ride not opening in 2006.

It’s been quiet these last few months, but yesterday De Efteling finally announced the opening of The Flying Dutchman on the first of April this year. I take it all technical obstacles are taken and cleared. Hopefully, it’s not an Aprils Fools joke. Anyway, if our moving to the new house is around the same date and I have two weeks off from work, maybe I’ll pay the park a little visit..

Hasta la Vista, baby!

Today the new Windows platform Vista will be available from retail stores all over the Netherlands. The long expected and anticipated heir to the Windows XP-throne. Sadly though it’s hardly any better. That and the fact it needs ‘strong’ PC’s to operate on (so your current PC probably won’t suffice) will set back sales.

Only on buying a new Pc that has Vista already installed will Microsoft be able to distribute their latest brainchild. Even then success isn’t guaranteed. Ah well. For now XP is doing just fine. So, is there nothing good coming from the Microsoft developers? No, that’s not true: the real improvements can be found in Office 2007. Maybe that's worth checking out..

Japan's health minister: Women are "birth-giving machines"

Here's civilisation for you: Japan’s health minister called women of child-bearing age “birth-giving machines” on Saturday, saying each should do her best to help boost the nation’s rock-bottom birth rate, Kyodo news agency reported. Japan’s aging and shrinking population has raised concerns about the country’s economic growth potential and the government’s ability to finance ballooning pension requirements.

“The number of women aged between 15 and 50 is fixed. Because the number of birth-giving machines and devices is fixed, all we can ask for is for them to do their best per head, although it may not be so appropriate to call them machines,” Kyodo quoted Health Minister Hakuo Yanagisawa as telling local party members. Jeez, you think?

A Top Gear Sunday

I’m a car enthusiast. To say the least, I suppose. Next to that, I enjoy watching TV. Programs on cars and such. But there’s one program which makes me cancel all appointments and lock myself indoors: it’s Top Gear. The BBC version of a car-related TV show. With the brilliant and ever sarcastic but mainly honest-to-the-bone Jeremy Clarckson, the more distinguished James May and the indestructible and funny Richard ‘the Hamster’ Hammond.

Last September though, while recording the new 2007 season, Richard Hammond crashed a rocket powered car at approximately 430 kilometres an hour. In case you’re wondering how fast that is: it’s pants-crappingly scary fast. And Hammond crashed it, and survived. For some time the existence of Top Gear all together was in the balance. The other two presenters, and hurray for them, declared there would be no Top Gear without Hammond. Luckily, a few weeks ago in December, Hammond appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, looking happy and lively as always. There he stated Top Gear would start on Sunday January 28th. Ever since that statement I’ve been telling Suzanne I had to see that show. Nothing could come between. And when we were at my dads place tonight, after having a day of good company and good food, I was keeping eye on my watch the entire evening. My dad noticed and said we could watch the show there. And we did. I loved it!

The 2007 season of Top Gear. And though Jeremy Clarckson said they wouldn’t make a fuss about Hammond being there, he made the Hamster take the stage coming down from an enormous show-stairs, with bright lights and scarcely dressed women. It was awesome. And to my surprise they did show the footage of the actual crash, something which the BBC once declared never would happen. Anyway, it was a Top Gear show as we know it and I love it. But I came across this excellent story by Richard Hammond himself, telling about the crash. I just didn’t want you to miss out on this. All credits to the BBC. Oh, watch the images on the left: that’s the crash itself. In the bottom picture it’s Hammond – awake and laughing. Something he later on wouldn’t be able to recollect all together.. In case you missed out on last nights episode: there's a re-run on Wednesday night..

THIS MAY JUST BE THE BIGGEST ACCIDENT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN - WHAT TOP GEAR'S RICHARD SAID MOMENTS BEFORE 288MPH HORROR. EXCLUSIVE HAMSTER ON HIS TV CRASH
By Richard Hammond

WATCHING the moment that could have left my wife Mindy a widow, bringing up our kids alone, took my breath away. Knowing, as the tire explodes and then disintegrates, that this particular clip can only end in disaster. And knowing that it was me inside the car, that the white crash helmet just visible above the bodywork contained my head and that the accident about to unfold was going to turn into one of the biggest events in my life.

I'm used to seeing myself on TV. It's part of the job. You have to watch yourself to see what happens when you do it right - and when you do it wrong. When I sat down to watch this particular clip for the first time, I knew how it ended. What I didn't expect was to be watching a bloke who didn't seem like me talk about a jet car. But then the bloke I was watching hadn't yet crashed a jet car at 288mph and so wasn't really me at all.

What really will strike a chord or two when it is finally screened on Top Gear next week is the number of prophetic things I say immediately before driving it.

At one point, I remark that this might just end up in "the biggest accident you've ever seen". And then it does.

I felt oddly detached as I watched myself talking about the car at Elvington airfield, near York. Apart, that is, from the moment I confessed to feeling scared. Because that wasn't TV posturing - I WAS scared. You don't unleash the power of 10 F1 cars without a little trepidation. The brain doctors who did such a brilliant job of saving my life on September 21 last year - and keeping me sane afterwards - were a bit nervous about me watching the footage of the crash. They were worried about emotional responses to seeing the crash that so very nearly killed me. After all, it's not normally the case that people caught up in a car accident have the opportunity to watch it afterwards on TV. Perhaps understandably, I took the experts' advice and gave the film footage a wide berth for months. Even after I had started popping into the Top Gear office to re-acclimatise, I would stay away from the edit suite where I knew they held the tapes of the Vampire jet car crash. In the end, I saw it almost by accident.

I was at a meeting, chatting about the crash and the event surrounding it. They asked if I had seen the crash footage yet. I told them no. They told me that we could watch it then and there if I liked and I responded that, if I did have a horrible reaction, scream like a banshee and leap out of the window, it would be pretty ironic, given the office I would be leaving in such a manner. They put a DVD into the laptop and there it was - the very crash that had, just a few months earlier, come close to leaving my wife Mindy to raise the kids. There has been much speculation about what caused it in the first place.

Did something drop off? Did something essential break on the car? Jeremy Clarkson put it down to me being a crap driver. Well, at least we can put that one to rest now, if you don't mind. Because we know what happened. On the final run of the day, just as I was approaching the point at which I was due to pull the parachute and stop, a tire blew up. It disintegrated immediately and spectacularly, as can be seen clearly on film. The exposed wheel rim then digs into the tarmac, slewing the car around and off the track. It speeds across the grass, flips and rolls in the mud. My head, protected by a crash helmet and roll bar, is forced underground where my eyes and ears are filled with mud and debris. Sudden deceleration and the violence of being thrown around and banging against the roll cage are what cause the damage to my brain. The crash helmet, roll bar and harness prevent the damage from being fatal.

I didn't have a terrible reaction to seeing it. I didn't break down or faint either. But it was very, very strange. After all, if it didn't kill me at the time, it was hardly going to kill me just watching it. But to see the car, to see the track and to see details like the crash helmet that saved my life and the harnesses that stopped me being smashed into pieces took my breath away. What has been useful to me is to see how well the actual crash ties in with my blurry memories. I always believed in my heart that it had been a tire blowing that caused it - and I was right.

If there is one thing I shall take away from seeing the footage, it's the knowledge that things can and do go wrong. There wasn't a worse car to have a tire blow out and there wasn't a worse tire to blow on the car than the one that did. But that wasn't enough to stop it happening. That's not a lesson I shall forget in a hurry.

If seeing the footage helps a single other person to learn that lesson then it is worth showing.

Cars on the weekend

Back in the 1920s and 1930s people could mail-order bolt-on kits to change their old Ford model T into a snowmobile! It was a pretty simple conversion, with an extra rear axle and treads in the back, and skis bolted on in place of the front wheels. The Model T Ford Club of America does have a chapter devoted specifically to those snowmobiles.

The Model T's weren't the last automobiles converted to snowmobile duty though: successors were usually one-offs, such as the Chevrolet Nova-based sled (seen here) and the converted Nash Metropolitan. Can you imagine? Coverting you Renault Clio (me) or Seat (B) into something gnarly looking like that? True, we don't ever have enough snow here, but still..

What we talked about over lunch..

Dear Marco. Remember us talking about certain cars over lunch on Thursday? I was wrong. The Citroen isn't called Sahara, it's called Mehari. Here's a picture.

I added a picture of the infamous Mini Moke as well.. And what do you know? BMW/ Mini is thinking about introducing a new moke, based on the current Mini One. It looks like we're on to something here.. Best regards, Jochem

The geniuses we work (and play) with!

Yesterday, I had the biggest honour ever bestow upon me. I am featured in a computer game! My dear (former) colleagues Alphons (wow, what programming!) and Marco (Dude, the artwork rocks!) secretly built this game in which you (if you're an intern or a new colleague) can train yourself in serving us (the TIM team) coffee! Naturally, this sounds somewhat egocentric, but it's all in the fun of it. The used data was captured in a good moment: when I used to drink nothing but water in an attempt to lose weight. On the other hand, I stopped wearing glasses. There's always something to bitch about, right? ;p

So far, the game is in its beta-version, so it's not that challenging. The idea is that you 'listen' to what we order, and you get it, within the shortest amount of time, building up a certain score. The future versions will probably contain more (and more difficult) levels, but for now this version is awesome. There's just something I miss: it's Marco himself! He should be in the game too! But he probably has his reasons, right? In all, I think Marco did a great job: I actually look better as a game-character than in real life!

The game was ‘presented’ yesterday when we had a great lunch together with all of our TIM colleagues. Sadly, Alphons has left us. And Thomas left us too. Luckily, we’re able to stay in touch with those guys, ‘cause they’re good guys. Anyway, you never know what the future might hold, right?

Want to play the game? Let me know, I’ll send you the link. I’m not posting it here, because of several reasons. Someday, I’ll explain. Anyway, I know you're reading this Marco, so here's a question: do you mind if I use this image as the official 'Dailyyoghurt-snapshot' from now on?

Before Second Life was Second Life, it was a cheesy '80s Belgian band

Let's talk smart and talk about books..

I'm a big reader. Or, to be honoust, I used to be. Nowadays I seem to have lost the time to read. Plus, with me writing myself, I don't want to get influenced by other work. But I stumbled across this book review which caught my attention. No idea when or even if this book will ever be available over here (especially in the original version, no badly translated Dutch crap), but I sure want to read it!

The Birthday Party is Stanley N. Alpert's true story of the night in 1998 he was kidnapped in New York by gang members. They made Alpert, an assistant federal attorney, take money from an ATM, and when they saw he had $110,000 in his account, they drove him to an apartment while they came up with a plan to get the money. Alpert had to employ every psychological trick in the book to keep his captors from killing him.

From the New York Times' review:

There are many tense moments. Sen, without warning, begins raving, screaming out sick, violent fantasies of murder and mayhem. “I remained frozen in sheer terror, silent and unflinching, hoping he would not act,” Mr. Alpert writes. Gradually, he realizes that Sen is singing along to a Busta Rhymes rap on the radio.

When the gang offers Mr. Alpert free sex with one of the women, he calculates feverishly. A refusal might be interpreted as racism. On the other hand, the loss of dignity might make him seem less sympathetic, easier to inflict pain on. He says no, very politely. Mr. Alpert and his captors inhabit different worlds. The men laugh at Mr. Alpert’s $49 Florsheim shoes. They examine his watch and ring with contempt. They cannot understand why, at his age, he is not married with children. Mr. Alpert tells them that his parents wonder the same thing. His money earns him a measure of respect, and, as the hours drag on, Ren and Sen ask for free, much appreciated legal advice.

Now, does this sound cool or what? I imagine it to be an entire story with one scene only: in that darn room. It would make an awesome movie too. A little 'Reservoir Dogs' maybe, but the point of view is so much better! As soon as I've read it, I'll write a full review of my own, deal?

An Axe add: very recognizable, especially appealing to boys..

Interested, anyone?

Due to our upcoming moving to our new place, I'm cleaning out my storage. And not just the storage. Some things I can easily kick out and throw out into the garbage. But some other stuff might be interesting to.. anyone.

So, here we go: three small storage devices. One is slightly damaged, but they're never been used. They're designed to be mounted on the wall. The ring/ door is made of soft rubber, so they're very childfriendly.

Other purposes: CD/ DVD storage, medicin cabinet, etc. Though the picture shows green ones and a red one, the three I'm offering here are all red. Also known as Ikea PS MYSTISK.

Car news: Will it run? The city of Tulsa will dig up a car that has been buried for 50 years!

On June 15, 1957, a new gold and white 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe was buried in a time capsule in downtown Tulsa, Oklohoma. The time capsule was part of Golden Jubilee Week: Tulsa's celebration of Oklahoma's semi-centennial.

The car is buried under the sidewalk in front of the Tulsa County Courthouse, approximately 100 feet north of the intersection of Sixth Street and Denver Avenue.

The car was seen as a method of acquainting twenty-first century citizens with a suitable representation of 1957 civilization. According to event chairman Lewis Roberts Jr., the Plymouth was chosen because it was "an advanced product of American industrial ingenuity with the kind of lasting appeal that will still be in style 50 years from now." Right..

The contents of a women's purse, including bobby pins, a bottle of tranquilizers, cigarettes and an unpaid parking ticket, were added to the glove compartment of the car shortly before burial. Other items included in the time capsule were:

• 10 gallons of gasoline and 5 quarts of oil (just in case we, in 2007, wouldn't have that stuff or wouldn't be using it?)
  
• A Douglas Aircraft Co. aerial map of airport facilities and legend
  
• Statement from Tulsa council of Churches and prayer for greatest good next 50 years a recently completed history of churches in Tulsa and a directory of the present churches
  
• Statement from board of education - historical data related to 50 years of education in Tulsa and copies of "School Life" all-high school publication issued by Tulsa high schools each month
  
• Statements from Mayor and Chamber of Commerce officials
  
• Flags which have been flown over the national capitol, state capitol and in the county and city
  
• Other aerial photos of the area (That's interesting, just to see how much the town has grown. Hopefully, the images are intact!)
  Statement from Tulsa Trades and Labor Council
  
• Statements from all former mayors of the city - their record of service and civic accomplishments in the city, state and nationally.

The car is scheduled to be unearthed June 15 as part of the Oklahoma Centennial. Promoters of the event are looking for people who helped lower the car into its crypt in 1957 to perhaps shed some light on what to expect when the car is unearthed. There's speculation the car may have turned into a pile of rust. Or that it's in pristine condition and worth thousands of dollars.

Sharon King Davis, who has chaired Tulsa's centennial efforts, looked at photos of the people responsible for burying the car in 1957 and found her grandfather. "I wish grandpa had left me some instructions," she said. The car had been largely forgotten until Davis and her group started work on the centennial. Files on the car have vanished, so it's not clear what to expect when the lid is lifted. What's known is that the car is on a steel pallet with jacks under the axles. Efforts were made to preserve it, but it's unclear if moisture has gotten to the metal and caused rust.

"There's a kind of Rip Van Winkle reaction," Davis says. "Most people had long ago forgotten the buried car, but as the time to dig it up nears, they are waking up and wondering about life in 1957."

Another unknown is who will be able to claim the car. When the car was buried, a contest was announced to award the car and a $100 (back then quite the amount of money!) savings account to the person who came closest to guessing Tulsa's population in 2007. So you can win a great car (it is awesome) and some cash, or a pile of junk and some cash. Or will they reward the 2007 equivalent of $100 in 1957? And if you competed back then, are you still alive? Do you remember? Are you actually able to drive a car?

Organizers concede that finding that person or his or her heirs may not be easy. At the time, the guesses were recorded on microfilm and sealed in a steel container buried with the car.

To see more of the buried Belvedere and other rare Tulsa film clips, go to Tulsafilms.com! I just hope I'll remember all this on June 15th so I can post about the outcome. I'm pretty curious myself, so..

Tiny London apartment on sale for € 250.000,-

Since buying houses has been the thing to do the last couple of months, I've been interested in housing projects and real estate throughout the world. It's fun to see what, where and how much objects or living spaces cost. Secretly I wouldn't mind making a career out of real estate, property development or something like that. Our recent visit to Bram & Greetje made my heart fill with joy and excitement, because they just have the nicest apartment imaginable. Next to my own, that is. But some properties are just.. well, I hardly think this would actually sell. For that price anyway.

Location is the key. Location always influences the price. Almost anywhere else, this tiny worn down studio wouldn't attract much more than mice. But as it's situated in London, this 7 square-meter former storage room - slightly bigger than a prison cell and without electricity - is going for €250.000,-. Yikes! My first 'student'- room was approximately the same size! And a hell of a lot cheaper, I’ll tell you that!

The closet-sized space in the exclusive Knightsbridge neighbourhood may be only "about the size of a ship's galley", real estate agent Andrew Scott who's handling the sale stated. "But it's permanently anchored to one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the world." At more than €35.714,- a square meter, the mortgage buys a spot within walking distance of famous stores like Harrods and London's iconic Hyde Park. Originally conceived as a maid's room, the apartment at 18 Cadogan Place hasn't been used for years and is littered with trash bags and crumbling paint.

A coffin-sized shower is en suite, and storage is provided by a shallow closet and 10-inch-deep shelves cut into the wall. Two hot plates and a small sink make up the kitchen. Two dirty windows allow light to filter into the basement room, and the fire escape could conceivably double as a shared patio. With no electricity or heating, Scott said it would cost an additional €40.000,- to make the room habitable. "It is an investment," he said, as he stretched his arms the width of the room, laying his palms flat on opposite sides of the wall. Imagine that!!!

The sale of this dark, mildewy room illustrates the astronomical rise in property values across London, which in the past year has seen average residential property prices increase 22.4 percent, to about €550.000,-, according to figures released Monday by Rightmove, an organization which tracks the British property market. Prices in London's most desirable neighbourhoods have grown even faster, with average house prices in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea - where Cadogan Place is located - rising 61.8 percent over the past year to a jaw-dropping €1.8 million.Ultra high-end property prices in London are the most expensive in the world, with some recent sales hitting €44.000,- per square meter - making the Cadogan Place studio a bargain by comparison, according to research published last year by CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. By the way, pictures with this post are actual footage..

Similar properties in New York can go for about €40.000,- per square meter, while those in Hong Kong sell at around €33.000,- per square meter. Scott said he already had three offers on the property, which might go to auction. Size, he added, is in the "eye of the beholder.""If you thought of this as the cabin on a boat, you'd say, 'It's pretty spacious,' " Scott said. Well Scott, you haven't been boating much lately, have you?

Building a life, and a house

Yesterday Suzanne and I had the pleasure of visiting Bram en Greetje at their new pad, in downtown Utrecht. Like true friends the invited us in, gave us coffee and put us to work. I got a sander and Suzanne went vacuuming.

Now, I'm writing this like we did all this against our will, but the truth is quite the opposite. We were happy to help, even if it was just a little. Bram and Greetje have bought themselves one of the most charming and cosy apartments I've ever seen.

It's probably built in the 1930's, and it has many original features. Painted glass windows, en suite doors, a real nice kitchen.. it's really.. sweet and cosy. You know how a house can be cosy right? And you know when you like a house when you start thinking about how you yourself would decorate the place. This is a real Bram and Greetje house, it suits them perfectly. So, you guys, congratulations. It's awesome!

Dakar 2007: A real Dutch Dakar!

300 vehicles made it through the last special stage. At 14h30 GMT, 132 bikes, 109 cars and 59 trucks had reached the end of this 15th and last special stage of the Dakar and were on their way to the lock park in Dakar, the finishing point of the 29th edition of the rally raid.

Naturally, the Dutch have a lot to be proud of. Overall, we were successful in all of the categories. Most successful was the MAN team, lead by Hans Stacey, who actually won the Truck category. It has been twenty years ince the last Dutch victory in that category: in 1987 Jan de Rooy was victorious, paving the way for many Dutch competitors who were inspired by the big man.

In the bikes, Henk Knuiman was the best Dutchie, achieving a formidable 11th position overall. With the cars, Tonnie van Deijne has achieved a 34th place position in his mitsubishi. In due time, the Dutch will conquer Dakar all together.

One of my favourites and real winners is Wuf van Ginkel, who finished very well in the fourth place overall in the truck devision. Not only that: but he did it in one of his own trucks, a Ginaf. During the race his trucks got a lot of attention from other competitors like Robbie Gordon, who now plans on buying a set of Ginafs for his own racing team. Double take for Ginaf, chapeau! The Dakar is over. For now. Next year hopefully will be a more traditional Dakar. More sand and dunes, less rallyraid like stages. In the sand, the Dutch are even better. And hopefully next year the De Rooys will be back. We'll see..

Bikes:

Pending validation, Latvian biker Janis Vinters (KTM) is the winner in 8’42 of the stage; this is his second scratch time stage victory on the Dakar, which also makes him the winner in the marathon category, 7’’ ahead of Norwevian Pal Anders Ullevalseter and 25’’ ahead of Portuguese Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha), who wins this last special stage in the 450cc category. In the quad category, Spaniard Carlos Avendano (Suzuki) wins.

In the overall rankings, Frenchman Cyril Despres, 56th today, wins his 2nd Dakar, 34’19 ahead of his teammate David Casteu and 52’06 ahead of US biker Chris Blais.

Stage:
1. 023 VINTERS (LAT) KTM 00:08:42 00:00:00
2. 006 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 00:08:49 00:00:07
3. 010 RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA 00:09:07 00:00:25

Overall:
1. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 51:36:53 00:00:00
2. 008 CASTEU (FRA) KTM 52:11:12 00:34:19
3. 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM 52:28:59 00:52:06

Cars:

Pending validation, South-African Giniel De Villiers (VW) gets his 8th scratch time victory on the Dakar, the fourth one this year, in 7’42, 2" ahead of his Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz (VW) and 26" ahead of US driver Robby Gordon, who wins the stage in the open category. In the two-wheel drive category, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser) wins the stage with the 5th scratch time. Finally, in the production category, Frenchman Paul Belmondo (Nissan) is the day’s winner.

In the overall rankings, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsu), 50th today, wins his 3rd Dakar in the car category, and his 9th victory in all categories, 7’26 ahead of his teammate Luc Alphand (Mitsu) and 1h33’57 ahead of the buggy of Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser).

Stage:
1. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 00:07:42 00:00:00
2. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 00:07:44 00:00:02
3. 320 GORDON (USA)/ GRIDER (USA) HUMMER 00:08:08 00:00:26

Overall:
1. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 45:53:37 00:00:00
2. 300 ALPHAND (FRA)/ PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 46:01:03 00:07:26
3. 310 SCHLESSER (FRA)/ DEBRON (FRA) SCHLESSER 47:27:34 01:33:57

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutchman Arjan Brouwer (Ginaf) wins his second stage in this Dakar in 9’39, 52" ahead of Czech Ales Loprais (Tatra) and 54" ahead of Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man). In the overall rankings, Hans Stacey wins his first Dakar with a 3h10’52 lead over Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz) and 4h45’30 on Czech Ales Loprais.

Stage:
1. 530 BROUWER (HOL)/ KOETSIER (HOL)/ VAN VEENENDAAL (HOL) GINAF 00:09:39 00:00:00
2. 512 LOPRAIS (CZE)/ GILAR (CZE) TATRA 00:10:31 00:00:52
3. 511 BEKX (NED)/ WILLEMS (HOL)/ MAESSEN (BEL) DAF 00:10:33 00:00:54

Overall:
1. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 54:03:05 00:00:00
2. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 57:13:57 03:10:52
3. 512 LOPRAIS (CZE)/ GILAR (CZE) TATRA 58:48:35 04:45:30

See, there's no need to kill parody!

Get a First Life is a hilarious Second Life parody by a Vancouver web geek called Darren Barefoot. Membership perks include “going outside” and the ability to “fornicate with your own genitals”.

Most companies would jump to the opportunity to mobilize their lawyers. "Get a First Life" creator Darren on the other hand got a "Proceed and Permitted" letter (the opposite of a "cease and decist") from Linden Labs, creators of Second Life. He explains: 'Today I awoke from my nap to a letter from Linden Labs, the creators of Second Life. 'Ah, well', I though, 'here come the lawyers'. But no. To their enormous credit, they sent me what I can only describe as a 'proceed and permitted' (instead of 'cease and desist') letter. Here's a quote:

"We do not believe that reasonable people would argue as to whether the website located at http://www.getafirstlife.com/ constitutes parody – it clearly is. Linden Lab is well known among its customers and in the general business community as a company with enlightened and well-informed views regarding intellectual property rights, including the fair use doctrine, open source licensing, and other principles that support creativity and self-expression. We know parody when we see it."

Linden Labs, I applaud you.

Dakar Sunday: just for the show of it

301 vehicles made it through Saturday’s special stage. At 16h30 GMT, 133 bikes, 109 cars and 58 trucks had made it through the 14th special stage and were on their way to or had already arrived at the Dakar lock park, the finishing point of this 14th special stage. Only Belgian biker Ennio Cucurachi (Nr 88) and the Belgian truck of Roland Hoebeke (Nr 537) were still in the section of the day against the clock.

The day had two tragic incidents: first, 42 year old French biker Eric Aubijoux suffered a fatal heart-attack after finishing the stage. A few hours later a member of a French TV-crew was killed in a car accident. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt and was killed instantly when the car flipped over.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Brazilian Jean De Azevedo (KTM) won his second stage victory of his Dakar career with a scratch time of 2h37’46; this is his first victory this year, 2’05 ahead of Poland’s Jacek Czachor (KTM) and 5’05 in front of Latvian Janis Vinters, who wins the stage in the marathon category. In the overall rankings, Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM), 5th today, now has 36’09 lead on his teammate and countryman. On the 450cc side, Portuguese Paulo Goncalves (Honda) wins with 7th scratch time. Finally in the quad category, Spain’s Jose Maria Pena (KTM) wins the stage.

1. 005 DE AZEVEDO (BRE) KTM 02:37:46 00:00:00
2. 016 CZACHOR (POL) KTM 02:39:51 00:02:05
3. 023 VINTERS (LAT) KTM 02:42:51 00:05:05

Cars:

Pending validation, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW) gets his 9th scratch time victory on the Dakar, his fifth this year, in 2h 21’02, 7" ahead of his South-African teammate Giniel de Villiers (VW) and 45" ahead of his Portuguese teammate Carlos Sousa (VW). In the overall rankings, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsu), 11th today, remains of course in the lead with now 7’16 lead over teammate Luc Alphand (Mitsu). In the open category, US driver Robby Gordon (Hummer) wins with a 5th scratch timed position. In the two-wheel drive category, victory goes to Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser), who gets the 9th scratch time. Finally in the production category, Spain’s Xavier Foj (Toyota) wins the stage.

1. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 02:21:02 00:00:00
2. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 02:21:09 00:00:07
3. 313 SOUSA (POR)/ SCHULZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 02:21:47 00:00:45

Trucks:

Pending validation, Frenchman Philippe Jacquot (Man) gets his first victory in a special stage of the Dakar in 2h53’44, 4’33 ahead of Czech Ales Loprais (Tatra) and 9’32 ahead of Brazilian Andre De Azevedo (Tatra). In the overall rankings, Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man), 4th today, is more than ever the leader with 3h08’15 lead over Russian Ilgizar Mardeev.

1. 508 JACQUOT (FRA)/ ALCARAZ (FRA)/ VAN GENUGTEN (HOL) MAN 02:53:44 00:00:00
2. 512 LOPRAIS (CZE)/ GILAR (CZE) TATRA 02:58:17 00:04:33
3. 503 DE AZEVEDO (BRE)/ JUSTO (BRE)/ MARTINEC (unk) TATRA 03:03:16 00:09:32

Today's stage

STAGE 15: 93 km: Dakar - Dakar
93 km, including 16 against the clock, are on the menu of the 15th and last special stage. A symbolic route for all participants who are nearing the finish with the ultimate and mythical special stage on the beach of Lac Rose. A last section against the clock as a lap of honour for the leaders in the overall rankings before triumphantly climbing on the podium.

Fun with excess lederhosen: a marketing double

Does anyone remember those bright orange novelty lederhosen from the Bavarian Beer company? They have now shown up as the main game piece in a Chinese board game with an amusingly violent commercial.

Bavaria Beer, a Dutch brewer, doesn’t just make a hearty beer, they’ll also sell you bright orange pants with a lion’s tail attached. You can buy them here but they were originally given away if you bought enough beer. It was quite the hit back in the soccer worldcup. Bright orange is the color of Dutch pride and the Lion is the symbol of Dutch soccer so it would seem the perfect novelty garment.

People who drink your beer get a free pair of lederhosen, the company gets some free adverstising as “Bavaria” is emblazoned across the chest. Chances are you’ll get a few people to wear them to the game. You want to see a sea of orange? Look around for Dutch soccer fans at a soccer match between the Dutch and.. well, anyone. Sadly though, due to sponsordeals, the lederhosen were banned from the various games. Bavaria got stuck with thousands and thousand of lederhosen. Scrappy Chinese manufacturer, Wang Ming, saw an opportunity where others saw a crisis and pressed the excess pants into service as props in a baffling looking board game named Smack The Lion.

Dakar Saturday: almost there..

304 vehicles made it through the special stage. At 17.30 GMT, 136 bikes, 109 cars and 59 trucks had made it through the thirteenth special stage and were heading for or had already arrived at the bivouac in Tambacounda, the finishing point of this 13th stage. Only four trucks were still in the day’s timed section.

It’s all over for Coma...
No. 1, MARC COMA - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION
Having lost his direction after 34 km of Friday’s special stage, and whilst he was following a track parallel to the ideal route, leader of the general rankings Spaniard Marc Coma, has crashed after 57 km of the special stage and has been taken back to the bivouac by helicopter. Sadly, Coma is out of the race..

Bikes:

Pending validation, Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) recorded his 16th scratch time stage victory on the Dakar, his 2nd this year, with a time of 3.00’56, 6’07 ahead of American Chris Blais (KTM), and 11’43 in front of Frenchman Thierry Bethys (HONDA), who also won in the 450 cc category. However, the day was dominated by the withdrawal of Spaniard Marc Coma, who left his position as rally leader to Cyril Despres, 35’28 in front of his countryman David Casteu. In the Marathon category, South African Tom Classen (KTM) tasted victory, with an excellent 4th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the quad category, Spaniard Jose Maria Pena (KTM) was victorious.

1. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 03:00:56 00:00:00
2. 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM 03:07:03 00:06:07
3. 020 MARCHINI (FRA) YAMAHA 03:11:21 00:10:25

Cars:

Pending validation, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW) recorded his 8th scratch time stage victory on the Dakar, his 4th this year with a time of 2.30’22, 26" ahead of Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi), who remained on top of the general rankings with an 11’15 lead over team-mate Luc Alphand (Mitsubishi). 3rd place of the day went to American Mark Miller (VW). In the two-wheel drive category, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser) triumphed with the 5th-placed scratch time. In the Open category, the American Robby Gordon (Hummer) was victorious with the 11th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the production category, Spaniard Xavier Foj (Toyota) tasted victory.

1. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 02:30:22 00:00:00
2. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 02:30:48 00:00:26
3. 305 MILLER (USA)/ PITCHFORD (AFS) VOLKSWAGEN 02:32:40 00:02:18

Trucks:

Pending validation, Czech Ales Loprais (Tatra) recorded his first special stage victory on the Dakar with a time of 3.17’43, 3’25 ahead of Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man), who strengthened even further his position of general rankings leader with a lead of 3.02’50 over Russian Ilgizar Mardeeva, who was 3rd today.

1. 512 LOPRAIS (CZE)/ GILAR (CZE) TATRA 03:17:43 00:00:00
2. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 03:21:08 00:03:25
3. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 03:24:22 00:06:39

Today's stage

STAGE 14: 576 km: Tambacounda - Dakar!
576 km, including 225 against the clock are on the menu for the 14th and penultimate stage. Once again, a very quick route awaits the competitors, which will please the rally drivers amongst them, even if this last genuine special stage will be difficult to navigate with, as is the tradition, an inextricable clutter of interwoven tracks. The Volkswagens will have one last shot at glory, whereas the Mitsubishis will focus on protecting their lead on the route to a glorious 7th consecutive success.

Lucky Ducky

A hunter shot a duck (like hunters tend to do), wounding it in the wing and leg. Believing the bird was dead, he left it in his fridge at his home in Tallahassee. The hunter's wife got a fright when she opened the fridge and the duck lifted its head. She, in all her loving care and to her husbands irritation, drove it to a local veterinarian. He examined the bird and said it has a 75% chance of a full recovery. Talk about a lucky ducky.

Dakar Friday: The end is in sight!

287 vehicles made it out of the special stage on Thursday. At 18h00 GMT, 135 bikes, 107 cars and 45 trucks had made it through this 12th special stage and were on their way to or had already arrived at the bivouac in Kayes, the finishing point of this 12th stage

Bikes:

Pending validation, Spaniard Isidre Esteve (KTM) got his second scratch-timed stage victory in the rally in 3h34’46, 3’03 ahead of Portuguese Paulo Goncalvez (Honda), who wins in the 450cc category. Polish biker Jacek Czachor (KTM) achieves third scratch time. 16th today, Spaniard Marc Coma evidently keeps the lead in the overall rankings, 52’48 ahead of Frenchman Cyril Despres. In the marathon category, first success for South-African Tom Classen (KTM), with an excellent fourth scratch time. Finally on the quad side, victory goes to Frenchman Alan Morel (KTM).

1. 004 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM 03:34:46 00:00:00
2. 033 GONCALVES (POR) HONDA 03:37:49 00:03:03
3. 016 CZACHOR (POL) KTM 03:38:50 00:04:04

Cars:

Pending validation, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW) gets his 7th scratch time stage victory in the history of the Dakar, the 3rd one this year, in 2h58’56, 3’53 in front of his Portuguese teammate Carlos Sousa (VW) and 4’52 ahead of France’s Luc Alphand (Mitsu), who in turn comes back 6’29 behind the leader in the overall rankings, his teammate Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsu). In the two-wheel drive category, victory goes to Russian Sergueï Shmakov (Zil), with the 9th scratch time. In the open category, US driver Robby Gordon (Hummer) wins with 13th scratch time position. Finally in the production category, Spain’s Xavier Foj (Toyota) wins.

1. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 02:58:56 00:00:00
2. 313 SOUSA (POR)/ SCHULZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 03:02:49 00:03:53
3. 300 ALPHAND (FRA)/ PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 03:03:48 00:04:52

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man) won his fifth special stage in the Dakar with a scratch time of 3h48’04, 4’53 in front of Czech driver Tomas Tomecek (Tatra) and 5’50 ahead of Dutchman Wulfert Van Ginkel (Ginaf). Stacey is still alone in the lead in the overall rankings 2h59’36 in front of Russia’s Ilgizar Mardeev.

1. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 03:48:04 00:00:00
2. 519 TOMECEK (CZE)/ MORAVEK (CZE)/ LALA (CZE) TATRA 03:52:57 00:04:53
3. 513 VAN GINKEL (HOL)/ TIJSTERMAN (HOL)/ DE ROOY (HOL) GINAF 03:53:54 00:05:50

Today's stage

STAGE 13: 458 km: Kayes - Tambacounda
458 km, including 260 against the clock, are on the menu of the thirteenth stage. A very fast route awaits the participants. Rally pilots will again have an opportunity of having a whale of a time, even if copilots will still have to work on finding the right route in this maze of crisscrossing trails looping around baobabs. A made-to-measure playground for the Volkswagen that will try to get a new stage victory again while the Mitsubishi will mainly try not to make the same mistakes as they made last year on this same section.

Stormy weather..

Peculiar figurines

I don't really know what it’s supposed to be. The base, the colours and the usage of porcelain gives it that classic figurine feeling. That cliché sugar-sweet world of figurines, particularly loved by older women and trailer folk. Usually not my cup of tea, but these are mighty peculiar. It's bizarre, and in some way grotesque. I love it! They are the brainchild of Canadian artist Shary Boyle.

Dakar Thursday: Heading west

Yesterday was no day of racing. Because the original stage was judged being to dangerous it was shortened into a connection section, with no time registration. Driving 300 kilometers on asphalt is hardly a challenge, but comes as a welcome change from the devistating rally.

Technical staff, drivers and co-pilots get some rest and some hard-earned sleep. Charly Gotlib, navigator on board of Hans Stacey's leading truck, can finally get back into shape after being sick for a few days, delaying Stacey in the 10th stage.

Todays stage:

STAGE 12: 484 km: Ayoun El Atrous - Kayes
484 km, including 257 against the clock, are on the menu of the 12th stage.

The competitors are now leaving sand behind and entering savannah ground. Typical WRC super fast sections are back on the programme with some forest sections as well.

This should allow Volkswagen and Carlos Sainz to come back on top after their Mauritanian ordeal. All the more so that the Mitsubishi pilots, including of course overall rankings leader Stéphane Peterhansel, will play it safe in order not to compromise the final sprint.

Divorce lawyer with a sence of humour: check out the stationairy!

Dakar Wednesday: more Dutch victory?

At 18.15 GMT yesterday, 140 bikes, 102 cars and 37 trucks had made it through the tenth special stage and were heading toward or had already arrived at the bivouac in Néma, the finishing point of this 10th stage.

On tuesday there was a spectacular winner: Dutchman Arjen Brouwer has won his first stage in the truck category. Though Stacey didn't score, the Dutch still prevail. Stacey finished seventh. This hardly influences his ranking in the overall score: he's still leading over Mardeev.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) picked up his 2nd stage victory on the rally with a scratch time of 4 hours 12 minutes 55 seconds, as well as in the 450 cc category, 44 seconds ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) and 51 seconds in front of Frenchman Cyril Despres. In the general rankings, Coma now boasts a lead of 54 minutes 43 seconds over Despres. In the Marathon category, Latvian Janis Vinters (KTM) was again successful, with an excellent 4th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the quad category, Spaniard Carlos Avendano (Suzuki) was victorious.

1. 010 RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA 04:12:55 00:00:00
2. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 04:13:39 00:00:44
3. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 04:13:46 00:00:51

Cars:

Pending validation, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (BMW) recorded his first stage victory on the Dakar with a time of 3 hours 49 minutes 48 seconds, 28 seconds ahead of Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi) and 1 minutes 49 seconds in front of American Mark Miller (VW). In 4th place 2 minutes 08 seconds behind, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi) still leads the general rankings, with a lead of 9 minutes 56 seconds over his team-mate Luc Alphand (Mitsubishi). In the two-wheel drive category, victory went to Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser), with the 7th-placed scratch time. In the Open category, American Robby Gordon (Hummer) triumphed with the 23rd-placed scratch time. Finally, in the Production category, Japanese driver Jun Mitsuhashi (Toyota) was victorious.

1. 309 AL ATTIYAH (QAT)/ GUEHENNEC (FRA) BMW 03:49:48 00:00:00
2. 306 MASUOKA (JAP)/ MAIMON (FRA) MITSUBISHI 03:50:16 00:00:28
3. 305 MILLER (USA)/ PITCHFORD (AFS) VOLKSWAGEN 03:51:37 00:01:49

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutchman Arjan Brouwer (Ginaf) won his first special scratch time stage on the Dakar with a time of 4 hours 36 minutes 22 seconds, 7 minutes 33 seconds ahead of Brazilian Andre De Azevedo (Tatra) and 9 minutes 21 seconds in front of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz).

The Russian thus reduces his deficit on Hans Stacey to 2 hours 50 minutes 04 seconds. More than ever, the Dutchman enjoys a solid lead at the top of the general rankings.

1. 530 BROUWER (HOL)/ KOETSIER (HOL)/ VAN VEENENDAAL (HOL) GINAF 04:36:22 00:00:00
2. 503 DE AZEVEDO (BRE)/ JUSTO (BRE)/ MARTINEC (unk) TATRA 04:43:55 00:07:33
3. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 04:45:43 00:09:21

Todays stage:

STAGE 11: NEMA – AYOUN EL ATROUS
There is no timed section on today’s stage. After half a day’s rest in Néma, the competitors will hit the road at 11.00 GMT for the first bike, towards Ayoun El’Atrous, still in Mauritania, on a 280-km connection section. A welcome break for those who have made it this far through the 29th edition of the Dakar. They will then get to grips with the final sprint to the Pink Lake along the ultra-quick Malian and Senegalese tracks.

Here's a cool light for ya!

Designer Hironao Tsuboi's Lamp/Lamp is a light bulb reinvented as a light fixture. It's only ¥2,100 (roughly €15,-) from online shop 100%, but you'll have to suffer through a very annoying Flash animation in order to find it under "Products." Nevertheless, it's worth the trouble. You don't see this everyday..

Dakar Tuesday: A Dutch winner and it ain't Stacey

At 18h30 GMT, 121 bikes, 57 cars and 15 trucks had made it through the ninth special stage and were heading to or had already arrived at the bivouac in Nema, the finishing point of this ninth stage.

Quite the surprise turned out to be the fact that Wuf van Ginkel has won Mondays stage! In his Caterpillar powered Ginaf truck (Ginaf stands for Ginkel - Daf: the family Van Ginkel build their own trucks -- and with success) he had no difficulties or whatsoever crossing the finishing line first. Stacey finished quite late, but is still in the lead in overall ranking.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Latvian Janis Vinters (KTM) got his first stage victory in the Dakar in 6 hours 08 minutes 51 seconds, for scratch time and in the marathon category, 7 minutes 31 seconds ahead of Frenchman Français Cyril Despres (KTM) and 7 minutes 53 seconds in front of Marc Coma (KTM). The Spaniard logically stays in the lead of the overall rankings, 54 minutes 36 seconds in front of Despres. In the 450cc category, Portuguese Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) won the stage and on the quad side, Czech pilot Josef Machacek (Yamaha) was the winner of the day

1. 023 VINTERS (LAT) KTM 06:08:51 00:00:00
2. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 06:16:22 00:07:31
3. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 06:16:44 00:07:53

Cars:

Pending validation, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser) won first-placed scratch time in 4 hours 00 minutes 46 seconds, and got his 15th stage victory in the Dakar, also winning at the same time this ninth special stage in the two-wheel drive category, just 13 seconds ahead of his countryman Luc Alphand (Mitsu).

Ranking 3rd in today’s special stage at 4 minutes 14 seconds is Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsu) who benefited from the mechanical ordeal of Volkswagen in this stage and became first in the overall rankings where he now has a 7 minutes 50 seconds lead over his teammate Alphand. In the open category, US driver Robby Gordon (Hummer) wins with the 11th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the production category, Frenchman Ronan Chabot (Toyota) is the day’s winner.

1. 310 SCHLESSER (FRA)/ DEBRON (FRA) SCHLESSER 05:32:03 00:00:00
2. 300 ALPHAND (FRA)/ PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 05:32:16 00:00:13
3. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 05:36:17 00:04:14

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutch Wulfert Van Ginkel (Ginaf) won first-placed scratch time in the ninth special with a time of 6 hours 47 minutes 47 seconds, 12 minutes 28 seconds ahead of his compatriot Hans Stacey (Man) and 13 minutes 20 seconds ahead of Czech driver Alès Loprais (Tatra).

Hans Stacey (Man) is now easy on top of the overall rankings with 3 hours 07 minutes 11 seconds lead over Russia’s Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz).

1. 513 VAN GINKEL (HOL)/ TIJSTERMAN (HOL)/ DE ROOY (HOL) GINAF 06:47:47 00:00:00
2. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 07:00:15 00:12:28
3. 512 LOPRAIS (CZE)/ GILAR (CZE)/ TATRA 07:01:07 00:13:20

Todays stage:

STAGE 10: 400 km: Néma - Néma
400 km, including 366 against the clock, are on the menu of this tenth stage. This is a loop special stage where competitors will encounter their last sand dunes before moving on to savannah terrain. A curvy route but a fast one as well, which should not help get big gaps… The different leaders of the different categories should play it safe, unless the Mitsubishi benefit right away from the misfortunes of Volkswagen to go get their first stage victory of this year’s Dakar.

Working-class superheroes..

Artist Dulce Pinzón took photographs of Mexican immigrant workers in New York City dressed as superheroes.

The series, titled "The Real Story of the Superheroes," is an homage to these individuals who work long hours in lousy conditions for crap money, much of which they send home to their families in Mexico.

Seen here as The Hulk is Paulino Cardozo from the State of Guerrero. Cardoza loads trucks in New York and sends $300 a week home.

From Pinzón's artist statement:
The Mexican economy has quietly become dependent on the money sent from workers in the US. Conversely, the US economy has quietly become dependent on the labor of Mexican immigrants. Along with the depth of their sacrifice, it is the quietness of this dependence which makes Mexican immigrant workers a subject of interest. The principal objective of this series is to pay homage to these brave and determined men and women that somehow manage, without the help of any supernatural power, to withstand extreme conditions of labor in order to help their families and communities survive and prosper.

Dakar Monday: Searching for the route

At 18h30 GMT, 51 bikes, 9 cars and 1 truck had successfully completed the 8th special stage and were on their way or had already arrived at the bivouac in Tichit, end of stage 8.

Though Mardeev was the first of the trucks to arrive at checkpoint two, Hans Stacey once again has finished first. The Dutch trucker is really making this 29th edition of Dakar his personal party. But, as we know about Dakar, it ain't over untill the fat lady sings. So much can happen..

Bikes:

Nr 1, MARC COMA - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 4 bikes have now reached the end of this 8th special stage, Spaniard Marc Coma seems to be getting his 3rd stage victory in the 2007 edition, 10 minutes 02 seconds in front of Frenchman Cyril Despres and 24 minutes 00 seconds ahead of Norwegian Pal Anders Ullevalseter.

1. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 07:46:13 00:00:00
2. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 07:56:15 00:10:02
3. 006 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 08:10:13 00:24:00

Cars:

Nr 301, DE VILLIERS/VON ZITZEWITZ - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 4 cars have now crossed the finishing line of this 8th special stage, South-African Giniel De Villiers seems to be winning its 3rd stage in the rally; it’s also his second victory in a row, 6 minutes 35 seconds ahead of Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel and 9 minutes 11 seconds in front of title holder Luc Alphand.

1. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 07:31:52 00:00:00
2. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 07:38:27 00:06:35
3. 300 ALPHAND (FRA)/ PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 07:41:03 00:09:11

Trucks:

Nr 501, STACEY/GOTLIB/DER KINDEREN - MAN
The leader in the overall rankings, Dutchman Hans Stacey is the first safely arrived at the end of this 8th special stage in 8 hours, 58 minutes and 49 seconds. His closest follower, Russia’s Ilgizar Mardeev, was at that point still some 40km from the finish of the special stage.

1. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 08:58:49 00:00:00
2. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 09:38:57 00:40:08
3. 530 BROUWER (HOL)/ KOETSIER (HOL)/ VAN VEENENDAAL (HOL) GINAF 09:41:37 00:42:48

Todays stage:

STAGE 9: 497 km: Tichit - Néma
This big chunk of desert may seen hard to swallow. Here we are on one of the great classics of the Dakar, revisited and improved for the occasion. Landmarks are extremely few and far between – the finest navigators are going to have their say. For the less inspired, Plan B involves picking the right tyre-tracks to follow. Reaching Nema in daylight is a victory in itself, for after nightfall, everything seems to take twice as long.

This would be the ideal child..

Dakar Sunday: En route for the oasis

Yesterday was a day of rest. No real news available. Besides everyone who races sleeping and everyone who's a technician working their asses off that is.. If the competitors are holding up, and the vehicle is still in one piece, there’s still plenty of room for optimism. Right in the middle of the Sahara, the setting is ideal to stock up with energy and to get yourself really psyched-up for what remains. It’s still 4,201 kilometers to Dakar.

Todays stage:

STAGE 8: 626 km: Atar – Tichit

626 km, including 589 km against the clock, are on the menu of the eighth stage. The competitors who will be fairly relaxed after the rest day will have to go through probably the most difficult special stage of the rally and certainly the longest one. On the programme are a varied route with rocky tracks in the beginning of the special stage before returning to the Mauritanian sand that will take them up to the Tichit oasis. Once again, experience of the desert and of navigation will make the difference. The Mitsubishi drivers are favourites again… unless South-Africa’s Giniel De Villiers is once again there to spoil their fun...

Inside the apartment!

Today we got the opportunity to visit our new apartment! Naturally we wanted to share the experience, so we invited Suzanne's parents and my dad and his wife to come along.

At first it was unsure if any of them could come along. Suzanne called to inform about how many people we could invite, the answer was short: none. Only the future inhabitants could visit.

We were stubborn and invited them anyway, because the official invitation did not mention anything about the amount of people you could take with you. We played dumb and it paid off! Anyway, without any further ado: here are the photo's! We're so excited!!

Dakar Saturday: A day of rest

At 18h30 GMT, 166 bikes, 82 cars and 38 trucks had made it through this seventh special stage and were heading to or had already arrived at the Atar bivouac, the finishing point of the 7th stage and location of the rest day.

The 7th stage started dramatically, as I mentioned yesterday. After his father Jan De Rooy had to withdraw yesterday, it is now the son, Gerard De Rooy who did not start this morning after finding out at the Zouerat bivouac that his Ginaf truck had a melted cylinder. The damage turned out impossible to repair. The De Rooy team is now on its way to Morocco.

Still, in the truck category there's still Dutch success. After the first 8 trucks have arrived at the end of today’s shortened special stage, Dutchman Hans Stacey, leader of the overall ranking, has won another stage.

Today, the 8th day is a day of rest. All teams finally get a chance to get back in gear, get some real sleep and do some much needed repairwork.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) signs his 15th stage victory on the Dakar, his first in this 29th edition, by completing the 7th special stage in 4 hours 30 minutes 42 seconds, and finishing 2 minutes 46 seconds ahead of Norwegian Pal Anders Ullevalseter and 4 minutes 36 seconds ahead of Frenchman David Casteu. Ranking 6th today, Spain’s Marc Coma (KTM) nevertheless keeps the lead of the overall ranking, with 10 minutes 47 seconds lead over his countryman Isidre Esteve. In the Marathon category, the stage was won by Latvian Janis Vinters (KTM), achieving an excellent 7th-placed scratch time, one position ahead of the winner of the 450cc category, Chilean Francisco Lopez (Honda). Finally, on the quad side, it is Spaniard Carlos Avendano (Suzuki) who won the stage.

1. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 04:30:42 00:00:00
2. 006 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 04:33:28 00:02:46
3. 008 CASTEU (FRA) KTM 04:35:18 00:04:36

Cars:

Pending validation, South-African Giniel de Villiers (VW) won stage 7 with a time of 4 hours 00 minutes 46 seconds, 2 hours 46 seconds ahead of Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi) and therefore takes the lead in the overall rankings 1 hour 39 seconds ahead of his Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz, who arrived 3rd today 4 minutes 50 seconds behind. In the two-wheel drive category, Frenchman Bernard Errandonea (Buggy SMG) won the stage and ended with the 8th-placed scratch time. In the Open category, Robby Gordon (Hummer) wins achieving the 13th-placed scratch time. And finally, in the Production category, Frenchman Paul Belmondo (Nissan) wins the stage and gets the 14th-placed scratch time.

1. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 04:00:46 00:00:00
2. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 04:03:32 00:02:46
3. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 04:05:36 00:04:50

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man) won 7th-placed scratch time with a time of 4 hours 51 minutes 44 seconds, 26 minutes 52 seconds ahead of his teammate Philippe Jacquot (Man) and 27 minutes 57 seconds ahead of the Czech Tomas Tomecek (Tatra). Dutchman Gérard de Rooy (Ginaf) having had to withdraw today, Stacey is now riding high on top of the overall rankings 2 hours 16 minutes 28 seconds ahead of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz).

1. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 04:51:44 00:00:00
2. 508 JACQUOT (FRA)/ ALCARAZ (FRA)/ VAN GENUGTEN (HOL) MAN 05:18:36 00:26:52
3. 519 TOMECEK (CZE)/ MORAVEK (CZE)/ LALA (CZE) TATRA 05:19:41 00:27:57

Todays stage:

NO STAGE: Just a day of rest

Russian architecture

Some people think of Russia as being a grey area with only ruins and concrete ugliness when it comes to architecture and design. And yes, they do have a weakness for drama. And concrete.

But in all honesty Russia is quite the experimental playground. True, the designs are often still grey and in concrete, but some designs are more 'out there' then we're used to, over here in suburbia Western Europe. Locals try to change the greyness with colourful painting and decorating. It gives them somewhat of a feeling of being misplaced; they look like something which belongs in a theme park or a fairground. I just like them in that simplistic and minimalist grey. It's a shame decay has come over them, but they persist.

To illustrate, the new issue of Polar Inertia, has a series of Christopher Herwig's photos of outrageously fantastic Soviet roadside bus-stops. Bus-stops. How exciting can they be? Well, this exciting..

Dakar Friday: Keeping on top

At 19.00 GMT, 171 bikes, 85 cars and 8 trucks had made it through the sixth special stage and were heading to or had already arrived at the bivouac in Zouerat, the finishing point of this 6th stage.

The sixths stage could be considered a axe-day. Axe-days are known for the many competitors who don’t make it to the end, so the rate of drop-outs is high. One of the victims of yesterdays stage was Jan de Rooy, ‘padre familias’ of the De Rooy team. Just a few hours into the race he blew his engine. Technical support Hugo Duisters was incapable of repairing the damage. Because it’s not allowed to replace entire engines (even though this is exactly what Kabirov did last year and got away with) Jan de Rooy is out of the race. The winners in the truck category are Hans Stacey (first) and Gerard de Rooy (second). It’s still a Dutch party..

In the motorcycle category there are some other Dutchies we can be proud of. The most impressing one being Frans Verhoeven. The KTM-team biker finished fifth in the sixth stage, pushing up his rank to seventh overall. The second best Dutchie turned out to be Henk Knuiman (Honda), who finished fifteenth. A very good result in a very strong field filled with renowned and experienced bikers.

The car segment was won by Robby Gordon (VS/Hummer). It’s his first victory this Dakar. He clearly didn’t receive a time-penalty because of his reckless behaviour in the fifth stage. He drove his impressing Hummer in lead position over almost 400 kilometers. His Hummer though will most probably not perform in the dunes because of the height of his wheels and limited ground clearance.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Spaniard Jordi Viladoms (KTM) won the sixth special scratch time stage with a time of 3 hours, 45 minutes 45 seconds, picking up his first stage victory on the Dakar, 57 seconds ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM), who nonetheless remains in the lead in the general rankings, 12’07 ahead of countryman Isidre Esteve. Third place today went to American Chris Blais (KTM), 1’00 behind. In the 450 cc category, Portuguese rider Portugais Helder Rodrigues was victorious (Yamaha), with the 7th-placed scratch time. In the Marathon category, the stage victory went to Frenchman Frédéric Lepan (KTM), who boasts the 20th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the quad race, Portugal’s Joao Carlos Nazare Santos (Yamaha) won.

1. 021 VILADOMS (ESP) KTM 03:45:45 00:00:00
2. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 03:46:42 00:00:57
3. 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM 03:46:45 00:01:00

Cars:

Pending validation, American driver Robby Gordon (Hummer), with a time of 3 hours, 36 minutes 39 seconds, won the sixth special scratch time stage as well as the open category, 17 seconds (!) ahead of Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser), who won the stage in the two-wheel drive category. Third place, 6 minutes 52 seconds behind, went to place Giniel De Villiers (VW). The South African is still 2nd in the general rankings, 3 minutes 11 seconds behind the leader, his Spanish team-mate Carlos Sainz (VW). Finally, in the Production category, Frenchman Paul Belmondo (Nissan) was triumphant with the 31st-placed scratch time.

1. 320 GORDON (USA)/ GRIDER (USA) HUMMER 02:58:57 00:00:00
2. 310 SCHLESSER (FRA)/ DEBRON (FRA) SCHLES-FORD-RAID 02:59:14 00:00:17
3. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 03:05:49 00:06:52

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man) won the sixth special scratch time stage with a time of 3 hours, 39 minutes 58 seconds, 14 minutes 07 seconds ahead of countryman Gerard de Rooy (Ginaf) and 16 minutes 12 seconds in front of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz). In the process, Stacey strengthened his position at the top of the general rankings and now boasts a lead of 48 minutes 42 seconds over Gerard De Rooy.

1. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 03:39:58 00:00:00
2. 509 DE ROOY (HOL)/ COLSOUL (BEL)/ SLAATS (HOL) GINAF 03:54:05 00:14:07
3. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 03:56:10 00:16:12

Todays stage:

STAGE 7: 580 km: Zouerat - Atar
580 km, including 542 km against the clock, are on the menu for the seventh stage. This includes sand, sand and more sand, on the tracks and off-track in the dunes. A stage filled with camel grass and a few fast sections. No-one is likely to be left unmoved by this series of tracks, off-road sections, and dunes. This is where you find out just what “crossing the erg” means. And here too, the hierarchy can be thrown radically into disorder. After six days of racing, those who haven’t managed to avoid problems begin to feel the fatigue. Now, those moments of tiredness can cost you dear. Everybody’s going to be glad of the much-needed rest day on Saturday.

Experience in the desert will once again be primordial, and in this domain, the Mitsubishi drivers will be favourites… It should be noted that the starting times for the cars and trucks will be merged tomorrow: they will start depending on their scratch time position, irrespective of category, with Dutchman Hans Stacey in 22nd position, for example.

8:30 AM Newsupdate:

Gerard de Rooy will not be taking part in today’s stage. Due to irreparable damage team De Rooy decided to call it a day. After Jan de Rooy blew his engine in the sixth stage yesterday this means there will be no De Rooy team competitors in the Dakar. After last years disqualification this sure as hell means deception. What a defeat. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if De Rooy sr. would quit racing the Dakar all together.

iPhone troubles?

16 december 2006:

iPhone launched... but not by Apple

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome the iPhone from... er... Linksys. Yes, the iPhone has indeed been launched today, as forecast, but it's not the device so many people were expecting. Instead, it's Linksys' new brand name for its range of VoIP handsets.

That line-up includes not only a couple of new models but five handsets that have been on the market for some time. The latest phones include the $200 802.11g WLAN-connectible WIP320 and its CIT400 $180 dual-mode DECT and Skype product. Both are available in the US immediately and will ship in other territories during the first quarter of 2007.

The news will disappoint folk hoping for an Apple announcement, but that was always unlikely given CEO Steve Jobs' annual launchathon at Macworld Expo is just around the corner. Plenty of analysts - let alone rumour watchers' sources - reckon an Apple phone is on the cards. And while iPhone was a handy way to name the as yet unannounced product, we're sure Apple can come up with a better name than one already trademarked by a handful of companies throughout the years.

Still, it's a coup for Linksys and parent Cisco, who can now capitalise on the zillions of iPhone items Google lists for a product that, until now, was not even announced.

9 January 2007:

Steve Jobs unveils iPhone to 4,000 drooling fans

Ending months of rampant speculation and anticipation, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled plans for the iPhone, a svelte and sexy device that melds the features of an iPod, a smart phone and an internet communicator.

Tuesday's announcement at the annual Macworld conference in San Francisco ends months of rumors and prognostication about Apple's quest to expand its lineup with the introduction of a full-featured phone. While plenty of pundits have pooh-poohed Apple's prospects of catching up to Nokia, Motorola and other device makers, Jobs said his goal was to capture one per cent of the market by 2008. Jobs cited figures that showed 957 million cell phones were sold last year. He didn't list sales of smart phones, which is a small fraction of that number.

The iPhone ships in the US in June and in Europe in the fourth quarter. Asia will have to wait until next year. A 4GB iPhone will cost $499 with a two year contract and the 8GB will be $599. Cingular has entered in to a "multi-year" exclusive partnership in the US. Jobs didn't identify what carriers it planned to work with overseas. He also announced the availability next month of Apple TV, a living room device for stereos and wide-screen televisions that Apple first teased in September. It will connect to computers throughout the home to make it easier to consume pictures, music and video.

The unveilings came as the company formally changed its name from Apple Computer Inc. to Apple Inc. to signal its expansion from computers into consumer electronics.

Revolutionary?
During a two-hour keynote filled with thousands of ogling fans, Jobs made liberal use of the world "revolutionary" in describing the iPhone. Based on the demo, he probably wasn't exaggerating. The device offers a wider, 3.5-inch screen with touch controls that vastly improve upon the iPod's scroll wheel. To scroll through a list of artists, contacts or photos a user runs a finger down the screen. A faster flick will move further down the list than a slow one. The iPhone features an improved menu structure that makes it faster to find playlists, artists and albums. The screen is also improved, allowing the viewing of video and pictures in either portrait or landscape mode. Switching from one to the other requires a flip of the fingers. The phone uses a version of Apple's own operating system, Mac OS X, and offers random-access voicemail, enabling users to listen to messages in the order they want, rather than in the order they were left. It offers SMS messaging and a 2 megapixel camera.

Jobs used the iPhone to browse movie titles and showed it also allows seamless access to IMAP and POP3 email, and Yahoo will offer the free pushing of IMAP messages. Web browsing benefits from the availability of Safari, the ability to zoom in and out with a tap of the finger and the iPhone's wide-screen capacity.

Jobs also demonstrated a feature that integrates Google Maps into the device, allowing him to locate a Starbucks a few blocks away. Though the iPhone comes with plenty of other goodies, including sensors that control screen brightness, adjust the picture when the device has been rotated from portrait to landscape, and measure how close the user is to the phone, it's not what you might expect. It supports quad-band GSM, EDGE, Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n - in other words no 3G yet and no UMTS, making it a "quaintly old-fashioned phone". This will lose potential sales. Almost certainly, Apple doesn't care. Putting 3G onto the Mk I device would cut the already-ordinary battery life, while making the electronics more complex. And, as most of us know, batteries aren't Apple's strong point..

11 January 2007

Steve Jobs didn't say if Apple had to pay for the rights to the iPhone name. Recent disclosures showed that Cisco Systems held the rights to the brand. Now, January 11th, Cisco has sued Apple over the iPhone name. Let's see what happens.. Want one but don't have the cash/ can't wait? Here's a folding kit to make your own iPod phone.. Let's just call it the iDailyyoghurt phone..

Dakar Thursday: Navigation by heading

At 18.30 GMT, 194 bikes, 138 cars and 56 trucks had finished the fifth special stage and were heading to or had already arrived at the bivouac in Tan Tan, the finishing point of stage number five.

Again, Stacey today simply flew across the stage, setting the highest times and passing the chequered flag in first position. As Gerard de Rooy finished second, this fifth stage ended up a Dutch party. With Tchaguine now gone from the Dakar due to a severe crash (he tipped over his truck in an effort to make up for lost time after having technical problems to his fuel system), a Dutch victory is almost certain.

It’s all over for the Fiat 4x4s!
The PanDakar team I posted about some days ago has run out of luck: timed-out at the start of the day’s special stage and suffering from technical problems, Bruno Saby and Miki Biasion have both dropped out of the rally today. However, the two drivers and their team have decided to stay in Foum-Zguid for several days in order to carry out tests with a view to taking part next year.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Spaniard Isidre Esteve Pujol (KTM) won the fifth special scratch time stage, with a time of 3 hours, 56 minutes 22 seconds ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM), who nonetheless still leads the general rankings 9 minutes 56 seconds in front of Esteve. Third place of the day went to Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM), 5 minutes 02 seconds behind. In the 450 cc category, Portugal’s Ruben Faria (Yamaha) triumphed, with the 6th-placed scratch time. In the Marathon category, Latvian Janis Vinters (KTM) was victorious, with the 14th -placed scratch time. Finally, as regards the quads, Spaniard Juan Manuel Gonzalez (KTM) won.

1. 004 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM 03:56:22 00:00:00
2. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 03:58:16 00:01:54
3. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 04:01:24 00:05:02

Cars:

Pending validation, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW) won the fifth special scratch time stage, with a time of 3 hours, 36 minutes 39 seconds, only 30 seconds ahead of Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi), strengthening his position at the top of the general rankings with a lead that now totals 3 minutes 36 seconds over his team-mate Giniel De Villiers (VW). The South African finished 3rd today, 1 minute 41 seconds behind Sainz. For the two-wheel drive vehicles, Russian Serguey Shmakov (ZIL) picked up the stage victory with the 11th-placed scratch time. In the Open category, American Robby Gordon (Hummer) triumphed with the 15th-placed scratch time. I bet this still can change, because I expect Gordon to receive a time penalty. This because dangerous and reckless driving. On several occassions he ended up bumper hogging and bumper pushing aside other competitors. Finally in the Production category, Italian Maurizio Traglio (Nissan) was victorious, coming 39th in the scratch time standings.

1. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 03:36:39 00:00:00
2. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 03:37:09 00:00:30
3. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 03:38:20 00:01:41

Trucks:

Pending validation, Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man) won the fifth special scratch time stage, with a time of 3 hours, 41 minutes 59 seconds, just 3 minutes 51 minutes ahead of countryman Gerard de Rooy (Ginaf) and 11 minutes 46 seconds in front of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz). Due to the absence from now on of five-times winner Vladimir Chagin (Kamaz) Hans Stacy will be at the top of the general rankings, 34 minutes and 35 seconds in front of Gerard De Rooy.

1. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 03:41:59 00:00:00
2. 509 DE ROOY (HOL)/ COLSOUL (BEL)/ SLAATS (HOL) GINAF 03:45:50 00:03:51
3. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 03:53:45 00:11:46

Todays stage:

STAGE 6: 817 km: Tan Tan - Zouerat
817 km, including 394 km against the clock, are on the menu for the sixth stage, which is the longest in the 29th edition of the Dakar. By the end of the day, almost a thousand kilometres will have been clocked up! To set off on this long preliminary liaison leading to the Mauritanian border, you have to get up extremely early in the morning.

On entering Mauritania for the most difficult stages, the competitors will be faced with the first trackless stretches and the appearance of camel grass. Here more than anywhere else, experience of the desert will count for more than pure performance, which should enable Stephane Peterhansel to continue climbing his way back up the general rankings. At this stage in the rally, just one piece of advice: play for economy.

May the force be with you..

..at 80 kilometers an hour, maximum speed. Munich artist Nick Bötticher modified his Citroén HY to look like Darth Vader. Jackles, I've found your dream car! Pretty awesome! Though this thing will very probably never hit the roads, imagine this thing pulling up behind you at the traffic lights, or bumper hogging you! It'll scare you senceless!

Dakar Wednesday: The wheels in the Atlas Mountains

Tuesday 18.30 GMT, 188 bikes, 98 cars and 20 trucks had completed the fourth special stage and were heading for or had already arrived at the bivouac in Foum-Zguid for the bikers and in Ouarzazate for the cars and trucks, the finishing points of this 4th stage.

This fourth stage was a difficult one, sadly taking yet another life from the field of competitors. The organisers of the Dakar were this morning informed of the death of South African Elmer Symons, rider number 107. At the age of 29, Elmer Symons was taking part in his first Dakar as a competitor after having participated in two other Dakar rally's as part of an assistance team. The rally organisers waited for the arrival at the bivouac of his brother Kingsley Symons, who was providing assistance for him, in order to express their support and sadness.

The fourth stage turned out to be a challenge to several Dutch teams. Though interested in all aspects of the Dakar, Trucks have my main interest. And the Dutch truck teams aren’t really doing their thing, so far. Bekx and De Rooy sr. are far from achieving a high overall ranking, and both Stacey as De Rooy jr. have encountered technical difficulties in all stages so far. In the fourth stage he finished fourth due to problems with the brakes, amongst other things. This has cost De Rooy jr. his second place in the overall ranking, having to hand it over to Stacy. True, the race isn’t over until it’s over, but still..

Stacey simply flew across the planes in the first part of the stage, setting the highest times at several checkpoints. After about 277 kilometres technical problems struck, forcing him to give up the leading position. Eventually he had to settle for second place.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) won the 4th special scratch time stage, 12 minutes and 16 seconds ahead of countryman Isidre Esteve Pujol (KTM) and 18 minutes 56 seconds in front of Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM). The title-holder also took over the lead in the general rankings, 11 minutes 50 seconds ahead of Spaniard Esteve. In the 450 cc category, Frenchman David Frétigné (Yamaha) was victorious, with the 8th-placed scratch time. In the Marathon category, Letton Janis Vinters (KTM) triumphed with the 9th-placed scratch time. Finally, as regards the quads, Spaniard Juan Manuel Gonzalez (KTM) tasted victory.

1. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 04:27:54 00:00:00
2. 004 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM 04:40:10 00:12:16
3. 002 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 04:46:50 00:18:56

Cars:

Pending validation, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (buggy) won the 4th special scratch time stage as well as the 2-wheel drive category, 7 minutes 52 seconds ahead of Portugal’s Carlos Sousa (VW) and 7 minutes 58 seconds in front of Spaniard Carlos Sainz (VW), who strengthened his position at the head of the general rankings, with a lead of 1 minute 55 seconds over his South African team-mate Giniel De Villiers (VW). In the Open category, Eric Vigouroux (Chevrolet) triumphed with the 13th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the Production category, Frenchman Jean-Jacques Ratet (Toyota) was victorious with the 35th-placed scratch time.

1. 310 SCHLESSER (FRA)/ DEBRON (FRA) SCHLES-FORD-RAID 03:59:54 00:00:00
2. 313 SOUSA (POR)/ SCHULZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 04:07:46 00:07:52
3. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 04:07:52 00:07:58

Trucks:

Pending validation, Russian Vladimir Chagin (Kamaz) won the 4th special scratch time stage, 12 minutes 55 seconds ahead of Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man) and 29 minutes 06 seconds in front of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz). Chagin thus strengthens his position at the head of the general rankings and now boasts a lead of 24 minutes 04 seconds over Stacey and 54 minutes 48 seconds over Gerard De Rooy (Ginaf).

1. 500 CHAGIN (RUS)/ YAKUBOV (RUS)/ SAVOSTIN (RUS) KAMAZ 04:56:13 00:00:00
2. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 05:09:08 00:12:55
3. 527 MARDEEV (RUS)/ BELYAEV (RUS)/ NIKOLAEV (RUS) KAMAZ 05:25:19 00:29:06

Todays stage:

STAGE 5: 775 km: Ouarzazate > Tan Tan
775 km, including 325 km against the clock, are on the menu for the fifth stage. A moonscape awaits the competitors on very winding tracks at the start of the special stage, before a smoother portion with some fords towards the end. Experience will therefore again be primordial.

Dakar regulars will have rallied from Ouarzazate to Tan Tan on three times before. Nevertheless, they’ll never have taken the 2007 route on a long-distance trek before. On this special, the drivers are going to get a taste of the Atlas Mountains, a feast for the eyes! The trucks will have to take a slightly different route, a few kilometres shorter. On average, the scenery is dramatic, lunar: for the connoisseurs, a mixture of the Ventoux and the Izoard.

Okay, I admit..

I was wrong and Bram was right.. I needed to upgrade my blogger account in order to be able to post images. So I did. And it works perfectly. There, I said it.

By the way Bram, nice guitar! How much do you want for it? Mr. Marco, are you paying attention? This is a nice guitar!

Dakar Tuesday

Monday, at 19.00 GMT, 233 motorbikes, 169 cars and 61 trucks have finished the third special stage and were heading for or had arrived at the bivouac at Er-Rachidia, the finishing point of the third stage.

Bikes:

Pending validation, Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) has won the third special scratch time stage, 56 minutes ahead of American Chris Blais (KTM) and 2 hours and 57 minutes in front of Spaniard Isidre Esteve Pujol (KTM). Pujol nonetheless has taken over the lead in the general standings, 26 minutes ahead of Coma. In the 450 cc category, the stage victory went to Chilean Francisco Lopez (Honda), who recorded the 10th scratch time. In the Marathon category, South African Elmer Symons (KTM) was triumphant, finishing with the 15th scratch time. Finally, for the quads, Spaniard Carlos Avendano (Suzuki) won with the 58th placed scratch time.

1. 001 COMA (ESP) KTM 03:07:39 00:00:00
2. 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM 03:08:35 00:00:56
3. 004 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM 03:10:36 00:02:57

Cars:

Pending validation, South-African Giniel De Villiers (VW) was victorious in the third special scratch time stage, 25 minutes ahead of his Spanish team-mate Carlos Sainz, who took over the lead in the general standings, 1 hour and 2 minutes in front of De Villiers. The day’s third best time went to Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi). In the 2-wheel drive category, Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy) triumphed, boasting the 12th-placed scratch time. In the Open category, Eric Vigouroux (Chevrolet) tasted victory, notching up 18th position in the scratch time standings. Finally, in the Production category, Portuguese driver Adelio Machado (Toyota) won, finishing with the 37th-placed scratch time. No sign of the PanDakars yet. Bad luck for German veteran Jutta Kleinschmidt: her BMW caught fire 20 km from CP1 on the special stage. Although they put the fire out quickly, Kleinschmidt has lost her change of ranking high.

1. 301 DE VILLIERS (AFS)/ VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 02:46:12 00:00:00
2. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 02:46:37 00:00:25
3. 302 PETERHANSEL (FRA)/ COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 02:49:30 00:03:18

Trucks:

Monday the trucks finally got the chance to put the pedal to the metal. And they did, luckily. Though De Rooy sr. seems to have lost any chance of achieving a top three position (due to a five hour time penalty he got because he needed more than three hours to complete the first stage), De Rooy jr. is working hard, achieving a second place in yesterdays stage. Third was Hans Stacey, showing he's serious about earning his winnings. First place though was for Russian Kamaz driver Vladimir Tchaguine, who arrived at the finishing flag an awesome ten minutes prior to De Rooy sr. Hans Bekx has earned himself the same time penalty as De Rooy sr., so he too doesn't seem to have any chance of achieving a top three rank.

1. 500 CHAGIN (RUS)/ YAKUBOV (RUS)/ SAVOSTIN (RUS) KAMAZ 03:22:13 00:00:00
2. 509 DE ROOY (HOL)/ COLSOUL (BEL)/ SLAATS (HOL) GINAF 03:32:52 00:10:39
3. 501 STACEY (HOL)/ GOTLIB (BEL)/ DER KINDEREN (HOL) MAN 03:33:48 00:11:35

Todays stage:

STAGE 4: 679 km: Er Rachidia > Ouarzazate
A first lesson in endurance. The second Moroccan special is a long one, and above all very varied – just like the whole of the Dakar 2007. For the novices, this is where the full-scale apprenticeship starts as they discover the dunes and experience their first thrills. This is also the moment to confronter the multiple traps in Africa. The priority of the moment: don’t get carried away. A “private” bivouac will be set up for motorcycle racers approximately 100 kilometres from Ouarzazate. Assistance vehicles will not be allowed to enter the working park, as this will be an area where only competitors can work on their motorcycles.

Why the $*=@#%&" can't I post images?!

I've been writing about Dakar the last couple of days and as I normally do I wanted to post some cool pictures with the stories. But what the fuck is going on with Blogger? I can't seem to be able to post pictures! Dammit! Pretty annoying!

Dakar today

Yesterday's stage (the second one from Lissabon to Malaga, Spain) was quite the challenge: the tracks were way to narrow for the trucks. That's why the trucks were excused from driving this stage: it got neutralized. The trucks were transferred to Malaga without competition-element. Overall before reaching Africa three bikers, one car-team and one truck-team have called it a day.

Bikes:

1.010 RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA 01:02:44 00:00:00
2.037 FARIA (POR) YAMAHA 01:03:47 00:01:03
3.004 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM 01:04:29 00:01:45

Cars:

1. 303 SAINZ (ESP)/ PERIN (FRA) VOLKSWAGEN 00:59:26 00:00:00
2. 304 ROMA (ESP)/ CRUZ SENRA (ESP) MITSUBISHI 00:59:55 00:00:29
3. 300 ALPHAND (FRA)/ PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 00:59:55 00:00:29

Trucks:
- Neutralized

Todays stage:

STAGE 3: NADOR – ER RACHIDIA
649 km, including 252 km against the clock, are on the menu for the third stage. After a short night on the boat, the competitors will set foot in Africa. They will then really get to grips with the race: the route will call on navigational skills at the start of the special section, before leaving pride of place to driving talent at the end of the stage, thanks to several delicate sections crossing streams. This terrain could well benefit an experienced driver such as Jean-Louis Schlesser, who triumphed last year in this same African special stage.

Little car, big race: Fiat's PanDAKAR

Fiat's little Panda miniwagon is taking on the Dakar Rally. A pair of race-prepped Pandas will compete in the 8,100 kilometer event. The PanDAKARs, as they're called, will be equipped with 159-liter fuel tanks. That should give the cars, which are powered by 1.3L Multijet turbodiesels, unbelievable range.As can be expected, the Pandas will also be stocked with water reserves, tools to help them extract themselves when stuck in the sand, and 3 spare wheels. The support machinery consists of a (brand new) Fiat Sedici (a.k.a. Suzuki SX4) service vehicle, as well as a trio of Iveco trucks. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the underdog Pandas do in the challenging race.

Related Press release:

The Fiat Panda Cross at the "Dakar 2007"

The "Dakar 2007", that most classic of all rallies with its thrilling succession of stages and special trials, was presented today in Paris. It will start from Lisbon on 6th January and close on the 21st in the Senegal capital after covering 8,696 kilometres, 5,100 of them in the form of timed specials. It will cross Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal. An extraordinary adventure that will see Fiat in the thick of it with two Panda Cross's driven by Miki Biasion, teamed with Tiziano Siviero, and by one of the Fiat squad's official drivers.

Entered in the T2 category, the closest to production vehicles, the two Panda Cross's are fitted with a 1.3 Multijet turbodiesel combined with a six-speed manual gearbox that delivers about 105 bhp at 4500 rpm and has a peak torque of 17 kgm at 2500 rpm. Apart from their small dimensions, the two cars stand out for their automatically selectable all-wheel drive with viscous joint and locking differential, the system that provides more grip on the terrain thanks to the optimal split of motive force to the wheels.

The Fiat Panda Cross is proving to be an extraordinary "explorer", completely at ease on rough, gruelling terrain. Credit for this also goes to the tried and tested, specifically set suspension layout: in front McPherson independent wheels, at the rear independent wheels with longitudinal tie rods. Not to mention the shock absorbers, adjustable 4 ways at the front and 3 at the rear.

The two cars competing in the Dakar 2007 have been fitted out specifically for this rally: so room has been found inside for accessories like the aluminium platforms to get the vehicle out of sand, two shovels, three spare wheels, water reserves for the crew (minimum 10 litres) and other pieces of equipment useful for the occasion. Among other things, the Fiat expedition to Dakar will include a Fiat Sedici as service back-up and three Iveco trucks to transport spares and mechanics.

Winner of two world rally championships with Lancia and two world Truck titles with Iveco in 1998 and 1999, Miki Biasion will be relying on the great manoeuvrability and personality of the Panda Cross. It should also not be forgotten that during its development stage the Panda 4x4, from which the Cross version is derived, was tested in every corner of the Earth for sturdiness, character and road performance, especially in road situations and climate conditions that were often at the limit: in the North, on the ice-bound tracks of freezing Lapland where the temperature drops to 40 below; in the South, in the torrid conditions of South Africa where the Atlantic meets up with the Indian Ocean; in the West, on the rugged slopes of the Sierra Nevada, in Spain; and in the East, in the foothills of the majestic, eternal Mount Everest. In all, the Panda 4x4 covered more than one million kilometres before going into production.

Breaking News - Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran

"Israel has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons. Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, several Israeli military sources say. The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima. Didn't the Israeli's cause enough trouble already? *sigh* Here we go again..

Dakar 2007!

Today the 29th edition of the infamous Dakar race has started. From the city of Lissabon a couple hundred adventurous men and women will travel approximately 8400 kilometres to Dakar. After crossing the Mediterranean Sea, the caravan will head for Dakar after going through Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal. This year’s course promises to be very sandy. The rally that has become a raid last year thanks to new sporting regulations favouring navigation will carry on in a way that has last year delighted the competitors and race fans.

After last years Dakar this year starts promising. Several Dutch teams have sworn revenge after disqualification thanks to not answering to technical terms (and to my idea a very bias organisation). Teams De Rooy and Bekx are off in quite the rocky start. The first De Rooy truck, driven by Gerard de Rooy has won the first heat. His father Jan, the driver of the second De Rooy truck, struck technical problems causing him to keep it at a slow pass. Team Bekx too fell victim to bad luck when on passing a Japanese competitor their truck got heavily damaged. Luckily for both teams the organisation decided the hours of delay won’t interfere with their starting positions for the next heat. Officially, the organisation states that both De Rooy and Bekx deserve a little protection because of their efforts to make the Dakar rally big. Unofficially I kind of think they’re trying to make up for last years mess. Naturally, Hans Stacey will be taking part after last years great result! Anyway, this years Dakar promises to be a good one.

There will be 264 bikers, 189 cars and 85 trucks competing for high scores, but mainly trying to reach Dakar. In total 92 Dutchies are taking part. Overall this means quite a Dutch interest in the Dakar rally. Of all competitors 30% will not succeed in arriving in Dakar. Hopefully, this year’s edition won’t be witness to tragic accidents and deaths. Last years sudden demise of competitors Fabrizio Meoni, Juan Manuel Perez and Andy Caldecott shook the entire Dakar event.

Like last year I will be a true fan to Dakar. I love it! I dream about taking part some day. Until then I’ll try to report on the race on my blog on a daily bases. So, in base you’re interested and you don’t own a TV set (some people are like that), stick around for joy!

Oil-paintings of giant power-cords

Artist Ruth Whiting has a exposition of her oil-paintings of giant power-cords in some gallery in Gainesville, Florida.

Besides the fact the cords look pretty realistic, Ruth seems to have mastered painting 3D objects to quite a high level. The combination of styles remind me of several American 'old masters' like Thomas Cole or Frederic Edwin Church combined with the visually deceiving art of Dutch 20th century graphic artist Maurits Cornelis Escher.

The contrast between the composition and almost classical painting technique makes these paintings simply irresistible. It's not Pop Art, but its something to itself. Critics wouldn't call it art I guess. It's the absurdity and the realism of it all that I like. I would buy one, as soon if I had the chance. And the money, I might add.

Wow, medical science meets technical science

Ob/gyn students at Kyunghee University Medical Center in Seoul learn how to bring humans into the world with help from Noelle, a life-sized robot, and her robo-baby. "The newborn, also a robot, is equipped with lights on its hands and cheeks to indicate its health. Blue lights mean problems while pink lights signal all is ok." That's pretty amazing. I wonder what the father looks like..

Those were the days..

Back in my teenage years I used to be addicted to skateboarding. Not that I was any good at it, but I enjoyed it anyways. I guess you don't have to be the best at something to enjoy it, right? Anyway, I lived the whole deal: wore 'the right' clothes, knew the big honcho boarders, (back then Natas, Lance Mountain, Hosoi, Steve Caballero, Rob Roskopp and Tony Hawk were my heroes. Tony Hawk is about the only one you nowadays still hear about) spend all my paper route money on equipment (my last deck used to be a Powell Peralta Ray Barbee with Gullwing trucks and 40-soft bones wheels) and read the skatemags.

I usually read them, amazed myself over the images and skateboard artwork and then tore it apart. The images that filled entire pages (or spreads, even) ended up hanging from the walls in my room. Smaller images ended up in my school agenda. There were quite the titles, but I read only three: RAD magazine, TransWorld Skateboarding and the godfather of all: Thrasher.

Thrasher used to be much more than skateboarding alone. Brilliant artwork combined with beautiful imagery and equipment-tests; they had it all. Now, in honour of their 25th anniversary, Thrasher has posted their first twelve issues online in their entirety. The issue shown here, from December 1981, contains the important article "Indoor Skateboarding: A Guide To Staying Dry." Ah.. back when skateboarding WAS a crime..

A Carrie wedding-cake?

I love weird and wacky stuff. And I'm all in for original concepts and ideas. Give something your personal touch, so to speak. But some traditions should be kept unaltered! In December the 'Bazaar Bizarre' craft show in Los Angeles presented some of the world’s wackiest cakes. One of the favourite things there was the cakewalk, which featured a number of beautiful and odd cakes. Check out the picture: a "Carrie" wedding-cake!

For all of you who have no idea what Carrie is about, check out IMDB for Carrie-info. Now, this is where I’ll say it again: some traditions should be kept unaltered. A Wedding-cake, how cliché, should at least have a couple of dolls (unimportant which combination of dolls by the way) on top, right?

Somehow I wonder how my family would react if a cake like this one would be presented at our wedding. Hell, I wonder how Suzanne would react! Just to ease your mind: there's no wedding coming up. Honoustly.

A new year, a new calendar

The Website at the End of the Universe (the name alone; genius!) is offering its yearly PDF calendar featuring vintage science fiction magazine covers of women in bikini spacesuits and other ‘practical’ garments.

Decades before Princess Leia ever wore her metal bikini in Return of the Jedi, women frequently modelled fine metallic swimwear on the covers of pulp science fiction magazines to excite the imaginations of impressionable, young readers. Us, basically.

Now, we can relive those days by downloading the ‘Website at the End of the Universe’s free 2007 calendar’. Each month features a different bathing beauty from the future as illustrated on a vintage science fiction magazine cover. Luckily no religious or secular holidays are indicated on the calendar, but the birthdays of different science fiction authors, editors and artists are there for you to start new holidays. For instance today: before lunch, tell your boss that you’re taking the rest of the day off because it’s Isaac Asimov’s birthday.

Any New Years resolutions?

Like every year 2007 started with me making a couple of New Years resolutions. Like every year the two most important ones are losing weight and start exercising. I like challenges, so to speak.

Last year I lost a couple of kilos, so I know it’s possible. And this upcoming year does look promising. Us moving to our new house which is located further away from the city centre for instance could mean I’ll ride my bike more often. Not so bad, eh? Plus the moving itself, and getting the place done. That’ll get me sweating in no-time.

What else? Oh, right; get rich. Nah. There’s so much more to life than money.. Let’s see if we can make it to 2008 without getting ourselves hurt and enjoying the company of good friends some more. Be happy and all that. That will do the trick.