June 5, 2007
Mobile scooters will be racing at the Zandvoort racetrack in Zandvoort aan Zee to celebrate Mobility Day (‘Mobiliteitsdag’). This day is dedicated to anyone who can get around quickly and properly in a wheelchair, mobile scooter or walker. There will be an obstacle course, wheelchair races, mobile scooter races and a celebrity race. You can also have your wheelchair or mobile scooter pimped.
June 3, 2007
I used to work at a factory that made these things, albeit not in Dutch.
The sign should read Groenburgwal, and so has an ‘r’ too many. Hope it was free.
This is akin to finding a four-leaf clover (and ‘groen’ means green).
‘Still waiting’ refers to the fact that the sign has now been removed and we’re all waiting for the corrected version (see link).
(Link: A5, Photo: Herenlunch)
Tags: signs, streets, typography
June 2, 2007
Dutch researchers in the city of Utrecht are trying to grow pork meat in a laboratory with the goal of feeding millions without the need to raise and slaughter animals. According to Bernard Roelen, veterinary science professor at Utrecht University, the goal is make meat without killing animals. Although it is in its early stages, the idea is to replace harvesting meat from livestock with a process that eliminates the need for animal feed, transport, land use and the methane expelled by animals, which all hurt the environment, he said.
Research is also under way in the US, including one experiment funded by Nasa to see whether meat can be grown for astronauts.
(Link: Times of India, via Netherlands Post)
June 1, 2007
So far, 4,000 people have signed up for a yet to be determined nude photo shoot by Spencer Tunick on Sunday, 3 June sometimes early in the morning in downtown Amsterdam. The world-famous American photographer is known for his group photos of naked people in public spaces. Tunick already had a shoot this year in a bulb field in Schermerhorn, North Holland, but now he says his Amsterdam dream will come true. I believe it is possible to still sign up.
Tunick is happy that so many people have signed up for his project in Amsterdam.
Tags: Amsterdam, nudity, Spencer Tunick
May 31, 2007
As of this Wedsnesday, cemetery de Larikshof in Rhenen, Utrecht is the first to boast a digital headstone complete with screen, which can show films or slides. However, visitors of de Larikshof need a special battery to activate the screen. And of course, the films and slides are hopefully related to the dearly departed.
(Link: webwereld)
Tags: graveyards, Rhenen, Utrecht
May 30, 2007
The Slurpr, a WiFi access point which aggregates up to six ‘available’ (actually, unprotected) 54 Mbps WiFi channels into (as the link puts it) “one bigazz, ‘free’ connection”. It is the latest invention of Dutch hacker, Mark Hoekstra and his friend, Boris Veldhuizen van Zanten. Of course, use of the Slurpr in its current incarnation will likely violate wardriving (warbiking in the Netherlands) laws in certain countries. One can bravely pre-order Slurpr at Mark’s site for EUR 999 (US$1,347) a box today.
(Link: Engadget)
May 29, 2007
Artist Tilmann Meyer-Faje of Almere, Flevoland has started a ‘kroket’ art project and has been riding through the Stedenwijk Noord neighbourhood in a mobile kroket car he made himself. Once the artist found out that krokets had a rich past, he started collecting kroket recipes from neighbourhood residents. Besides collecting recipes and selling krokets, Tilmann also collected kroket stories. The kroket project will end on 7 July.
Some people keep arguing that krokets are not as junky as they used to be, but that does not mean they are healthy. And if anyone wants to catch the kroket car and taste sutff, here is the schedule.
(Link: vleesmagazine.nl)
A new little hole in the wall that serves ice cream has just opened on the Albert Cuyp Market in Amsterdam, called Yscuypje (‘little ice cream cup’ in old Dutch, with a reference to the Albert ‘Cuyp’ Market). The sherbets are full of fruit, the ice cream is actually made with chocolate and cream, and the pistachio ice cream is pistachio green and not chock full of E412 (aka guar gum) and tastes like pistachio. Their ice cream machine is a top-of-the-line 30-year-old Italian device that costs as much as a big German car. The flavours are very ‘Amsterdam’, developed by the owners themselves, and the prices are very reasonable. You can also buy litres of it for home enjoyment.
(Link and photo: Kreukreuscopie)
May 27, 2007
The Vismarkt area in the city of Utrecht, province of Utrecht has a sewage problem and the city is working on it. In the mean time, the city has asked the residents to use biological products and an eco toilet (probably not the one shown here) and yeah, they’re not happy about it. However, there are businesses on that street and even though some of them are willing to use bio dishwashing liquid, asking paying customers to use a camping-like eco-toilet is not going to happen. And these residents pay money for using the sewers, they should be able to do so as they please.
(Link: ad)
Tags: environment, sewage, toilets, Utrecht
May 26, 2007
Five students from an institution in Boxtel, Noord-Brabant have developed a powder that by adding water turns into an alcoholic drink. The powder has been baptised Booz 2 go and contains 3% alcohol. And of course, the students did their marketing research and found out that students like the I-can-take-it-with-me-anywhere idea. Once it hits the market, the powder will cost a little more than 1,50 euro. It seems to have all the trappings of a hype.
(Link: zibb)
Tags: alcohol, Boxtel, Noord-Brabant, students
