Tuesday 26 December 2023

Turntable Fischer MT-6225

The Fischer MT-6225
semi-automatic turntable I ordered from HiFiStereo.nl is same the turntable wich I listened and loved from 1978 to ±1990, I then gave it away, LPs and all, to a friend ... stupid, stupid ... I still regret it.
Fisher was part of Sanyo, later Panasonic. Quality audio, as this sleek semi-automatic turntable shows. It is equipped with a good Shure V15III Supertrack element, which stylus can be improved with an hyper eliptical needle (Tonar-06453-HYPEL €125).
I connect the record player to a Phono preamplifier (Tonar Vinyline MM/MC €150) that I ordered with it. Price Fisher MT-6225: €450





Fisher MT6225:  A Major Technological Advance in Turntable Engineering

The worlds first linear motor direct drive turntable
One of the problems in improving turntable performance, especially with direct drive systems, is the difficulry of reducing woa and flutter due to cogging action of the direct drive motor.
With its limited number of poles (usually 12) , a conventional direct drive system has an inherent problem, at its relatively slow operating speed, of low starting torque.
To solve these problems and improve turntable performance, Fisher has engineered the linear motor, 120 pole direct drive systems.

The Platter is The Motor
In effect, the platter becomes the motor of the MT6225. and Fisher's 120 pole design practically eliminates cogging action and wow and flutter - to a totally inaudible 0,03%
And the linear motor direct drive system further reduces turntable rumble to an extremely low -70 dB, so far below hearing level to be completely inaudible.

How it works
A continuous ring of magnetic material, containing, 120 magnetic poles, is attached to the inside bottom rim of the platter. As the platter rotates, each pole opposes one of the electromagnetic drivers on the base top. Each of the 120 poles is attracted or repelled as it passes the driving electromagnets for smooth, stable operation.

An electronic sensing device monitors the platter's speed, and acts as a servo feedback control to maintain practically perfect speed accuracy. A built-in strobe and pitch controls are provided.

The speed accuracy of the system is independent of line voltage fluctuations.

The Arm
The handsomely styled Fisher MT6225 is equipped with a professional type horizontal and vertical gimbal suspended tone arm for performance commensurate with its technologically advanced design.

The arm accepts all standard cartridges. The auto-return system which returns the arm to rest at the end of a record is also an advanced design with no restraints on its lateral or vertical motion during operation.

The arm has adjustable tracking force with calibrated settings from 0,6 to 3,5 grams. There's also precise variable anti-skate, and viscous damped cueing. The MT6225 also has an aluminum alloy die cast platter, and a walnut grain vinyl veneer wood base.


Specifications
Motor: Linear Direct Drive
Wow and Flutter: 0,03% (WRMS), Rumble: -70 dB
Speed Variation: ±0,5% , Speed Control Range: ±3%
Tracking Force Range: 0,6 - 3,5 grams
Platter: Die cast aluminum, Diameter: 12-15/16", Weight: 2,2 lbs
Record Speed Selector: 33-⅓ and 45 rpm
Tone-arm: S-shape form
Resonance: less than 10 Hz, Effective Length: 222 mm
Bearing Type Horizontal : Thrust 
Friction Sensitivity : 0,15 gram Vertical : Pivot
Friction Sensitivity : 0,2 gram
Max. Tracking Error: ±1,5°
Anti-skate: adjustable control
Cueing: Viscous damped
Power Requirements: 110V - 220 V Ac 50/60 Hz
Dimensions (W x H x D): 17-3/4" x 6" x 14-1/4"
Weight: 17,7 lbs ; 8,0 kg


Monday 25 December 2023

Soundhole pickup (Humbucker + mic) for acoustic guitar




Harley Benton TrueTone SH-30H Pro Active Humbucker, active magnetic soundhole pickup for acoustic steelstring guitars, active ultra-noiseless design, combination of magnet humbucker that pickup strings & build in microphone that pick up the resonance from the body, integrated volume & mic control, powered by two small CR2032 batteries for up to 160 hours of performance, attached 70cm cable with 6,3mm jack plug, dimensions: 107mm x 34.5mm x 19.5mm, (NOTE will not work for nylon stringed instruments).
Price Thomann €59.



The sound of the humbucker pickup is astonishingly good and really comes to life when the sound from the built-in microphone is blend in.
Because the sound is so incredibly good, I installed the jack plug on the back of the guitar and thus made it a permanent setup.



Tuesday 19 December 2023

Takamine jumbo, electro acoustic guitar

Looking for a jumbo model, I bought the following guitar from Bas from A'foort:

Takamine G-series EG523SC-black

The Takamine EG523SC Acoustic Electric Guitar has outstanding bright and clear sound by itself or plugged in. It features a Solid Spruce top, Block MOP and Abalone inlays, Maple back and sides, Rosewood fingerboard, and chrome tuners.
The TK-40 preamp gives you a tunable notch filter and switchable midrange contour. The notch filter allows you to dial in a setting to eliminate feedback issues. It does this by cutting out harsh frequencies that are inherent in amplified acoustics. Active electronics with onboard EQ translate all that tone into the electrical world with total fidelity. The onboard chromatic tuner is very convenient and easy to use. All together an absolutely gorgeous guitar. (Price: €260)

Technical Specs:


Body Shape: Jumbo with cutaway
Top: Solid Spruce with X-bracing
Back and sides: Flamed Maple
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood (Palissander)
radius: 12" (305 mm)
Nut: 42.8 mm, synthetic bone
Bridge: rosewood (Palissander), with 2-piece synthetic bone saddle 
Number of frets: 20
Scale: 25.4" (644 mm)
Fret Inlay: (565) Block MOP with Abalone 
Rosette: Abalone
Tuners: Takamine chrome
Preamp: TK-40 with chromatic tuner (LED),
              volume, 3-band EQ, notch filter en mid contour
Pickup: piëzo, 2-delig (1 per brugzadeldeel)
Finish: Black, high gloss



Wednesday 29 November 2023

Loopband Els

De Focus Fitness Jet 1 is een perfecte Loopband voor thuisgebruik, makkelijk in gebruik, heeft een fijn loopvlak en biedt voldoende trainingsmogelijkheden. Na de training kun je de loopband inklappen en wegrollen met de transportwieltjes.

Specificaties
Motor: stille 1,25 PK.
Snelheid: 1 tot 13 km/h
Demping: 6-voudige Elastic Cushion demping 
Loopvlak: 120 cm lang en 40 cm breed
Armgrepen: snelheid +/- , start/stop , hartslagsensoren.

Trainingsprogramma's & Display
36 standaard trainingsprogramma's
handmatig een programma te starten
heldere LED-display: snelheid, afstand, trainingstijd en hartslag en trainingsprogramma

Verder is deze loopband voorzien van een vetmeter. Zowel voor als na de training kun jij jouw persoonlijke gegevens invullen, de hartslagsensoren meten dan jouw hartslag en daarna ontvang jij een indicatie van jouw vetpercentage. Hierdoor zie je direct de resultaten van jouw trainingssessies.

Betersport.nl prijs €280 (demo)






Sunday 5 November 2023

Guitar gods: The most influential guitarists of all time

Pop/Rock/Blues Guitarists: Jimmy Hendrix ST ; David Gilmour ST  LP ; Eric Clapton ST LP ; Joe Bonamassa  LP ; Gutrie Govan Charvel; John Mayer ST, Martin ; Brian May BMG ; Jimmi Page (Led Zeppelin) LP  TC ; Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) ; Steve Hackett LP (Genesis) ; Steve Howe (Yes) ; John Petrucci MM (Dream Theater) ; Tony Iommi SG (Black Sabbath) ; Ritchie Blackmore ST (Deep Purple, Rainbow) ; Peter Green LP (Fleetwood Mac) ; Steve Morse MM (o.a. Deep Purple) ; Gary Moore LP ; Mike Rutherford (Genesis) ; Rory Gallagher ST ; Eric Johnson ST ; Jeff Beck (Yardbirds) ST ; Ed Sheeran ; Slash LP (Guns'n'Roses) ; Stevie Ray Vaughan ST; Duane Allman ; Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers Band) ; Chet Atkins GR ; Chuck Berry ES350T ; Kirk Hammett (Metallica solo) ESP ; Lita Ford ; Bonnie Raitt  ST ; Alvin Lee GR ; Elmore James ; Randy Rhoads ; Sister Rosetta Tharpe ; Jack White GR (Stripes) ; Nancy Wilson (Heart) ; St. Vincent MM ; 
Black Strat - David Gilmore

Robert Johnson - delta blues (Gibson L-1); Muddy Waters TC ; B.B. King ES335 ; Nile Rodgers ; Albert King V 'Lucy' ; Freddy King ; Buddy Guy ; George Harrison ;  Albert Collins TC ; Walter Trout ; John Lee Hooker LP ES330; Carlos Santana PRS ; The Edge (U2); Keith Richards TC ; Steve Lukather MM (Toto); Neil Young (Martin) ; Angus SG & Malcolm GR Young ; John Myung (Dream Theater) ; Pete Townshend (The Who); Steve Vai IB; Joe Satriani IB; Yngwie Malmsteen ST ; Joe Walsh (Eagles) ; Randy Rhoads,  Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne) ; John Frusciante ST (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) ; Eddy Van Halen EVH 'Frankenstrat' ; Tosin Abasi (metal) ; James Hetfield (Metallica) ESP  V; Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) ; Frank Zappa SG  LP ; Prince ; Rober Cray ST ; Albert Lee MM ; Woody Gurthrie ; Pete Thorn (YouTube) ; James Taylor (Martin) ; Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) and many more ...

Blues/Rock Guitarists 2023:  Eric Clapton ; Joe Bonamassa ; Ry Cooder ; Ron Wood ; Bonnie Raitt ; Robert Cray ; Eric Gales ; Gary Clark jr. ; Robben Ford

Metal Guitarists 2023:  Steve Vai ; John Petrucci ; Tony Iommy ; James Hetfield ; Zakk Wylde ; Kirk Hammett ; Devin Townsend ; Michael Schenker ; Kiko Loureiro ; Mike Campbell

Jazz/fusion/funk/world 2023:  Nile Rodgers ; Al Di Meola ; Dweezil Zappa ; John McLaughlin ; Robert Fripp ; Cory Wong ; George Benson ; Pat Metheny ; Bill Frisell ; John Scofield ; 

Influential guitarists: Kurt Cobain (ST, Jaguar, Mustang, Martin) ; Joni Mitchell (Martin) ; John Lennon (a.o. Rickenbacker, Epiphone Casino, Gretsch) ; Bob Dylan (a.o. Martin, Gibson) ; Johnny Cash (Martin) ; B.B. King ES335 ; Ed Sheeran (Lowden) ; Andy Summers (Police) ; 

Jazz guitarists:  Django Reinhardt ; Charlie Byrd ; Allan Holdsworth (Steinberger, IB , Kiesel); Wes Montgomery ; Tommy Emmanuel ; Mike Dawes (acoustic); Bill Frisell ; Freddie Green ; Charlie Christian ; Gabor Szabo ; Scott Henderson (jazz, blues) ; Grant Green; Jim Hall ; Joe Pass ; John Scofield ; Kenny Burrell ; Mike Stern ; Gilad Hekselman ; Pat Martino ; Paco de Lucia (flamenco) ; Andrés Segovia (classical) ; Lee Ritenour ; Philip Catherine (B) ES175, Godin ; Larry Carlton ; and many more ... 

Martin 000-28EC
Eric Clapton


From the Netherlands/Belgium:  Jan Akkerman LP (Focus, Brainbox) ; Pablo van de Poel  LP + Firebird V (DeWolff) ; George Kooymans (Golden Earring) ; Rudy De Queljoe (Brainbox, Vitesse) , Eelco Gelling LP (Cuby) ; Erwin Java ST (Cuby) ; Harry Sacksioni ; Ad Vandenberg (Whitesnake); David Hollestelle GR en Dany Lademacher LP (Wild Romance) ; Hans Hollestelle (Rainbow Train, Sandy Coast, Ekseption) ; Stochelo Rosenberg (gypsy); Anne Soldaat ; Wim den Herder (acoust., Baton Rouge) ; Rob Winter (Toontje Lager, Kayak, Borsato) ; Bert Meulendijk (sessie, Evers band) ; Joost Vergoossen; Anton Goudsmit GR(New Cool Collective, Ploctones) ; Memru Renjaan ; Ruud Jolie (Within Temtation) ; Arnold van Dongen ST TC Novo (Lois Lane, Ilse, sessie) ; Arie Storm ST ES335, Leendert Haaksma (Anouk) ; Arjen Lucassen ; Julian Sas ; René van Barneveld ST, slide (Sjako!, Urban Dance Squad) ; Wouter Planteijdt (Sjako!); Jac Bico (The Analogues) ; JB Meijers: Duesenberg, Gretsch, Eastman (Supersub, The Common Linnets) ; Niels van der Steenhoven ST (Focus, Phil Bee, Trijntje) ; Bertolf ; Eric Vaarzon Morel (flamenco) ; David Piedfort (B) ; Sem Jansen ; Ruben Lisman ; Stef Delbaere ; Mark Bogert (Knight Area) ; Hans Theessink ; Jaap Kwakman 3Js (Lowden) ; Danny Vera GR ; Paul Davids (YouTube) .... etc. etc. 
Ed Struijlaart: Gitaarmannen

Top 20 Fender Telecaster TC players: Jimmi Page ; Albert Lee ; Joe Strummer ; Brent Mason; Chrissy Hind ; Steve Cropper; Keith Urban; Johnny Greenwood ; Bruce Springstee ; Julian LJ; Jim Root; Albert Collins ; Danny Gaton ; Terry Kath ; Brad Paisly ; Honorable mentions ; Roy Buchanan ; Mike Campbell ; Andy Summers ; Keith Richards ; James Burton ...


                          
  Fender Stratocaster - ST      Fender Telecaster - TC        Gibson Les Paul - LP           PRS SE CE24       



                            
   Ernie Ball Music Man       Gibson ES 335 (Lucille)           Ibanez JS240                   Gibson SG            


          

   Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins          Rickenbacker Fireglo             Gibson Firebird V           



  
          Fender Jaguar                   Gibson Explorer                  Gibson Flying V         Gibson Les Paul      

         
        BMG Brian May          EVH  Frankenstein           Charvel Guthrie Govan         Gretsch G6131-MY     



Gunthrie Govan with his Charvel

Kurt Cobain with Martin D-18E





Sunday 15 October 2023

Neck pillow BMW

High quality Alcantara + leather neck cushion for BMW with M-style embroidery.
2 pieces ordered at Etsy  €53 (incl. €5,46 shipping)



Saturday 7 October 2023

What a performance!

Third world title in Formula 1 for Max Verstappen!

Max Verstappen is opnieuw wereldkampioen geworden in de Formule 1. De 26-jarige Nederlander stelde tijdens de sprintrace in Qatar zijn derde mondiale triomf veilig, omdat Sergio Pérez uitviel.

Ook in 2021 en 2022 greep de Nederlander van Red Bull de wereldtitel, maar zo superieur als in 2023 was hij nog nooit. Twee jaar geleden was er nog de even hoogstaande als legendarische strijd met Lewis Hamilton, die in de laatste race de titel aan de Nederlander moest laten. Van echte concurrentie is dit jaar en in 2022 geen sprake geweest in de belangrijkste autosportklasse.

Erik van Haren in de Telegraaf 07-10-23: 
Uniek seizoen Max Verstappen: ‘Makkelijk zeggen dat je met dominante auto eventjes alles wint’.

Je hoeft Max Verstappen in het hete Doha niet eens goed in het vizier te hebben, om te kunnen zien waar hij zich na de sprintrace op het Losail International Circuit heen begeeft. Fotografen en cameramannen duikelen over elkaar heen om het best mogelijke shot van de wereldkampioen te maken. Na een persconferentie, televisie-interviews en een onderhoud met de Nederlandse media wordt Verstappen in de garage van Red Bull Racing onthaald als de grote ster. De opgetrommelde dj start dan, uiteraard, het We Are The Champions in.

Aan de Thaise Red Bull-eigenaar Chalerm Yoovidhya de eer om Verstappen een speciale kampioenshelm te overhandigen, nu voorzien van drie sterren. Door zijn dolblije monteurs en engineers wordt Verstappen vervolgens op de schouders genomen. Het zijn de taferelen die passen bij het binnenhalen van een titel, nadat het constructeurskampioenschap twee weken eerder in Japan al is veiliggesteld.


Afvinken
,,Het is weer een heel speciaal seizoen geweest”, aldus Verstappen, die tijdens de sprintrace al kampioen werd, omdat teamgenoot Sergio Pérez uitviel. ,,Als het nu niet gebeurde, dan was het wel zondag zover of anders de race erna. Het voelt een beetje als iets afvinken. Ik ben nu drie keer wereldkampioen, ik had nooit gedacht dat ik dat kon bereiken.”

Nog zes races te gaan, inclusief de Grand Prix van zondag in Doha, maar natuurlijk hoort een beetje terugblikken er nu ook bij. Verstappen vindt het moeilijk om er één race in het bijzonder uit te halen. Dat is inderdaad ook geen sinecure, als je zoveel hebt gewonnen. ,,Meerdere weekenden waren bijzonder. Thuis winnen in Zandvoort is altijd top, maar Spa-Francorchamps was ook een hoogtepunt. En Japan met het winnen van de constructeurstitel. De winst in Miami komt ook naar boven, dat was op dat moment in het seizoen een belangrijke zege.”

Superseizoen
Sindsdien is Verstappen eigenlijk ook niet meer te stoppen geweest en heeft hij teamgenoot Pérez zoek gereden. Groter kan het contrast tijdens het feestgedruis voor de garage zaterdag ook niet zijn, want bij enkele monteurs van Pérez staat het gezicht op onweer als ze in een heftruck langsrijden. Zij gaan nog een lange avond tegemoet, omdat de auto van de Mexicaan gerepareerd dient te worden.

Juist gezien het grote verschil met Pérez, toch ook geen koekenbakker, laat de laatste maanden zien dat Verstappen nóg meer uit zijn RB19 weet te halen. ,,Het is makkelijk zeggen dat je met een dominante auto eventjes alles wint, maar er waren genoeg races dat het ons niet makkelijk werd gemaakt. En dan konden we vaak toch winnen. Het is een superseizoen geweest en dit zal niet makkelijk te evenaren zijn.”







Sunday 1 October 2023

Is nature there for us, or are we nature?

Intelligence
We have placed our intelligence and thinking on such a pedestal that we consider ourselves above other species in this world. As a result, we have forgotten that we are actually very similar to other animals and also plants.
'People have put themselves at the top of the pyramid'
We consider ourselves intelligent because we have brains, but plants can do things that we cannot.
They know exactly which nutrients they need and how to get them.
'Every organism does everything it can to survive until its last breath, including humans'
A portion of humility is therefore appropriate: we are not above nature, but we are part of it, and we seem to have forgotten that.

Anthropocentrism
The belief that man is the center of the universe has negative consequences for the earth. People with this idea believe that everything around us is nothing more than a 'raw material' for humans to use. That increases the chance that you will exploit those resources. Freedom is not unbridled consumption. It seems as if we humans have to give up our lifestyle if we want to take the interests of nature seriously. But our survival as a species and our freedom are precisely linked to the world we share.”
Nature is shaped by the way we (humans) organize matters such as legislation, taxation, land use and economy. We must recognize our place in the natural order instead of fleeing into romantic thoughts.
'While we think we are gaining more and more control over nature, we are increasingly losing control over the planetary systems. Natural laws cannot be tampered with (but human laws can)'

Technology
We think we invented technology with our smart brains and that we are 'in charge' of it, but technology was around before humans appeared on earth. An egg is a perfect piece of technology, just like aerodynamic bird wings, air-conditioned termite mounds and indestructible hexagonal bee combs. Nature's internal memory is in its DNA. Through humans, nature is also evolving into a technological life form with an external memory (AI: we are feeding that memory).

Man as a 'special animal'.
The opposition of humans versus nature and animals has a long history within the Western philosophical tradition of thought. Even the ancient Greek philosophers placed man on a pedestal as a 'special animal' above nature and other animals. Man became a political being capable of reason and cooperation. In addition, man was assigned qualities such as 'instinct' and 'intelligence' through the influence of Christianity.
This perspective regarding the priority position of man continued into Enlightenment thinking, in which the concept of freedom became central. 
“Freedom is an important value, it was also linked to critical thinking and a kind of ideal of equality, but there is also a downside. If you see people as exceptional, you will put yourself first in this world. But this has now created problems in which we take the earth for granted.”

Man acts as if nature is a separate entity.
In almost everything published about nature, it is presented as a separate entity. Like something that starts and ends at a fence. Humans share 40 percent of their DNA with a banana, 50 percent with a fruit fly, 97 percent with an orangutan. He is part of nature; is completely dependent on it before birth, during life and even after death.

Yet another report that concludes that nature is doing badly also says everything about ourselves. As long as we do not act on the understanding of the inseparable reciprocity that exists between humans and their living environment, biodiversity loss and climate change as well as human problems will only increase.



Human and nature

Our view of nature has changed considerably over the centuries. But contrary to what some think, there has never been a time of "true harmony" between humans and nature.
Man has always influenced nature. What has changed is the way in which humans view themselves and their place in nature.


Paradise
The Judeo-Christian Bible, which has had (and still has) such a great influence on Western thought, opens with the paradise story with Adam and Eve as the first people on earth, in complete harmony with nature. It is a harmony with our natural environment that many people in the 21st century long for, as they watch with horror how modern humans are guilty of deforestation, loss of biodiversity, pollution, animal suffering and climate change and overpopulation.

But anyone who zooms in on that word 'paradise' will see that man has never lived completely in harmony with nature. The word originally did not refer to a dreamed-up natural environment that was still unspoiled by man, but to the pre-Christian custom of the Persian nobility to create a 'paridaida': an enclosed area that was to serve as a pleasure garden, game park or hunting area. .

There has never been a time when humans had no influence on nature. What has changed over the centuries is the way in which humans view themselves and their place in nature.


Fall
There is a tendency to point to a 'fall'; a moment when things went wrong. Take, for example, the Neolithic Revolution that took place about 12,000 years ago in what is now the Middle East. The hunter-gatherers, who were used to gathering their food by traveling, settled in one place and started farming. This meant that for the first time they began to manipulate nature on a large scale, by breeding plants and animals.

Christianity is also to blame. According to this belief, nature is a valuable gift from God to man, over which man should rule as a steward. That sounds good in itself, but it did mean a turnaround: with Christianity we said goodbye to the idea that nature itself could be divine.

A third main suspect for the Fall is the Enlightenment, the movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that focused on human reason and perception. New ideas were shared all over Europe: the German astronomer Johannes Kepler described the universe as a clock, the British physicist Isaac Newton discovered the mechanical laws of nature and the French thinker René Descartes saw animals as automata: organisms that experience neither happiness nor pain .

All these changes in our actions and thoughts have played a role in our interaction with nature over the centuries. Yet there is more of a wave movement in the relationship between man and nature than of a hard separation between before and after the Fall. Take Antiquity: the Greek Stoics looked at the world as something that existed for the salvation of people and the gods. The Roman author Lucretius (in the 1st century BC) saw nature as something that had to be 'finished' by man. The word nature comes from the Latin word nascere, which means 'to be born'. Nature is always in a state of development and humans have an important role in this.


The big difference
The most important difference between the past and present has arisen from the growth of our technical capabilities and the growth of the world population. In the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain. Coal-powered steam engines were introduced. Thanks to fossil fuels and new scientific thinking, humans gained more control over nature, more prosperity and better health.

Let's look at the Netherlands at the beginning of the 19th century. The French occupiers had left our country destitute and King I was fully committed to the economic development of the country. The Dutch landscape, which still largely consisted of swamps and wastelands (sand drifts and heathlands), had to be made 'useful'. Thinking about nature conservation was a luxury.

At the time, the Netherlands was nothing more than a patchwork of individual regions. To integrate those areas economically, canals, paved roads and railways were built. Crucial to this were new inventions: artificial fertilizer made it possible to turn poorer soils into agricultural areas; barbed wire ensured that bushes and hedgerows were no longer necessary to keep livestock together; thanks to steam pumping stations, enormous areas could be drained.

The same drive to design the Dutch landscape down to the last centimeter according to our economic wishes also became visible after the Second World War, when our country was left destitute for the second time by a foreign occupier. Even then, the Dutch government was fully committed to intensifying agriculture and industrialization.


Countermovements.
Counter-movements arose both in the 19th century and after the Second World War. First, these were the thinkers of Romanticism, who drew attention to the intrinsic value of nature from a spiritual perspective. Then there were people like Jac P. Thijsse, who founded Natuurmonumenten in 1905 to preserve some of Dutch nature in its original state.

Our view of animals also changed. They are not unilaterally determined by their rationality, but animals - just like humans - have an inner capacity to experience feelings such as pain. That idea was partly fueled by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which described the relationship between humans and animals. A new concept that emerged at that time was 'ecology': the doctrine that revealed that there is an interaction between people, animals and plants and that they are mutually dependent on each other. From the idea that nature is not as far removed from humans as previously thought, the conviction arose that she too deserves rights.

In the 1960s, the major environmental movements emerged in the United States, born from concerns about the population explosion, air and water pollution, agricultural poisons, nuclear fallout, acid rain and the depletion of raw materials. The nature movements have also been prominent in the Netherlands since then. Environmental legislation was introduced and a lot of pollution has stopped.
In terms of attention to the protection of habitats and animals, an enormous amount has improved.

Biodiversity
Nowadays we often talk about 'biodiversity', a term coined in the United States in 1986.
States under conservationists emerged. The concept emphasizes the importance of preserving a wide variety of species, but it is also a catch-all concept. This can obscure the fact that reality is layered: where one species struggles, another flourishes. In the book The Discovery of Nature (2021), Dutch ecologists emphasize that it is not possible to provide a clear picture of what has happened to Dutch biodiversity since 2000. For example, insects are not doing well, but some large mammals are flourishing.

Apocalypse
A development that has become more visible in recent years is the 'globalization' of our thinking about nature. We increasingly discuss nature problems in a global context. This is partly due to the formation of international organizations such as the United Nations after the Second World War. But also due to the arrival of satellites that have been orbiting our earth since then. These satellites take photos and make measurements that cover the entire world. The advantages of this are great, but there is also a disadvantage. As the realization has grown that we as humanity share one small globe, an old religious fear has been awakened. Just as paradise in the Bible only returns after the End of Time, an apocalyptic image of the future has also emerged in thinking about nature. Out of fear of a global catastrophe, we long for the harmony of paradise.
“But just as paradise never existed, neither does the apocalypse.”
[origanal text: Jurgen Tiekstra, De Lichtkogel.nl]

Monday 7 August 2023

Holidays 2023 - Gîte Les Babelous, Ardèche, France

Booked in September from Sa 9 till Tu 19 september 2023: 

Les babelous

Comfortable, cozy holiday home in the green Ardèche, 20 minutes from Valence, 15 minutes from the grands crus of the Côtes du Rhône, located in a wooded park of 8,000 m².

Large living room with private terrace with flowers and trees, kitchen corner, 1 double bedroom.
Sofa bed, bathroom, toilet, table tennis. Central heating.
On the ground floor of the owner's house, private privacy.
A 500 m walk from the village (shops).

To see: landmark of Crussol, the villages of Chalencon, Boucieu le Roi, Beauchastel, tourist train of Lamastre. Numerous marked walks. Markets with regional products.




Wednesday 26 July 2023

New tablet and stylus pen

Vorige week in Wenen gekocht:  

Apple iPad (2021) 9th generation - 10.2" - WiFi - 64Gb - grey
De nieuwe Apple iPad beschikt over de geavanceerde A13 Bionic-chip, deze zorgt voor razendsnelle prestaties. Het 10,2 inch Retina scherm geeft prachtige kleuren en met behulp van True Tone heb je altijd een beeld wat prettig is voor je ogen. De nieuwe ultra-groothoekcamera met middelpunt zet je altijd in het middelpunt van het scherm, wat erg handig is bij het videobellen.

Camera's : De Middelpunt-feature en de 12MP ultragroothoekcamera aan de voorkant zorgen samen voor drastisch beter beeld. Daardoor zien je selfies en groepsfoto's er mooier uit dan ooit. Dankzij Middelpunt blijf je automatisch midden in beeld, waardoor videobellen zowel makkelijker als handiger wordt. En je kunt er ook leuke video's voor social media mee maken. De 8MP groothoekcamera aan de achterkant legt haarscherpe foto's en video's vast.
 
Power adapter 20W USB-C + lightning cable

Mediamarkt Wenen: €360 + €40 hoesje transparant





Barev Stylus Pen (2023), 2 extra schrijfpunten, USB-C magnetische oplader, opbergdoos.
Tot 12 uur werktijd.
Bol.com €39

Skechers GOwalk ArchFit

Long-lasting comfort and support are combined in the Skechers GO WALK Arch Fit® - Clinton. Featuring a mesh, leather and synthetic upper on a removable Arch Fit® insole and a lightweight, cushioning ULTRA GO® midsole, this lace-up style is armed with Comfort Pillar Technology® for extra support.

Skechers Wien Süd: €110


Sunday 25 June 2023

Bluetooth Vibrating Disc with alarm app voor iPhone


To wake up in the morning I use a special alarm clock for deaf people. This has an adjustable buzzer where you can adjust the frequency and volume with rotary knobs. This alarm clock also has outputs so that you can control a flash module and/or a vibrating cushion with a 2.5 mm jack plug.

The vibrating cushion has its own power supply (3x AA battery) and a 2 meter long thin but strong connection cable with 2.5 mm jack plug. The vibration box is 85x85x30 mm and made of black plactic. I place the vibrating cushion under my pillow and under the fitted sheet so that it does not slide away. This works fine. Nowadays the alarm clocks are more modern.


So it would be super useful to have a wireless Bluetooth vibrating cushion that can be activated via an alarm app on the iPhone:

Bellman Vibio is a wireless vibrating cushion that connects to your mobile phone via Bluetooth 5. It comes with a free app that allows you to create multiple alarms, choose vibration power, and allow notifications of calls or text messages. The vibrating disk can work completely independently. You store the wake-up times in the disk itself, as it were.

Specifications
Vibrating Disc 94 × 94 × 27 mm
Snooze-belt 15 × 120 mm
Weight: 153 gram
Bluetooth till 30 meters
Price: €75

 .... Allesvoororen , Hearplanet ,  BellmanVibio.pdf