Magere Hein

I guess I can find it on Wikipedia, if I could be arsed, but I may just as well ask here: do the UK constitutional arrangements provide for early general elections after a government resigns? I ask, because Article 64 of the Dutch Constitution gives the government the right to dissolve the States-General, after which general elections must be called within three months. Indeed. I don't think governing by referendum is an efficient arrangement. In addition to the above list: there is good reason to put proposed treaties to a referendum, like the Irish do. regards, Hein

News has it that Prince Friso shows "very minimal signs of consciousness". Looks like he's recovered completely. regards, Hein

Glad to read it. He's off my DDP 2013 shortlist. regards, Hein

I haven't given that question much thought, I admit, nor do I personally care. I'm a republican at heart and another landless prince doesn't bother me. However, it's a good question. I think the answer can be found in a combination of the title King of the Belgians and a comment made by Jules DestréeWP, a Walloon socialist lawyer, made in 1912: "Sire, (...) Vous régnez sur deux peuples. Il y a en Belgique, des Wallons et des Flamands; il n'y a pas de Belges." (Sire, you rule two peoples. There are in Belgium Walloons and Flemmings; there are no Belgians.) I don't know how deep royalist feelings run in modern inhabitants of Belgium, but after Belgium splits there seems to be little room for their king in the remnants. regards, Hein

Now that's a topic I'm more familiar with. I don't see Belgium falling apart anytime soon, for reasons I'll explain later, but I think it'll happen eventually. I speak with Flemmings regularly and this is a subject that comes up sooner or later. It's interesting to see that in the last few decades Flemish separatist sentiments have spread considerably through the political spectrum. Until the 1990s separatism was pretty much confined to very right-wing circles. As Flemish nationalism was strongly associated with Nazi collaboration during WWII, any party or ideology that kept their distance from the Nazis wouldn't touch separatism with a 10' pole. Vlaams Blok, itself quite right-wing, managed to change that. The moves toward stronger federalism that've been running through Belgian politics since the 1970s are a reflection of that. The reasons the strings aren't cut yet are, as I see it, the following: Wallonia needs Flanders in Belgium for financial reasons. Mining and manufacture, once the engines of Belgian economy, were mostly located in Wallonia, but have largely collapsed since the 1970s. Today Flanders is the rich part. Consequently, the Walloon part of the electorate will resist separation to the end. Flemish separatism is still much a right-wing thing. Socialists and, to a lesser extent, liberals aren't very keen on the thing. Even if splitting Belgium in two could be negotiated, there's the problem that both sides want Brussels. No political settlement is possible in which either Wallonia or Flanders get Brussels. What's the perspective for the resulting parts after a split? Separate states? An independent Flanders I can just imagine, but nothing like it for Wallonia or Brussels. I ignore the German speaking minority in this discussion. I don't think Wallonia is keen on joining France and integration of Flanders in the Netherlands is something neither the Flemish nor the Dutch fancy much. The Flemish haven't forgotten 1830 and will not become subjects of an Orange. That said: Belgium doesn't work very well and the Belgians know that. The fact that it took a year and a half to form a new federal govenment after the 2010 general elections is revealing evidence for that. I think it's inevitable that somewhere in the next twenty years the knot will be cut, possibly along the lines of: Wallonia in some way connecting to France, Flanders as an independent state and Brussels as a European Capital Territory. I can be wrong. regards, Hein

Yes, I agree Clive James ought to make an appearence. Much as it pains me, because he's a wonderful author and a nice bloke to boot, I agree that Pterry is DL material. I'm not sure 2013 will be his year, though, Alzheimer's is not a quick killer. The main reason for putting him on my DDP team is that he has made sounds rhyming with euthanasia. I am, of course, pants at predicting celeb deaths, mostly because I give not enough attention to actual life-threatening disease. Anyway, a few candidates I'd like to see on DL, even though many of them are in fine health: Giulio Andreotti (b. 1919), 41st Prime Minister of Italy Helmut Kohl (b. 1930), 6th Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Viktor Korchnoi (b. 1931), Chess Grandmaster Li Peng (b. 1928), 4th Premier of the People's Republic of China Walter Scheel (b. 1919), 4th President of the Federal Republic of Germany regards, Hein

I have no particular ideas about Scottish independence, or states seceding from the USA. I do have, however, some thoughts about the more general issue of large states. As a citizen of a smallish nation (smallish rather than small, the Netherlands are 8th of 27 among member states of the European Union, ranked by population) I can't help but thinking that for states large doesn't equate better. I'm rather fond of European integration as far as legal, social and economic matters are concerned. I'm certain that the Union made a critical contribution to the fact that we've been living peacefully here for 67 years, ignoring the nasty episodes in the eastern parts. It's quite an improvement over the many centuries of near-permanent war. I'm not convinced, however, that further political integration is such a good idea. I don't think many EU citizens like the idea of being governed from Brussels much. More generally, I think that we need less, rather than more government. Most of the time most people do quite well without it. I'm not blind to the fact that some services are needed above local territory, I rather like the example of the arrangements the Dutch have to keep sea water out. We can't do that locally. At the same time I think the modern state has mostly come into existence as a counter to the bad intentions of other states. To some extent I see reason in that. However, I don't see reason in the tendency of states to regulate every bit of people's lives.

I'm not familiar with such practices. I'm a regular at remembrance gatherings in the Netherlands (we use May 4 for that) and I've never seen anybody wearing what are obviously other people's medals. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but if so, it's rare. Such a practice would also go against Dutch values: medals and such are considered personal decorations. The honour and the right of displaying them are not transferable. Not that I would ever be in such a position. In my family there's a tradition that men who can learn, learn a trade, while those who can't become professional soldiers. I'm in a branch that can learn. regards, Hein

That bit about "a poor class desperate for work" is certainly true, but I'm not so sure about cannon fodder. After all, the US army and navy don't need much of that, and the USAF none. States have been recruiting enlisted men (and women, nowadays) from the lowest economic strata for as long as there are armies knocking about. Strangely enough, the military has also been one of the few paths open for the upwardly mobile through the ages, much as sports are today. regards, Hein

The "guy in the front with the grey suit" is Albert II, King of the Belgians and brother-in-law of Queen Fabiola. The woman sitting on the bench is Queen Paola. I recognise a few other faces, but I can't put names on them. regards, Hein

That, or this topic has a slightly misleading title. regards, Hein

Well it turns out Bill Tarmey was number 11. Topic closed.

What a stupid thing to do, bullying a chef. Chefs know how to use a knife. regards, Hein

I had a look in the database and I can report that the code that displays the poll results is bugged. All 34 votes are nicely stored in a table, but the table record that keeps the poll itself a much smaller number is stored. I'll report the bug to IPS, the makers of the Forum Software. regards, Hein

As I said before, the poll results are bugg(er)ed. At the moment I see 14 votes in the results, while the line at the top says: 34 member(s) have cast votes. I have no idea why. I'll do a bit of research and report back. regards, Hein

Don't know, although Malle Pietje was the owner of a junk shop. regards, Hein

Dutch actress Hetty Blok, world famous in the Netherlands for her leading role as Zuster Klivia in 1960s comedy series Ja zuster, nee zuster died today, aged 92. regards, Hein

Hmm, there's something fishy with the poll, I only see four votes cast. Anyway, I went for Niemeyer. regards, Hein

IMO appointing a new DL favourite isn't proper. If a new one emerges, we'll know. Retiring a squad number.in tribute for Clive Dunn seems fitting, though. Of course that means introducing a new one, we don't want 49 names on the list, but 51 is as good as any other. Teddy made the suggestion of retiring no. 1. Quite a strong statement, but I like it. regards, Hein

Unexpected news, although I had quiet doubts about his immortality. DL will never be the same. Retiring no. 50 and introducing no 51 on the list seems a fitting tribute. I suppose we should give lance-corporal Jones a send-off with full military honours. Could a delegation of Fuzzy Wuzzies be aranged? regards, Hein

Well, nobody got Lom right, so: new poll, new chance to get it rigth this time. I'm back to General Jaruzelski. regards, Hein

What is the Coptic church's method? A free-for-all fight of the candidates, maybe? regards, Hein

From which we learn that Bambi turned 70 this year. I guess he's quite chewy... regards, Hein

Then again, perhaps he won't. Or perhaps he will. regards, Hein

Dutch author J. Bernlef WP died today,. aged 75. regards, Hein