My Life on this planet.

In Belgium, attempts to form a government stalled (partly) due to disagreements over tax reforms as these should be more balanced. While these reforms are essential, they should not disproportionately benefit the wealthy, as this would place a greater burden on middle and lower-income citizens. When the majority can no longer afford to spend, businesses will suffer as consumer demand will decline, leading to a decrease in profits. Initially, probably local companies are more affected, but eventually, even larger corporations will feel the impact as well. In the UK in 2022, Prime Minister Liz Truss ’s government also found it essential to reform the tax system, but her government collapsed shortly after introducing a plan as it was considered too extreme and bad for the economy. PM Truss argued that British taxes were among the highest globally, a claim that seemed exaggerated — especially compared to Belgium’s system which imposes much higher taxes at lower income thresholds. While...

The Roman Catholic Church struggles to do good even when it tries, as it remains trapped in outdated worldviews that even the Pope cannot change within the institution he leads. Pope Francis himself appears unable to fully overcome these entrenched beliefs. Pope Francis I recently visited Belgium to improve relations and reconnect with a Church that has lost many followers over the past few decades, partly due to the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests, which was then covered up by Church authorities to protect its reputation. The legacy of conservative Pope John Paul II , consistently praising "traditional families" but condemning LGBTQ individuals who are part of families, preaching against contraception and abortion while allowing the Church to conceal abuses, still lingers today by many. On the other hand, increasing numbers of people stopped attending Church because they saw a discrepancy between its teachings on LGBTQ issues and contraceptives and their own e...

I like photography. Here a series of photos I took with my NikonD5300 with lens Nikkor 18-300mm during the carnival in my hometown Sint-Truiden. I like them, although I sometimes have troubles as the photos are sometimes too dark, and with up exposure they can sometimes by too light. But, better mastering my camera and lens will likely improve my "wow" factor when straight out the camera.  Here a few pictures, all taken with my Nikon D5300 and lens Nikkor  18.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-6.3.

This morning. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that Flemish victims need to pay for the translation of their documents  so that they are receptive. After nearly 200 years of existence as a bilingual country, Belgium still doesn't know how to deal with it, and thus to justify its continued existence. Situation In 2016, terrorist attacks at the airport and a metro station in Brussels killed 32 victims (while also three perpetrators died) and wounded hundreds of people, both Flemish, Walloons and foreigners. Now the trial started in the bilingual city Brussels. Still, the Court decided to choose the language French as the working language. And thus, while Walloons can submit documents in their own language, Flemish, but probably also foreigners, must also submit in French all their documents, such as reports by doctors who they consulted most likely in their own language to treat their injuries, and the victims need to pay expensive legally approved translators, or the docu...

The Belgian Commission on Belgium's colonial past was a failure as politicians didn't want to agree on an apology about the terror under, mainly, king Leopold II's reign in Congo, although later also Belgium didn't always act correctly. Originally an apology was planned although without compensation , but even this was too much.  Belgium doesn't apologise for its past in its colonies It is beyond believe that Belgians still don't want to condemn officially and with the strongest possible wording the crimes, the genocide committed under their second king Leopold II who allowed the mutilation and dead of men, women, even children when they didn't work hard enough, and to use the violence as an example for others to work harder. Estimates are that up to 10 million people died under king Leopold II's rule over Congo as his personal property; he should never have taken that land. Remember Hitler's 6 million Jews, and most Germans are rightly ashamed of ...

Leopold II in Congo Belgium has a terrible human rights track record because of its second king Leopold II (1835 - 1909) during whose reign millions of people in Congo died. People may say he is not personally responsible but the same can be said of Hitler. However, Leopold II could have ruled only Belgium but this he considered too small and thus he lobbied to gain Congo for himself and succeeded on the condition he would treat its people correct, something he refused to do from day one. Therefore, he is responsible as he actively searched for this expansion to enrich himself so he could enlarge his own glory in his kingdom Belgium with neglect of his "subjects" in Congo. And people in those days had already a conscience because the king had to replace the first ambassador who refused to collaborate to expand the king's personal property.   To have an impression of the terror Leopold ii allowed in Congo is a picture in this article that shows a black father who l...

Bart De Wever, a cursed politician. Born in Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, just a few kilometres from the Belgium/ Dutch border and this results in such a difference. When he would have been born in the Netherlands, with his political inside he may be its PM and the country may flourish while he may not grow such a dislike for what are considered left political parties, the socialist and green (although for me the green are today's liberals while liberals became neoliberals LINK ARTICLE ON BLOG). However, he's born in Belgium. And so are all other Flemish. And the curse even extends to all Belgians as we all need to continue opposing each other political while we can live together at personal levels.   History and today through my eyes Mr De Wever is considered by many as the devil in person because he defends the right that Flemish people are treated with respect, certainly in their own region Flanders where people speak the language Dutch (many call it "Flemish")...