back online and slowly getting up to speed

[jacquesm]

Hello there dear fieldlines friends !

Happy new year to you and yours, may the force be with you

Slowly things are coming together, moving always takes more time and hassle than you think it does, especially when it's internationally.

I've settled in the North-Eastern part of the Netherlands, about 50 kilometers away from a place called Groningen. Since a few days I have my internet connection up, even though it is still slower than it should be, but it's lots faster than the modem link I used to have on the island. At least I'm no longer living out of a suitcase.

My computer died in transit, I managed to salvage all the data (I had the foresight
to send a backup with a different aircraft), the super fragile LCD screen made it through in one piece though, go figure !

Renewable energy wise the only thing I've done is move the blue machine to Europe, but it looks like it won't be spinning any time soon, the amount of hassle that you have to go through here to get a permit is just amazing.

Since the network connection is up I've been working on a little ditty called files.ww.com, it allows you to upload large files for distribution, feel free to test it. You can upload up to 10 MB files, and have them downloaded as often as you want, no restrictions.

The house is really small, at least compared to the Canadian one, for dutch standards it has a large garden though (about 15000 sq. ft) so at least the dogs
have some room. The area is quite rural, only one side has another house close to it, the rest if totally open space. About as Canadian as you can get in the Netherlands I guess

[wdyasq]

We need some excitement!

Ron

[TomW]

Potato!

[jacquesm]

Hi Ron,

I thought Texas was full of excitement these days, brushfires and all that...

How is life on the other side of the great divide ?

[wildbill hickup]

Hey Jacq,

Glad to see you back.

It's ironic that in a country with a worldwide image of windmills (or that's what I think of when I picture Holland, maybe I'm old school) you can't put up a wind generator. Do you also have to have a permit to raise tulips??

[wildbill hickup]

Just googled to find out the difference between Holland and The Netherlands, maybe I shot my mouth off before I should have in my comment. I have a habit of doing that, (speak first then look things up) . Sorry if I was out of line, but I still think it sucks that you can't have a wind genny.

[electrondady1]

jacjuesm, it's good to know you have landed on your feet. i regret the difficulty you encountered with the government here in canada. i could go on and on about that. you seem good at overcoming adversity and you have your family to give you strengh
 good luck to you.

[picmacmillan]

welcome back jacquism! nice to see you around again! pickster

[XRay]

Happy new year jacquesm, and the rest of the fieldlines folks.

I havened visited fieldlines for months, shame on me.  

Anyway, hoop you get a permit for your mill.

I am trying to get a permit to build a shed/garage, 6 months later still no permit. Talked to the Mayor and some alderman on regular basis, they just keep everything in the middle.

One alderman told me that I possibly will have a better chance if I started building it before walking the legal route. Somehow somebody above stopped me from strangling this man. Crime does pay and loudmouths have half the world, that's a certainty.

Groetjes uit Holland,

Ray

[zubbly]

Hey Jacquesm!!!

you are one dude i have genuinely missed!

happy to see that you finally settled and are back in touch with us all.

catch you on the IRC!  

hope 2006 works out just great for you and family!

zubbly

[DanB]

Nice to see you back Jaquesm - we were just talking about you last night (wondering where you were, how you were doing etc...).  Glad things are coming together!

[richhagen]

It is good to hear from you.  I was thinking of shooting you an e'mail just the other day to see how you were doing.  I was switching my mini-mill over from steppers to servos and thought about what got me started with CNC equipment.  Glad to hear that you and your family are well.  Rich Hagen

[whatsnext]

Nice to see you're back.

John...

[mystery from the past]

Hi Jacques,

Was watching Zembla and I don't have to tell you who's face was on the telly!

Anyway, was bloody surprised to see you've returned to The Netherlands. Thought I would never see you lot again! Let me know when you're in the Randstad, maybe we can get a cup of tea somewhere when I'm around.

I mailed you a long time ago that the phone in IJmuiden wasn't answered anymore. In your short reply Tuesday, June 18, 2002 2:18 AM you told me you had moved to Canada and promised to write me a long letter... Shame on you! ;-)

Pass my greetings to Mirka and Kleine. Hope I don't insult him by using that name.

[jacquesm]

well, you can phone me 06 30 366 241 ...

j.

[dinges]

Welkom terug in Nederland (he said with a wry smile).

Yes, I too have once seriously contemplated moving. To Australia. And reading about your issues with permits for windmills and (other's) problems with garages, the urge gets a bit bigger. But I don't like the way Oz is going. Think I'm slowly beginning to prefer USA or Canada. Liked the story about why you were going away from Canada back here again. 'Liked' is not the correct term; 'educative' is. Another mate will be moving back to New-Zealand soon. Said that coming back to NL after years of living there was the biggest mistake of his life.

Am on the other side of NL, just on the Dutch-border side of Antwerp. But at least in/near Groningen, esp. outside of villages/cities, it should be possible to raise a windmill, I'd think?

Ah well. At least the Dutch competitive position in the area of windenergy has improved as compared to that of Canada

NB: I don't watch tv that much anymore, but did I miss your face on it?

Peter

(ook in Nederland, dus)