Can you still pay your bills?

Debt, it has become a household name during the past year. Although Europeans are known for their high personal savings ratio and Americans have been living on credit for decades, we’re all facing massive inflation rates these days.

With gas and food prices going through the roof, many of my friends are having a hard time balancing their household budget. In spite of the strong Euro, I’m paying € 1.40 a liter for gas (US $10 a gallon), with regular weekend shopping facing me with food items that have gone up by 30%. I’m not touching on the US sub-prime housing/ banking crisis that rocked the entire world, but I just wonder how you personally handle these complex financial times of ’stagflation’

Fitna, The Movie, back online at US commercial prayer site

Ironic: after its removal at LiveLeak, Fitna, the highly provocative anti-Islam movie by Dutch controversial
right-wing politician Geert Wilders, is back online at LivePrayer.com, a right-wing US Christian site selling
online ‘healing’. No matter how you feel about these issues or politicians like Geert Wilders, just take a look

An Antwerp castle wedding for free

Last week I noticed that the landmark Antwerp riverside castle ‘Steen‘ was closed: apparently preparing for a
new exhibition involved closing this 700 yo building. Planning and Antwerp: it’s not a marriage made in heaven.
[Warning: an official guided tour will set you back 85 EUR/US $133! Advice: Buy a guidebook and DIY]

Although Antwerp likes to boasts its multi-lingual natives, the basic ‘closed’ notice came in 5 languages, with only the
Dutch version explaining why and clearly stating a reopening date. The building features an appealing walk-through
quality though, a free medieval setting for this radiant classy bride who couldn’t care less about the abysmal weather:
nobody was going to rain on her parade. We had a short chat, I got permission to post a couple of shots but decided that
weddings of strangers are way off-topic here. I’ll leave you with a general shot, as I just love to show off classy brides
when they are walking along my front door. A real, free Antwerp castle wedding? My knees get weak..

Look, it’s Janet Jackson, pregnant!

I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you once again: this smiling beauty on screen is only the wife of my brother, making her grand entry at my family’s Easter dinner. During these past two years, I intentionally avoided posting too many personal pictures. I know, everyone’s curious about the faces behind some posts, but I value my privacy, and so does much of my family. Hey look: they’re not white!

This Easter I managed to focus on the wife of one of my brothers: she’s so much fun and her young children are adorable. She’s also very much aware of the fact that she’s quite attractive, with a striking resemblance to Janet Jackson. Yes, she made quite an entrance, while still focusing on her young children. “No”, she exclaimed with honest enthusiasm, “of course I don’t mind if you post my picture on your blog, but do focus on my children!” Your wish is my command E., here are some of the first shots of your son enjoying the Easter egg hunt (we got a sunny break before the rain came down, as predicted). You do need a certain amount of star quality though, wearing flashy sunglasses minutes before a snow storm is about to hit rainy Belgium in March.

Also just ignoring those family members that tend to give me the cold shoulder appeared to be the best approach at these kind of occasions. Like Pam in Paris mentioned: it’s a one time a year event, let’s focus on the fun part. I sure did.

The Easter bunny does Antwerp

I just love the Easter bunny. He’s cute, makes me laugh and most important of all, he doesn’t end up on my plate like those poor Easter lambs.

Last night “Patrick” (Janssens, but we’re on a first name basis here), the flamboyant Antwerp mayor briefly appeared on local TV. While he’s not as cute as the Easter bunny, he does make some of us (though not many) laugh too, especially when he tries to sell yet another disaster as the ultimate gift we’ve all been waiting for. The Antwerp mayor was born as the son of an Antwerp butcher (yes, I know ) but quickly ended up as the CEO of Dimarso, a leading Belgian Marketing agency. A quarter of a century later most outsiders who visited Antwerp realize dear Patrick still is a professional marketing genius: he packaged this city like that dream lover you always wanted. Although his own marriage ended in divorce, selling dreams must be his strongest asset. Does your city Mayor run a flashy personal website, featuring a self-written book conveniently titled “The best is yet to come” ? Ofcourse not. But “Patrick” can get away with it. Given that much of this this city looks like a nightmarish building site (”The building site of the century!”) with many of its downtown inhabitants desperately longing for a quiet house in the green suburbia, we do realize that promises of a better future are the cheapest marketing trick in the book.

But I digress. Last night “Patrick” came on TV not to wish us a “happy Easter”, but to inform us briefly that there would be no Christmas village or ice-skating rink in front of city hall in December 2008. Say what? Yes, my dearest readers, that’s what 500,000 Antwerp locals were waiting for on Good Friday. Given that marketing-wise “gift-wrapping bad news” is the way to go, we were told that there would be “stunning” ice-skating on the old river pontoon, allowing us “to virtually skate” on the 500m/yard wide, dangerous and fast-running river Schelde, a perfect location to conveniently get rid of all annoying drunken city visitors during the Christmas holidays. Man overboard !

The Eastern bunny doesn’t exist, but tends to amuse me in a childish sort of way. A real life Antwerp city Mayor who sells himself using his first name on countless celebrity postcards feels like drinking too much of an over-hyped cheap softdrink though: you will end up with rotten teeth and no nutrients your body really needs. As many readers insisted I should post uplifting, more positive write ups, let me end on a positive note: the ongoing, gridlock inducing Antwerp roadworks should be completed by 2015, or 2020, or, well, maybe ‘later’. Like the Easter bunny, we all love you Patrick! Unfortunately, the Easter bunny will be gone within a week, and you’re here to stay.

How’s your Mayor doing?

Shocking: 1 in 30 gay Belgians is HIV+

I’s a disgraceful outrage: after 25 years of relentless campaigns to stop the spread of HIV, the Belgian gay community just keeps on behaving like they couldn’t care less about HIV, resulting in shocking figures released by Sensoa last week: at least one out of every 30 Belgian gays is infected with the HIV virus. With many gay men not bothering to get a free test, the actual figure may be close to one in every 20. The Belgian red cross is currently refusing all male gay blood donors, even in monogamous relationships. Lesbians show virtually no increased HIV risk.

I’m lost for words. Where has the sense of responsibility gone? Ever since effective HIV medication cocktails came on the market, (at over $ 1,000 a month, free for all under Belgian universal healthcare) many Belgian gay men have been behaving with the utmost disregard for their own health and the lives of others. Gay men in Antwerp are having public “bare back” unsafe sex-parties at local clubs, with gay men openly publishing disgusting “I’m HIV+, let’s hook up for unsafe sex personal ads“, some conveniently mentioning the availability of ‘chems’ (drugs). I lost touch with all my (straight) former diving buddies (+90% of my social life) ever since I confronted Eric, my former gay diving instructor, that his behavior was morally repulsive. My honesty and respect for the life and wellbeing of others came with a heavy social price-tag.

Being a monogamous, socially responsible gay man in a committed relationship, I feel deeply embarrassed. With these newly released figures, I’m confused on how to address gay (and straight) acquaintances and ‘friends” who behave like there is no tomorrow

“Blogging serves no purpose”: Exploiting despair, the commercial edition

“It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others” [image credit: www.despair.com]

After rather unpleasant news (my plans for a ‘happy family’ Easter went down the drain, leaving me on my own with the relentless Belgian rain) I stumbled upon [thanks Claudia] a couple of posters by despair.com, a company proudly mentioning:

” For over two decades, the multi-billion dollar motivation industry has unleashed untold suffering upon the workplaces, schools and civil institutions of the world- in the insidious form of the motivational poster. By the millions they have been sold and displayed- these dark instruments of corporate propaganda. While promising to stimulate “Hope”, “Success” and “Teamwork”, instead these tools of coercion and intimidation have inspired only grief, anger and nausea.

In 1998, one company dared to fight back, as Despair, Inc. introduced Demotivators, satirical products reverse-engineered from the most powerful motivational posters ever inflicted upon mankind. And now, with the Parody Motivator Generator, we place those very same tools in your less-capable hands- giving you a chance to join us in the battle against an opponent as ubiquitous as it is idiotic.”

Yes indeed, in these worrisome times of foreclosures, a crashing economy and generalized gloom and doom, those nice people over at Despair.com are more than willing to provide you with a tool to express just how demotivated you are: their DIY image generator. ["The War Against Motivation Continues: high quality prints now available!"]
I gave it a spin, so if you’re about to jump ship, my small piece of home made art might gently push you over the edge:

St. Patrick’s Day in Antwerp: drink, drunk, wasted

While I love the Irish community in Antwerp, their St Patrick Day parties have a tendency to end on a familiar note

Farting all the way, the geriatric gourmet edition

My elderly neighbor celebrated her birthday, surprisingly inviting me over for a gourmet dinner with her retired friends in a local restaurant tonight. I felt honored and accepted.

While the food was outstanding, my dearest +70 yo neighbor appeared to have lost much of the appropriateness of behavior that once was her hallmark. No matter how sublime the food turned out to be, imagine my astonishment watching my ‘dropping-teeth-in-soup’, breaking wind frequently and belching neighbor ignoring most conventions of acceptable decorum, leaving me with this picture of a 5* diner that turned into a more than ’slightly nightmarish’ experience. How should I break the news to her? “I think we’ve grown apart” sounds so corny. Anyway, I will have to give her a rain-check when asked again. How do you handle people who turned into a walking social embarrassment?

“Stuff White People Like: Having Gay Friends”

The #1 Worldpress blog ” http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com posted its ultimate satirical blogpost yesterday: in “having gay friends” the author is poking fun at all those ‘trendy white folks’ who basically see their gay friends as a social fashion accessory. Just join me in reading one of the best pieces of social commentary online: [Quote]:

“a gay friendship of any sort allows white people to feel as though they are a part of the gay rights movement. While white people love being a part of any movement, the gay movement is especially important to them because they can blend in at rallies and protests and spend an afternoon feeling the sting of oppression. Gay friends are an essential part of a white person’s all-star diversity roster. But they are always on the lookout for the ultimate friend; a gay minority.

It is generally accepted that a gay black friend with a child is considered a once in a lifetime opportunity - like a quarterback who can pass, run, kick, and play linebacker. White people will crawl over each other for the opportunity to claim this person as a friend and add them to their roster of diversity.

Other minorities are also highly prized and assigned a ranking based on the level of intolerance they face from their respective cultures and family members. Once a white person has told you about their gay friends, it is recommended that you say “I wish more people were like you,” every few months. This will allow them to feel good about their progressive choice of friends and remind them that they are better than other white people.” [Image credit:http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com]

Scoring 12 million hits in just over three months, http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com is a must read if you’re white, middle class and can stand watching into a mirror that exposes how most of us really feel about the world we’re living in. A truly outstanding piece of brilliant, but also utterly entertaining anthropology, in 88 conveniently packaged episodes

“The world hates gays”

I’ve often wondered why political right wing groups and various religions/churches in societies worldwide continue to put so much energy into hating their gay and lesbian fellow citizens: hating us will never make us disappear or change the way we were born. The answer seems quite simple: they hate us just because they can and are allowed to do so within their country’s legal framework. Although effective protection from legal bigotry should be a fundamental part of any constitution, some ‘civilized’ countries still feel otherwise.

OK, you’ve all heard gay bashing US Oklahoma Rep Sally Kern [the wife of a Baptist minister] by now ["I honestly think homosexuality is the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam"], proving that the USA still has its fair share of nutcases redefining the true axis of evil, so local Dutch newspapers were busy pointing fingers last week. “Was America getting more homophobic than it already used to be?” suddenly became their main focus, conveniently ignoring the ongoing anti-gay hate crimes perpetrated by Muslim fanatics in good old Amsterdam. After Holland’s largest conservative paper the ‘Telegraaf‘ published over 300 online reactions showing pure disgust for this hate mongering “US creep”, other major publications pointed out that even ‘respectable’ US states had more than their fair share of institutionalized hate issues. “Feeling Unwelcome, Some Gays Vacate Virginia” headlined the respected Washington Post in 2006, while USA Today published an recent FBI report mentioning a US nationwide 18% increase in hate crimes against gay men and lesbians. Quote: “Hate crimes impacted a wide range of groups,” says Jack Levin, a sociology and criminology professor at Northeastern University in Boston. “It seems as though Americans are more suspicious of any group or members of a group seen as foreign, outsiders or intruders.”

With Oklahoma having taken a long stride back into the Dark Ages ["Oklahoma: One Step from Doom"], most of the US religious right wing groups and numerous churches are spreading 24/24 hate-speech while doing their utmost to chase American gay citizens (10% of the US pop) off the cliffs, making sure that the blessings of the US constitution are enjoyed by all, but only if they happen to be white, straight, right-wing-conservative and very “Christian”, in a sick sort of way.

I wonder what would happen if Barak Obama (defending a clear pro-gay-rights stance) were to become the next US president. Sure, he might propose new legislation, but that simple move wouldn’t be able to change how many of his beloved fellow citizens truly feel.

Trust me, I’m living in Belgium, a country with full gay legal rights (marriage, adoption, elaborate legal protection) but I wonder how often ‘legislation’ turned the numerous Antwerp bigots (from whatever culture, race or religion) into tolerant citizens.

On a personal note: I painfully bumped into a 20-something on my way to the local supermarket today. “Need new glasses, you old ***” he exclaimed provokingly. Great, now I appear to belong to yet another minority.

The ‘civilized world’ and its gay citizens: is it really a loveless, poorly arranged marriage that can only work out if there is enough money to be made from this often quite affluent ‘double-income-no-kids’ part of the population?

The laughing expats

Saying goodbye can be a complex emotional experience, but bloggers Di and returning US expat Veronica were just having
so much fun during Veronica’s last weekend in Antwerp. Photo shootout, riverbanks, March 2nd 2008. We will all miss you V

Antwerp pride 2008: cashing in on gay “rights”

In an expected move, the leading privately owned Antwerp gay clubs joined with Antwerp city council in organizing the “Antwerp Gay Pride 2008” on June 26-29 2008. Although the festival is an entirely commercial event with hardly any emancipatory value whatsoever, Antwerp city council reveled in the prospect of countless ‘double-income-no-kids’ big spending gay tourists flooding the city again. Even a gay city map came online recently.

The Antwerp city logo (a red A) is all over the websites announcing non-events like “antwerp pride” or the even the ridiculous “navigaytion” festival, a ‘liberating’ experience where 20 local riveboats are stuffed with half-naked gay men, dancing to ear-deafening house music while getting drunk on expensive champagne sold by ’sponsor’ Piper Heidsieck.

All this ‘pride’ accidentally caught the attention of the Antwerp Hilton (those nice folks related to Queen of bad taste Paris Hilton), who were obviously more than eager to offer expensive ‘gay accomodation‘ (condoms included) and sponsor this Antwerp ‘festival of gay joy’. Just in case you’re not into drag queens, local clubs are presenting “skin-, rubber-, army-, uniform- and slave-parties” during this ‘pride’ weekend. Don’t you love this town?

Let’s face it: the ‘2008 gay Antwerp pride’ does not focus on pride, equality, real HIV awareness, gay rights (we’re fully covered) or any worthwhile cause: it is a right-in-your-face effort by Antwerp city to attract as much gay party cash as possible, assisted by a ‘non profit’ organization dominated by the owner of Belgium’s largest gay dance clubs. Make sure to bring your kids folks, and don’t forget your cameras: freak-show time! [note: the author is gay]

Antwerp, Belgium: the places you really want to avoid

Visiting an historic “maritime park” may sound like an enriching experience when you’re a tourist. However, if you’re visiting Antwerp, Belgium, you are advised to ignore this almost forgotten collection of rusty shipwrecks: this naval ‘exhibition’ is a disgraceful rip-off.
I shot these pictures inside the “Antwerp Maritime Park“, right on the prestigious riverbanks next to the ‘Steen’ castle. In bright yellow paint, left shot: “Met dank aan Veronique” or “thanks to Veronique” - undoubtedly the work of a local graffiti vandal, aka ‘paintbrush artist’

New Antwerp bridge to kill 56 locals yearly

Ademloos ['breathless'], a local action group backed by several MDs living in the Antwerp districts that will be located below the upcoming new “Oosterweel” Antwerp river bridge/tunnel in 2012 [Antwerp 2012 river bridge/tunnel animation in Windows Media video format], stated in a recent press conference that the resulting smog and fine dust is expected to kill an additional 56 Antwerp locals on a yearly basis.

[Image credit:] www.antwerken.be did not start a dispute about the projected figures but pointed out that the Antwerp toxic fine dust pollution (caused by heavy trans-European diesel truck/container road traffic) would actually increase without the new bridge. When just  breathing turns into a health risk, it’s time to become concerned

Facing up to reality: “The End of Suburbia”

Scary wake-up call. Although it feels like we’re on the Titanic while the band keeps on playing, do you feel as powerless as I do?

Saying goodbye to Antwerp

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when some of the people one is saying goodbye to are returning home, on the other side of the planet.

After a most amusing party over at Di’s in Antwerp last Saturday, I was greeted on the phone by returning US expat Veronica’s cheerful voice this morning, inviting me to join them in their Let’s discover Antwerp Tour, an event that was filled with numerous museums, lots of laughter, countless photographs and that warm, cozy feeling marked by sharing personal ’secrets’ and a generalized feeling of friendly intimacy.

Time passed way too fast - by the time I prepared to walk home I really felt like the actors on this [translated: 'the breast club'] roadside billboard in downtown Antwerp: very comfortable. Let me assure you: I’m as gay as they come