I stole the titel from a press release from IATA. Seeing the graph they are in full panic-mode now. IATA is in conference in Istanbul (1 - 3 June IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit) and what is coming out there is worth a look.

About Us

IATA is an international trade body, created some 60 years ago by a group of airlines. Today, IATA represents some 230 airlines comprising 94% of scheduled international air traffic. The organisation also represents, leads and serves the airline industry in general.

               

He is one of the best-known Dutch politicians. His views about Islam have offended Muslims and non-Muslims alike, within the Netherlands and around the world. He's the most famous bleach-blond since Marilyn Monroe. And he's about to release a highly controversial anti-Islam film, called Fitna, or "Ordeal" in Arabic.

About Fitna, the Netherlands and Wilders (see 10min.film below)

Very rarely has a film sparked off as much pre-release controversy as Dutch MP Geert Wilder's `Fitna,the movie'. Even without knowing what's in it, 'Fitna' has got the world asking questions. Questions about the man who made it and his motives, about the country he lives in where his film is allowed. Questions about that country's government - which issues warnings about the film but does nothing to stop it. And questions about the position of Muslims in The Netherlands. The central character in this film is also struggling with these questions, and decides to travel to The Netherlands in search of answers.

Federal elections are held every four years in Belgium. Today 7.7 million Belgians go to the polls to elect a new Federal Parliament. Voters will choose a new Chamber of Representatives (150 members) and 40 senators. Belgium is one of the few democracies where voting is obligatory. Anyone not turning up to vote risks a fine.

And the Belgian elections too - afew

Updated here: final Belgium vote results

In the LondonMeet Shoe Blogging diary, Helen proves again she knows about beer, even Belgian beer. I must admit she demonstrates a more extensive knowledge than I have despite being Flemish and having three breweries 'around the corner'.
In the thread afew mentioned 'Gueuze' might be a Flemish word. Well he was right, partially ! But to explain we need a bit of history and we will discover multicultural influences already exist in Europe since a long time.

from the diaries

Sunday 30 July 2006 is a historic day in DR CONGO (DRC). For the first time in 46 years democratic elections are organised.  This morning the message came that a Belgian unmanned aerial vehicle (Israeli made B-Hunter) crashed in the streets of Kinshasa wounding two. Belgian military are in DRC as part of the European force to keep an eye on the elections.((Operation EUFOR RD Congo).). Is this the omen the elections will crash also?

From the front page ~ whataboutbob

Political propaganda African style.....

from the frontpage

   
                                             Local mining in Katanga.

***back from front page

            A US strategic bomber, a B-52, refuelling mid-air.

In an earlier diary, I wrote about the biggest plane, the Mriya, now it is about one of te smallest helicopters ever build (yes, I'm an extremist): it's unbelievable small and it's Belgian: the Pixelito helicopter. Weight inclusive battery : 6,9 grams (NO typo!). 4 channel infra-red control. The hamster weighs 120 grammes.

I forgot the author of that quote but the author of this plane challenges this, because far more is at stake.

Sat. 20 may 2006  Bomako (Mali) : funeral of Oulematou Niangadou (24) attended by more than 1000 people inclusive premier Ousmane Issoufi Maïga.	Wen.17 may Antwerp (Belgium) : Funeral of 2 year old Luna attended by more than 1000 people: politicians were asked by the parents to stay away.

The facts which led to these funerals:

1. On 11 May, a young man (18) enters a shop in Antwerp (Belgium). He buys a hunting riffle with 15 shells.
2. With the riffle, 'holding it like a cowboy' as a witness recalls, he enters one of the center streets of the city.
3. From 5m he shoots a woman in the back; the woman of Turkish origin was sitting near a park reading Flemish poetry (!) to learn more of the Flemish language.
4. The young man walks calmly further in the street, from only a few meters away, he shoots a black woman and a white child she had with her, both died immediately.
5. An alert and courageous policeman goes in direct confrontation with the shooter and can shoot him down with his pistol.

The Turkish woman, severly wounded, survives.
The shooter also survives.

Fot this sessions, Michael Albert has prepared a paper offering 10 claims about vision and strategy of participatory economics.

Inspiring stuff: