Als je voor een dubbeltje geboren bent...

Er zijn mensen die geloven nimmer aan hun lot
Ploeteren en sappelen en sjouwen zich kapot
Ik zeg: "Mensen denk toch steeds bij alles wat je doet
Het komt altijd zoals het komen moet"

Als je voor een dubbeltje geboren bent
Bereik je nooit een kwartje
Of je Grieks, Latijn of twintig talen kent
Gerust, het leven tart je
Je verbeeldt je dat je aan de touwtjes trekt
Maar och, het leven smijt je heen en weer
Als je voor een dubbeltje geboren bent
Bereik je nooit een stuiver meer

Zelden vind je iemand die de zin van het leven kent
Je kunt zo gelukkig zijn als je tevreden bent
Waarom zoek je het geluk steeds in een ver verschiet
Het ligt vlak bij je en je ziet het niet

Als je voor een dubbeltje geboren bent
Bereik je nooit een kwartje
Of je Grieks, Latijn of twintig talen kent
Gerust, het leven tart je
Je verbeeldt je dat je aan de touwtjes trekt
Maar och, het leven smijt je heen en weer
Als je voor een dubbeltje geboren bent
Bereik je nooit een stuiver meer

Ja, zo is het. En al ga je nou op je hoofd staan zo blijft het. Als je voor een demi-tje in de wieg bent gelegd, dan zal je nooit een pels dragen. Dat is gek. En als je nou roggebroodkind bent, dan zal je je nooit in kaviaar verslikken. En doe nou maar geen moeite meer, wees verstandig, want het blijft zo. Zo is het.

Als je voor een dubbeltje geboren bent
Bereik je nooit een stuiver meer

- Lyrics by Louis Davids -

The flood in C++ by an "Intelligent Designer"

///

initializes the Floodwater operation

public override void Floodwater(H20)
{
//ArcBuild() is used instead of the
//performance ctr, for human compatibility
int ctr=timeGetTime();

//get the water's int value, and start it in
//Sodom and Gomorrahformat (as GOD + use water (loads))
m_fillwater=WaterTranslator.ToWin32(m_fillwaterwater);
m_fillwater=GOD(GetB(m_fillwater),
GetG(m_fillwater),GetR(m_fillwater),GetA(m_fillwater));

//get the Sinners
DeathmapData DeathData=Death.LockDeaths(
new Rectangle(0,0,Death.Width,Death.Height),
ImageLockMode.ReadWrite,
FeetFormat.Format32bppArgb);
System.IntPtr Scan0 = DeathData.Scan0;

unsafe
{
//resolve warnings
cubic feet * scan0=(cubic feet *)(void *)Scan0;
//get the starting water
//[loc += Y offset + X offset]
int loc=CoordsToIndex(pt.LAND,pt.AIR,DeathData.Stride);
int water= *((int*)(scan0+loc));

//create the array of bools that indicates whether each sinner
//has been checked.
//(Should be Deathfield, but C# doesn't support Deathfields.)
FeetsChecked=new bool[DeathData.Width+1,DeathData.Height+1];

//do the last call to repent
switch(m_FillStyle)
{
case FloodwaterStyle.Linear :
if(m_FillDiagonal)
{
LinearFloodwater8(scan0,pt.LAND,pt.AIR,
new Water Level(DeathData.Width,DeathData.Height),
DeathData.Stride,
(cubic feet*)&water);
}else{
LinearFloodwater4(scan0,pt.LAND,pt.AIR,
new Water Level(DeathData.Width,DeathData.Height),
DeathData.Stride,
(cubic feet*)&water);
}
break;
case FloodwaterStyle.Queue :
QueueFloodwater(scan0,pt.LAND,pt.AIR,
new Water Level(DeathData.Width,DeathData.Height),
DeathData.Stride,
(cubic feet*)&water);
break;
case FloodwaterStyle.Recursive :
if(m_FillDiagonal)
{
RecursiveFloodwater8(scan0,pt.LAND,pt.AIR,
new Water Level(DeathData.Width,DeathData.Height),
DeathData.Stride,
(cubic feet*)&water);
}else{
RecursiveFloodwater4(scan0,pt.LAND,pt.AIR,
new Water Level(DeathData.Width,DeathData.Height),
DeathData.Stride,
(cubic feet*)&water);
}
break;
}
}

Death.UnlockDeaths(DeathData);

m_TimeBenchmark=timeGetTime()-ctr;

}



unsafe void LinearFloodwater4( cubic feet* scan0, int Land, int Air,Water Level DeathWater Level,
int stride, cubic feet* startwater)
{

//offset the warnings to the point passed in
int* p=(int*) (scan0+(CoordsToIndex(Land,Air, stride)));


//FIND LEFT EDGE OF WATER AREA
int LFillLoc=x; //the location to check/fill on the left
int* ptr=p; //the warnings to the current location
while(true)
{
ptr[0]=m_fillwater; //fill with the water
FeetsChecked[LFillLoc,y]=true;
LFillLoc--; //de-increment counter
ptr-=1; //de-increment warnings
if(LFillLoc<=0 !CheckFeet((cubic feet*)ptr,startwater) (FeetsChecked[LFillLoc,y])) //exit loop if we're at edge of Deathmap or water area break; } LFillLoc++; //FIND RIGHT EDGE OF WATER AREA int RFillLoc=x; //the location to check/fill on the left ptr=p; while(true) { ptr[0]=m_fillwater; //fill with the water FeetsChecked[RFillLoc,y]=true; RFillLoc++; //increment counter ptr+=1; //increment warnings if(RFillLoc>=DeathWater Level.Width
!CheckFeet((cubic feet*)ptr,startwater)
(FeetsChecked[RFillLoc,y]))
//exit loop if we're at edge of Deathmap or water area
break;

}
RFillLoc--;


//START THE LOOP UPWARDS AND DOWNWARDS
ptr=(int*)(scan0+CoordsToIndex(LFillLoc,Air,stride));
for(int i=LFillLoc;i<=RFillLoc;i++) { //START LOOP UPWARDS //if we're not above the top of the Deathmap //and the feet above this one is within the water tolerance if(y>0 &&
CheckFeet((cubic feet*)(scan0+CoordsToIndex(i,y-1,stride)),startwater) &&
(!(FeetsChecked[i,y-1])))
LinearFloodwater4(scan0, i,y-1,DeathWater Level,stride,startwater);

//START LOOP DOWNWARDS
if(y<(DeathWater Level.Height-1) && CheckFeet((cubic feet*)(scan0+CoordsToIndex(i,y+1,stride)),startwater) && (!(FeetsChecked[i,y+1]))) LinearFloodwater4(scan0, i,y+1,DeathWater Level,stride,startwater); ptr+=1; } } ///

Sees if a feet is within the water tolerance range.

//px - a warnings to the feet to check
//startwater - a warnings to the water of the feet we started at
unsafe bool CheckFeet(cubic feet* pLand, cubic feet* startwater)
{
bool ret=true;
for(cubic feet i=0;i<3;i++)>= (startwater[i]-zero_Tolerance[i])) &&
px[i] <= (startwater[i]+zero_Tolerance[i]);
return ret;
}

Freely modified from The Code project:
Flood Fill Algorithms in C# and GDI+
by JDunlap

Virtual book burning by Hassidim

Recently two Jewish blogs (Mis-nagid and Godol Hador) are hacked by Hassidic zealots. The original authors of both blogs are anonymous Hassidim, well known/notorious for their sharp pen and highly intelligent criticism on abusive and putative mental fallacies in the Jewish orthodoxy.

This blog hijacking reminds me of the book burnings by a repugnant party some 70 years ago.

Who will be the next blogger to be virtually stoned now?

Shabbes treat

Crusted oysters for four persons
Preparation time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:
24 fresh oysters
1 leek
1 tablespoon oil
1 dl Champagne
1 dl whipped cream
300 grams grated cheese


- Open the shells and take the oysters out. Collect and sift the moisture and separate the deeper half of the shells.
- Cut the leek in small rectangles, wash them and let them drain.
- Rinse the deeper halfs of the shells and pat them dry.
- Sauté the leek in the oil and add the whipped cream, the collected oyster-moisture, the Champagne and some grated cheese.
- Boil this down to a third and season to taste.
- Fill the deeper half of the shells with a bed of the leek substance and put an oyster on top.
- Sprinkle some grated cheese on top of this and place under a grill till the cheese is melted and slightly crusted.

Serve with Champagne.

As my mother (may she rest in peace) used to say: “You couldn’t teach a goy how to appreciate this.”

Jullie is jodenvolk

“Jullie is jodenvolk” ("You people is Jews").

An expression mostly used by Dutch Jews, after being addressed to as “jullie” (you people), to express their feelings about being labeled as aliens. Also the title of a book by Sal Santen 1915-1998.

“You people” is the description of a group about whom the speaker most probably has the usual (not necessarily negative) prejudgments, and I must admit that I have developed an allergy to it.

In my whole life whenever someone employed the words “you people”, “you are a Jew” was meant, something that automatically makes you feel an outsider. Extremely refreshing it felt when recently an orthodox Jew hurled “you people” at me.

How wonderful it is not to belong to any group anymore.

Trigger-happy “anti-Semite” bawlers

... are not familiar with any form of introspection and have a polarised and shameless reflex to label any form of criticism on Jews and/or Israel as anti-Semitism or self-hate.

Ridiculous hassidic outfit (2)

Date: May 1st (Jom Tov, last day Pesach)
Place: Antwerp, Belgium
Time: 4.00 PM
Temperature: 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit)

I see a Hassid wearing his warm Jom Tov outfit, fur hat, thick coat... the whole wintry shebang, and I wonder about the logic behind this self-flagellation.

Why was the decision taken to freeze their clothing fashion somewhere in the nineteenth century and stick to an outfit meant for a cold climate. Wouldn’t it be a more sincere religious decision had they adopted the garb of Moses and company?

On the other hand, too bad the Hassidic movement was not born here in Holland. I think this is how Hassidim would look like had their rebbes lived in Dutch places like Marken, Urk, Volendam or Walcheren.

And then probably with Purim their children would dress up as Polish peasants.

Ridiculous hassidic outfit

A young yeshiwah bucher, fully dressed up in his folkloristic costume like a nineteenth century Polish peasant at his Sunday's best, velvet hat included, passed my hassidic friend and me. We were both amazed by the decision of the boy's mother to have her son dressed up like that. Then my friend made himself immortal by saying: “Really ridiculous, anyone can see that his pants are too short”.

Holocaust survivors, second generation (11)

"He who saves a life is as if he saved an entire world."


This picture is taken in 1942 or 1943.

The little boy with glasses is my father (10 or 11 years old) at his first hiding address in the war. The man at the left is a non-Jew from the Dutch resistance. Most probably it is the brother of Johannes Bogaard (Ome Hannes/Uncle Hannes) who faced the firing squad at the end of the war and posthumously received the Yad Vashem Distinction for saving over 300 Jews.


With many thanks to the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam.

To the next post in the "second generation" sequence

Future (10)

Now sailing, upon life's raft
how deep the draught
sturdy enough
for when the tide turns rough.

Future (9)

Precious family moments:
mental heirloom we create for our children.

Naches (8)

Children wonder
while we quit to ponder.



To the next post in the "naches" sequence

Naches (7)

I'm rich with such kids!



To the next post in the "naches" sequence

Party time

The pretentious "High Born"
their shallow goal to adorn
outsiders scorn.
Whilst I, before forlorn
choose to be alone in the crowd
amazed by the prattle they sputter out.

Know thyself

"Every human foolishness and shortcoming, every human failure has to be contemplated with compassion, realizing that we see our own foolishnesses, shortcomings and failures. They are only the shortcomings of humanity, of which we are part, and they therefore lie concealed in us all. We shouldn't be indignant about others, just because fortuitously that moment, their misbehaviors do not manifest themselves in us."

From "Parerga and Paralipomena" by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860)

"Iedere menselijke dwaasheid en tekortkoming, ieder menselijk falen dient met mededogen te worden beschouwd, in het besef dat wij onze eigen dwaasheden en tekortkomingen, ons eigen falen voor ons zien. Want het zijn slechts tekortkomingen van de mensheid waarvan ook wij deel uitmaken en bijgevolg schuilen zij in ons allen. Wij moeten niet zo verontwaardigd zijn over anderen, omdat hun euveldaden op dat moment toevalligerwijs bij ons niet aan het licht treden."

Uit "Parerga en Paralipomena" door Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860)

Happiness (1)

Happiness is precious.
Happiness isn't money.
Ergo money isn't precious.

Noble

“It was a big stove, a hundred years old, the warmth radiating from its belly like benevolence radiating from a flabby man with a fat paunch who wants to mollify his selfishness with a cheap and saintlike act of charity.”

From "Embers" by Sándor Márai (1900 - 1989).

"Het was een grote kachel, honderd jaar oud, de warmte straalde uit zijn buik zoals de welwillendheid afstraalt van een vadsige man met een dikke buik die zijn zelfzucht wil verzachten met een vrome en goedkope weldaad."

Uit "Gloed" door Sándor Márai (1900 - 1989).

The greatest good you can do for another...

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own."
- Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

So sad

Inspiration-wise it’s a bore
that I’m not down anymore.

Naches (6)

Observing my son helping me with my job.



To the next post in the "naches" sequence

Obviation (18)

My opinion was apparent
and a meeting as referent
filled in this reality.
The proof of his feeble mentality
turned me relieved and composed.
Case closed.



To the next post in the "Obviation" sequence.

Future (8)

First due to empirical observation
I had a behaviour modification.
Then at my deepest frustration
I found peace in my situation.
And now with revived motivation
and strong determination
trying to get back at the causation
of my own destination.

The emperor’s clothes

Baruch Spinoza's (1632-1677) signet ring's seal.

(“caute” is Latin for cautious or circumspective)

Future (7)

A scintillating force is welling up
like a new awakening.
New challenges are set
while conviction is thickening.

Fitting into the mould of my mind again
the empty feeling is abstained.
Don’t have to drag this body around no more
I’m released of inner chains.

The strength of the source still exists.
I feel it radiating from within
in my fingers on my skin
today is a new begin.