Genocide & a summit

Every year I look forward to IDFA, the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. From the five documentaries my friend Bart and I saw this year 'Meru' and 'Fog of Srebrenica' stood out. The first one is a thrilling tale about climbers obsessed with the impossible ascent of peak Meru in the Himalayas - the climbing genreContinue reading "Genocide & a summit"

At war

  Since the horrendous attacks in my beloved Paris I've been increasing my reading on ISIS, the attacks, jihadism and the Middle-East. Here's a selection: A Vox article on the gap between true narratives and true facts. "America has not changed Iraq or Syria, but the wars there have indeed changed America" - a long-read Continue reading "At war"

Superforecasting – Philip Tetlock (2015)

Most important take-away: don't take 'experts' too seriously, especially not the famous ones. They are very prone to looking at the world through the lens of a so-called hedgehog: there is only one truth and reality has to adapt to it. Tetlock has even demonstrated an inversed correlation between fame and accuracy. The more famousContinue reading "Superforecasting – Philip Tetlock (2015)"

Oorlog en Kermis – Olaf Koens (2015)

A set of stories about the surreal world Russians, Ukrainians and other former Soviet peoples live in. A world wherein everything and everyone is suspect, where the abnormal is normal and vodka is consumed like water.  Although every story is different - from the adventures of Pussy Riot to the incarceration of Greenpeace employees, fromContinue reading "Oorlog en Kermis – Olaf Koens (2015)"

Youth – Paolo Sorrentino (2015) ****

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T7CM4di_0c A rich and impressive film about friendship, growing older, family and yes…life; both humorous and philosophical, it’s a visual wonder (as may be expected from Sorrentino) with great actors (notably the 82 year old Michael Caine). Despite flirting with kitsch, especially in some scenes towards the end, it’s a film to love.

A day in the life of a ‘sensor’ – a drone pilot

Thousands of people have been killed by drones in the last 14 years: in Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and probably many other countries. This is how such a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is operated, from thousands miles away.

How to say farewell to your mother?

Touching. Brutally honest. A story about dying. About the, painful, relationship between mother and son - full of secrets and, as the story unfolds, more and more outpourings. Van Dis has an audacious way of bidding his mother farewell. Called a novel, I assume it is for almost one hundred percent autobiographical. It for sureContinue reading "How to say farewell to your mother?"

Magie in al je communicatie – Bas Mouton (2015)

A self-help book that promises magic in all our communication by getting rid of the well known tricks (where to put your hands, how to capture the audience with your eyes etc), and have the guts to show yourself and convey a genuine message. Bas Mouton has formulated 9 rules, ranging from "give compliments toContinue reading "Magie in al je communicatie – Bas Mouton (2015)"

Will Angus Deaton’s thinking now become mainstream?

This week Angus Deaton won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on development, welfare and poverty. Although he is optimistic about the world as a whole becoming a better place he very much criticizes the West's attempts to alleviate poverty in developing countries. He even insists that 'we' are currently making things worse.Continue reading "Will Angus Deaton’s thinking now become mainstream?"

The Tyranny of Experts – William Easterly (2014)

This book wants to provoke, to stir debate and eventually change our thinking on how to help the poor. Its great subtitle, Economist, Dictators and the Forgotten Rights of the Poor, is just the start. Easterly main message is that the real cause of poverty is the unchecked power of the state against poor peopleContinue reading "The Tyranny of Experts – William Easterly (2014)"

Putinism, Russia and it’s Future with the West – Walter Laqueur (2015)

As one of the most important actors on the geopolitical chess board I'm dying to better understand Putin and his Russia: Should he be feared and contained or, as some pundits argue, is he in fact our natural ally? The 'preeminent' historian Laqueur has a deep understanding of Russian history and its complexity as heContinue reading "Putinism, Russia and it’s Future with the West – Walter Laqueur (2015)"

Slow West – John McLean (2015) ***

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC0Bn-SksYY Since I saw him excel in Steve McQueen's "Hunger", I go to see every new Michael Fassbender movie. Slow West is certainly not his best, but it's good entertainment: a combination of a ferry tale, a classic western and some Tarantinoesque shooting scenes. The story line is pretty straightforward: a Scottish boy looking forContinue reading "Slow West – John McLean (2015) ***"