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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 19h

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… (If you’re a film fan and reside in or near Leiden) #Leiden #LIFF

Reposted by B in the Netherlands

Matt Steinglass @mattsteinglass.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The Trump-Putin diesel “deal” reminds me of the Ukraine rare-earths/mineral resources “deal” as initially floated in February 2025. Neither makes any commercial or economic sense; they seem driven by what could be sold to Trump as “getting some [x]”. www.ft.com/content/84ca...

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John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I'm sorry, but the audiobook of Gromit's autobiography should be marked as "read by the author" and then just be 8hrs of silence.

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Tom Berendsen @ministerbz.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The Netherlands will continue to stand up for the International Criminal Court. As host state and as a signatory to the ICC’s Rome Statute, we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that the Court can function effectively.

Text on visual: "The sanctions that have been announced against the International Criminal Court mark a new and unwelcome escalation. This is a deeply regrettable step. We will stand firm in defence of the Court.
At the same time, it’s important to note that the sanctions will not take effect immediately and that service providers can continue to work for the ICC.
The six-month period before the sanctions take effect creates scope for dialogue. We welcome this and will make a serious assessment of the options available, in partnership with the other members of the ICC. " Tom Berendsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Another solid entry in the monthly Lidotheek series at the Lido in Leiden. Dated? Sure. Puerile? Yup. Trashy? Undoubtably. Delightful? Absolutely. #cinema #Halloween #zombies #Leiden #Netherlands

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Movie Review Haiku # 114 In Bruges Bruges isn’t that bad, one person’s quaint heaven is another’s pure hell Grade: B+ www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-gG... #MovieReviewHaiku #Blueskyfilm #📽️ Film

youtube.com

In Bruges Official Trailer #1 - Ralph Fiennes Movie (2008) HD

YouTube video by Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

…despite the Snoopy campaign this year. I love the Great Pumpkin, but there’s no reason to charge more than 4 Euros for these things. Also: Starbucks is not a great company, they’re anti-union (at least in the US), etc. 2/2

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

My Fifth Pumpkin Spice Latte of the 2026 Season. A prerequisite one from Starbucks, which now charges over 6 Euros for a *tall* one, at least at Rotterdam Centraal. Yeah, not gonna do this again… 1/2 #pumpkinspicecount #pumpkinspice

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I've never been, but I've spoken with others who have. The main location is a designated fairground, right? Not smack dab in the middle of residential neighborhoods?

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I'd be curious to crack open the books and see the budget/expense reports for this annual beast. I can't imagine it's a money maker for the city given the clean-up costs, police overtime, etc.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Outstanding article from the NYT about one of America's best ever and most influential television shows. I also didn't know creator Rod Serling struggled with self-doubt and figured his work would be quickly forgotten. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | ‘The Twilight Zone’ Was a Warning America Ignored

With “The Twilight Zone,” Rod Serling created a durable blueprint for understanding our surreal reality.

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Kate W. @ravelingout.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

The purpose of reading to your child is not merely to enable your child to hear the words of a book spoken aloud, you absolute turnip. Maybe the reason these men love their AI so much is because, like their AI, they too lack all evidence of a human soul.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

We’ve all heard about the number of f-bombs in The Big Lebowski and how many times “Michael” is uttered in The Lost Boys, but I want an official count of the number of names screamed in Akira.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Movie Review Haiku # 113 Akira Anime classic, Dense, like most of the genre, Tetsuo! Tetsu…. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA8K... Grade: A- #MovieReviewHaiku #Blueskyfilm #📽️ Film #Akira

youtube.com

Akira (1988) Trailer

YouTube video by RetroBiografen

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

And kudos to the good folks at the Grachtwacht for once again braving the canals to help clean up the mess afterward. You can learn more about all the weird stuff they pulled out of the water on Sunday morning over on their Instagram account. www.instagram.com/degrachtwacht/

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

With the Rapenburg residents now on the march, it will be interesting to see what, if anything, their objections yield for future fests. Thus far, it sounds like Mayor Peter Heijkoop will only be offering them lip service.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I'd *love* to see fans of the fest put up with a Tilt-a-Whirl going until 1 AM outside their house, people puking on their stoops, or a brawl waking them up in the middle of the night.

static.klipy.com

Man Stressed and Exhausted at Work

ALT: Man Stressed and Exhausted at Work

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

And I'm not the only one around here who feels like once a year is too much. The festival has become too big, and it's become more about getting drunk and wasted than celebrating the city's history.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Proponents and organizers always snidely spout "It's only once a year!" to critics. There's even a new-ish documentary film about the festival titled Tis maar eens per jaar. www.3oktdoc.nl

3oktdoc.nl

Tis maar eens per jaar | 3 oktober documentaire

Ontdek de documentaire over Leidens Ontzet op 3 oktober, inclusief de geschiedenis en traditie van het Leidse volksfeest, geregisseerd door Vince de Jong.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

As with prior editions, there was also violence. Two people were stabbed this time around. www.leidschdagblad.nl/regio/leiden...

leidschdagblad.nl

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Do women have every right to be furious that they have to pay while their male counterparts don't? Absolutely, but anybody with a brain could see this coming. Let *everybody* pee for free!

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

And this year there was also the decision to make everybody pay to use the toilets. Why? Because women were upset men during prior fests could pee for free at outdoor urinals. Unsurprisingly, drunken guys were pissing all over the place. Onto houses, into the canals and flower boxes, etc.

static.klipy.com

Jojo Siwa: Everywhere You Want

ALT: Jojo Siwa: Everywhere You Want

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

But what was especially aggravating (or amusing based on your perspective) was the decision to place a floating concert venue on a canal along the Rapenburg this year, which is a fairly ritzy neighborhood. Many residents over there are *furious*.

static.klipy.com

Yesraina: Spongebob Driving with Hat

ALT: Yesraina: Spongebob Driving with Hat

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

The problem with Leids Ontzet is that it takes place in residential areas. There isn't space for what has become a raucous event like Oktoberfest here. The annual carnival goes until midnight or later and many bars stay open all night. It can feel like being in the middle of a Gremlins movie.

static.klipy.com

Gremlins Gremlins 2

ALT: Gremlins Gremlins 2

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I've lived here for 15 years. Do I like the festival? Nope! Many who live in the city center like myself can't stand it. Would you enjoy a round-the-clock Mardi Gras on your front doorstep every October that goes for two or more full days? Didn't think so. 3october.nl

3october.nl

3 Oktober: Leidens Ontzet | 3 October Vereeniging

Vier en herdenk Leidens Ontzet op 3 oktober: feest, gezelligheid en traditie voor jong en oud. Bekijk het programma en doe mee!

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

The Leidsch Dagblad has a round-up of their complaints, which include having to deal with brawls outside their houses, public urination, property damage, and more. www.leidschdagblad.nl/regio/leiden...

leidschdagblad.nl

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Leids Ontzet was arguably bigger than ever last weekend and, needless to say, local homeowners weren't happy about it. A quick thread about the annual festival... #Leiden #Netherlands #LeidsOntzet

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Reposted by B in the Netherlands

By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 07/10/2026

Up until very recently indeed, airlines were the only businesses that I dealt with regularly that practiced "price discrimination," charging different customers different prices for the same seats.

A 1970s Air Canada ad depicting a man in a brown velour pullover with a large collar sitting in a book-lined study, assembling model Air Canada jets on his desk. His head has been replaced with the blue, metallic head of a 1950s pulp robot and his skintones have been shifted blue to match.

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I hope this experience will eventually become a column or even a book. So many questions... Do they get to sleep indoors and in cute little ducky beds? Do they follow you around, constantly quacking? Do they fly onto the furniture? Bookshelves? Seriously, how do you deal with all the poo?

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

In light of this news, the question I'm sure is on the minds of a lot of people in the NL: "But are they *expat* gangs?" #expats #alwaysblametheexpats

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Movie Review Haiku # 112 Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror A legacy doc, Rocky is still going strong, 50 years later Grade: A- www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElnK... #MovieReviewHaiku #Blueskyfilm #📽️ Film #RockyHorror

youtube.com

STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR Trailer 2025 – Richard O’Brien, Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon

YouTube video by Indie Film Worldwide | BritFlicks

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Agreed. Far as I know, they're doing the same thing with the bridges. "Let's chose an era when the color schemes were the most boring and drab in our city's 1,000 or so year history."

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

One of the strangest policy changes in Leiden has been the ongoing efforts to paint bridges, historic houses, and other stuff with often drab "historic colors." Why are many bridges here grey? Because of this. Here's the latest project. www.leidschdagblad.nl/regio/leiden... #Leiden

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barleybap but she's dressed as a skeleton @barleybap.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

On this Halloween, I remind you once again that the Monster Mash is a story of capitalist exploitation of the subjugated monster classes, and you should probably be boycotting it. Let's consider the facts:

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

When "tiptoeing through the tulips" season is long over, there's only one option... #autumn #cat #Netherlands

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Movie Review Haiku # 111 The Rocky Horror Picture Show Curry at his best. The ultimate late night flick. It’s bottled lightning. Grade: A www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnYB... #MovieReviewHaiku #Blueskyfilm #📽️ Film #RockyHorror

youtube.com

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

YouTube video by Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers

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B in the Netherlands @bnetherlands.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

If you'd like to know more about what's currently happening with dual nationality in the Netherlands, last week's Dutch News podcast is well worth a listen. It features a fascinating (and troubling) interview with the founder of the SNBN, which represents Dutch nationals living abroad.

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Mr. Tyler CroOoOoOoOok @mrtylercrook.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It's bonkers how "User agreements" are actually binding contracts where one party gets to change them whenever and however they wish and the other party has the options to agree or to stop using computers.

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e.w. niedermeyer @niedermeyer.online · 05/10/2026

he really does look like he's about to step off into a bold new future with none of us in it

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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 05/10/2026

As wildfires raged across eastern Australia in 2019, the small coastal town of Narooma lost power and internet. The only connection to the outside world was a handful of old-school pay phones. Now, one of them has now been given historic status.