DutchClick

Most of the time, say about 99,99% of the time we don’t agree with the Chinese dictatorial government.

On the other hand the news about the upcoming consumption tax in China made me smile in assent.

The most important product that Chinese are going to pay consumption tax for are their…chopsticks!!! And not in a few years, but as from April, 1st 2006!

The tax, 5%, has to be paid as a discourgement for using disposable wooden chopsticks (hashi), 15 billion pairs a year. An enormous load of chopsticks I would say.

I am a collector of Japanese chopsticks, but want to urge the Japanese to do the same. But not the lacquer ones, please!

LINK : xinhua online

LINK : before @ The Crab

LINK : Erik’s Chopstick Gallery

Vegetarians do feel healthier than non-vegetarians and they eat healthier than others.

The study shows some interesting results. The BMI (Body Mass Index) of veggies is significantly lower. They don’t smoke and drink as much as meat-eaters. When they play a sport they do this quite intensively.

But the researchers are very cautious with the outcome of the results. They state that vegetarians could be more likely do contribute to a study like this because they have a higher health awareness.

This is turning the world upside down.
Veggie food is healthier and we all know it. Vegetarians are therefore healthier, because most of all they always think about what they eat or drink (and read every package they buy). That’s why! Not because they are so happy to coorperate to a study!

LINK : [Belgian - Dutch language] Standaard
LINK : Before @ The Crab

Jen dumps Brad’s clothes at a California charity shop. But now the clothes he wore are mixed with all the other clothes there. You could wear real Brad Pitt worn jeans. Maybe not?!

The French government has the launched a plan to start a CNN-like station. That is nice because different views on things are always nice.
CNN is known to be biased, but for 100% sure the new french news station will be biased too. Probably pro-Arab world, because the French have – historically formed – the biggest interests there.
But okay…

The French government has been campaining for the use of the French language on French radio and television for a few years now. I even thought it was mandatory to play at least an certain percentage of French music, movies and series.

The funny thing is that of the 24 hours of broadcasting only 3 or 4 hours will be in the French language. This must have been a major blow…

I don’t speak French anyway…

LINK : Telegraph

You think you have seen a lot of iBooks?! Check at Miramars High School through Jason Brass’ Blog. Now we know where to go if we want one. Just need a ticket… ;-)

I am so glad to be a librarian in The Netherlands, when I read about the “poison compartment” in public libraries in Oklahoma. I heard we had them too, around 1900…

On the other hand I am happy that the Oklahoma City’s Metropolitan Library Commission did take a stand and didn’t bow for right wing christian thoughts. They had to make a compomise, but that is something you do your whole life, right?!

The childrens books about homosexuality were supposed to be fully banned from the library, but the commission decided to put the books in a secluded area.

The childrens book King & King, that was the most important example, is about a little prince that is homosexual. It will be placed at the Adults Only section.

I wanted to say that they have their own taliban overthere, but okay…the books are at least not burned… But this is a close call..

How come we (as not being gay) are having (a little) more gay articles than before?
Maybe we are, after the Oscar circus of Brokeback Mountain, triggered, still suprised and maybe even dazed by the stupidity we read on gay related subjects being on the Internet.

Let the King live!!!

LINK 1 : 365gay.com
LINK 2 : 365gay.com
LINK 3 : Ten SpeedPress
LINK 4 : Banned Book Week at Marshall Universities
LINK 5 : Barnes & Noble