These days

“When I turn, in the moment, feel the same.” 

 

    The afterparty after the Sunday by the Sea lasted until 3 a.m. I had to convince myself to finally end the unexpected Sunday event. I was planning to go to Luxembourg city and France for a while on Monday. 

For two hours, I danced on the bed. Like a silent disco, the same trance song kept looping over and over — Hot As Hades (John O’Callaghan Remix). Sometimes I imagined my own lyrics in place of the original words. These days, and the first truly summer-like days of the year. It was a huge euphoria, the feeling that I also could have been somewhere else. Looking back now, I’m almost surprised by the level of euphoria I was in — from Sunday into Monday, dancing half-naked on the bed while looking out the windows. 

I had already drunk two Dutch beers before 8 p.m. on Sunday. I laughed about the fact that I was drinking an ordinary Dutch blackcurrant lemonade — it tasted unbelievably good to me. It’s actually pretty strong. Looking back today, I can’t even remember exactly why I laughed so much about that lemonade, pretty strong. I only have a photo of myself half-naked with the drink, when I forced myself to take a picture of that amazing ordinary lemonade from Zeeland.

Dry as Consciousness

 I have published posts several times about land management of different types Europe. In Central Europe, people usually complain about droughts and unbearable heat during warm days. 

I myself am shocked by the dryness in Central Europe when I know the reality of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, or Western Germany. 

This shock of dryness has led me once again to reflect on cultural principles in Central Europe and Western Europe. 

Some might say it is due to climate change. In reality, however, it is not only about climate itself, but about the way the landscape has been modified and managed over decades. 

I do not want to go into the reasons again; I am simply sharing my shock at how unbearable it feels…

ChatGPT also knows only statistics, and therefore knows about the climate and landscape only from a virtual environments, but this piece is something I see in different landscapes of Europe. 

  “One of the biggest problems of the Central European landscape is its low water retention capacity. During the last century, large-scale interventions in nature took place across Central Europe:

* rivers were straightened,

* wetlands were drained,

* drainage systems were built,

* fields were merged into enormous agricultural plots.

These changes were intended to increase agricultural efficiency. Water was supposed to drain from the fields as quickly as possible so that machinery could operate without limitations. In the long term, however, this approach caused the landscape to stop retaining water.

Today, when heavy rain comes, the water often:

* quickly runs off the surface,

* flows into rivers,

* does not soak deeply into the soil.

The result is that the landscape dries out rapidly during hot periods.” 

Karen Foster: A Gegenwelt

Rimmel sweeties

 Karen would probably have expressed herself much more directly — not just calling it disgusting.

Karen Foster

The inspection itself was apparently fine. What was not fine, however, was the criticism of self-care that seemed “too excessive” for a man at the borderline.

What is bold about it is that the more western part of Europe knows someone precisely because elsewhere that person’s personality and self-care were the reason.

I was also amused that although people know who they are speaking to, they do not realize that this very reason is why someone is know…

Even before everyone knew someone, I used to say that I liked how even my clothes still smelled of this country days after I returned--and I also did research into why that is. I thought about it in relation to a relationship — under certain circumstances, it probably would not look this way so much in this space.

Yet hygiene and cosmetic products are not against the system — they are part of the system itself. A sweet business…

“These were literally remarks about hygiene and cosmetic products that were found on top of the backpack while showing them to someone else.”

The Rimmel was the golden highlight of the discovery. I didn’t understand what I was supposed to explain about Rimmel. Although it seemed like when was expecting a reaction rather than eye-rolling…

Articles are often focused on this subject of self-care. And I praise the West, because sometimes I search more difficultly for values in the Central region. There also were names of an influencers about this theme. 

Happs

It is the 21st century; as they say, civilization is no longer an age long gone. It should be like a flower that constantly strives to become more civilized — more beautiful, delaying aging and death. A forever life…

There is nothing about life that still has to follow what applied in the last century. Life can always be extended further and further. In an exaggerated version, silicone breasts and other body modifications are part of it too.

Sometimes I answer myself that it is like not going to the dentist, or not wearing braces.

In a my case, Schwarzkopf hair gel for men’s was also a surprise. When I look at Central and the West, people in the West also use hair gel more…

In every sense of this piece, this looks like a kind of “conservatism” toward human progress in self-care. 

For me, it is incomprehensible that someone would be surprised. 

The inspection had already started when a one said where the man was going right now. A truth is that it is legal in most parts of that “vacation” country, also for people from other countries. I have always this question, why everyone would even bring it from another country where, a truth is that it is since the beginning of 2026, it has been highly legal anyway in this country, but in the Netherlands everyone can buy it almost everywhere too. 

Faster and punctual

 Anyone familiar with the transport system in the Netherlands also understands why public transport is often faster and punctual…

Dutch trains rank among the most punctual in Europe — often in first place. At first glance, this may seem like proof of perfect organization or a national mentality focused on efficiency, which certainly also plays a role. People sometimes even applaud at stations when a train to their distant hometown arrives exactly on time. But another reason is that the Dutch system simply cannot afford delays because of how the infrastructure is designed.

The Netherlands has one of the densest railway networks in Europe. Trains operate at extremely short intervals, and a large part of the system relies on precisely synchronized connections. In many ways, the operation resembles a metro system more than a traditional railway, including the platforms and ticket gates controlling access to them. There is also noticeably less noise and high speeds. Dutch civilization itself is so interconnected between cities and countryside that the entire country feels urbanized, metropolitan. 

Trains connect within intervals of just a few minutes, and key hubs must function with almost surgical precision.

This creates enormous efficiency:

* frequent connections,

* fast transfers,

* high capacity,

* simple travel without long waiting times.

Because the Dutch rail network is so dense, even a small disruption can create a domino effect.

A typical scenario looks simple:

* a delayed train blocks a track,

* another train waits for a free platform,

* the delay spreads into a transfer hub,

* connections fall apart,

* more trains begin slowing down,

* and when there is a serious issue on the line, the entire centralized network is often partially shut down, with trains stopping everywhere until the problem is resolved.

Especially sensitive is Utrecht, one of the most important railway hubs in Europe. Huge numbers of trains pass through it every day, and any disruption there quickly affects the entire network.

The high density and intensity of train operations make it possible to offer:

* frequent services,

* high capacity,

* comfortable transfers,

* fast travel without a car — often even faster than driving.

At the same time, it creates an environment where just a few minutes of delay can threaten the stability of the entire network, and effectively the whole country. Punctuality is a fundamental condition for the survival of the system itself.

Fat is Fast

 I have a few thoughts about fatbikes. People often ask me whether the bike is fast and whether it is physically difficult to ride…

First of all, I went through a period where I tested all kinds of MTBs, from the original standard 27.5 bikes to the rise and mainstream adoption of other wheel sizes like 29 and 27.5+.

Based on videos from the USA showing a group riding trails and rocks, jumping through forests, I discovered the fatbike. I also watched videos from Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN) testing fatbikes, and I decided to try buying a good one myself. For damaged roads, dirt and forest paths, rough terrain, but also softer terrain like sand and pebbles, crossing streams, and easier climbing in off-road conditions, it seemed like a very universal solution for different environments. Surprisingly, a good fatbike is also great for jumping.

After testing all kinds of terrain, including easier uphill riding on rough surfaces, I concluded that I personally prefer riding a 26x4 fatbike rather than struggling on a 27.5+ or 29. Not to mention snow. Even on a good 29er, riding through rough snowy terrain is terrible. MTB 26x4 tires are similarly tall to MTB 29-inch sizes, but they are four inches wide.

Secondly, I found it amusing that riding fatbikes is being restricted in Amsterdam. This topic is actually quite openly discussed in the Netherlands. Fatbikes are faster and, compared to normal bicycles, can be quite dangerous because of that. A nation where bicycles are the main form of transport understands this well.

In a way, I share the Dutch approach, and the bicycle is also my main means of transportation now, for example when commuting to work. However, compared to the Dutch cycling infrastructure, riding on damaged terrain with normal tires is uncomfortable, so using an MTB fatbike on rough surfaces makes more sense. In the Netherlands, I would mainly want to ride a fatbike along the beach by the sea, where it would be ideal because the tires do not sink into the sand. Fatbikes were originally designed for these kinds of soft terrains as well as harsh conditions.

Since I mentioned transport, like in the Netherlands I also prefer public transport. In the Netherlands, public transport is generally faster, more precise, and less noisy because the government itself wants people to use public transport instead of cars. The same applies to bicycles and cycling infrastructure. It is also connected to sustainability, which the Dutch government strongly promotes: fewer emissions, less pollution, and less use of natural resources. Recently, different train discounts have also been discussed for this reason. The Dutch government is actively trying to encourage people to use public transport more often.

In the Czech Republic, sustainability, including public comfort are often ignored and perceived as restrictions. In my opinion, what is truly limiting is outdated oil-based infrastructure that feels closer to the third world. Modern infrastructure in the Netherlands is far more modern, faster, and quieter.

Huis van Oranje

 If I told someone because carrots are also orange thanks to the Netherlands, many people would probably think it’s fake.

For most of history, that simply was not the case. Carrots existed in many colors — purple, white, yellow, and red. The orange variety that dominates the world today only became popular in the early modern era, mainly thanks to Dutch agriculture, which I have mentioned several times already as highly inspiring.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, agriculture and trade developed rapidly in Netherlands. Dutch farmers experimented with cultivating different vegetable varieties and gradually bred more stable and tastier orange carrots.

And thanks to the strong Dutch trade and logistics network, which I have also mentioned before, orange carrots quickly spread across Europe and later to other parts of the world.

The orange color is also linked to a high content of beta-carotene, which the human body converts into vitamin A.

And just to add a bit more Dutch… who knows who is behind New York City? Today’s New York City was originally a Dutch colony called New Amsterdam. The Dutch founded it around 1624 on the island of Manhattan as part of the colony of New Netherland.

A world without human freedoms and rights

 The idea of equality carries within it a paradox that may ultimately lead to the denial of the human being itself. If people are naturally different, then every difference creates the potential for hierarchy. Differences in intellect, talent, ambition, creativity, or will create differences in influence. And differences in influence gradually create inequalities of power. The moment a society decides to eliminate all hierarchies completely, it comes into conflict with human nature itself.

Human beings are not static creatures. They long for growth, self-overcoming, creation, knowledge, and progress. Yet progress means movement forward, and movement forward creates differences between people. Some think faster, some create more, some lead, while others follow. Absolute equality therefore could not tolerate true individualism, because individualism itself is the source of inequality.

If a society without any hierarchy were to exist, it would have to control not only the economy or social relations, but human thought itself. Intellect would become a problem, because differences in intellect create differences in influence. Ambition would become a problem, because it creates movement and progress. Individuality would become a problem, because it disrupts the uniformity of equality. Such a society would have to constantly ensure that no one “stands out.”

This is where the similarity to Nineteen Eighty-Four emerges. Not necessarily in the form of a traditional state, but in the principle of absolute control in the name of a higher idea. In Orwell’s world, that idea is power. In a vision of absolute equality, equality itself could become the new authority, total power over mind of all beings. The control of language, the restriction of thought, and the suppression of individuality would not serve to protect the state, but to preserve the uniformity of society. 

The paradox of such a system is that the attempt to eliminate hierarchy creates a new and even deeper form of domination. Power would no longer exist only within institutions, but within the very principle of equality itself, which would define the limits of human expression. A person would cease to be a unique individual and instead become a function of the system. Individuality would be seen as a threat to the stability of the collective order. 

Equality lead not to the liberation of humanity, but to the removal of what makes humans human — difference, individuality, and intellectual freedom.

Drink spiking

January 2022

 I already mentioned the unusual situation in drum and bass—that in January 2022, at a well-known Prague club, after accidentally entering the backstage area, I saw fans chanting Sidney SN. I also mentioned a likely case of drink spiking. It was probably an opiate; I was still experiencing hallucinations on the evening of the third day, when I was calmly lying on my bed while the shadows of objects in the room were moving. The strange thing was that despite the hallucinations, I was at the same time extremely calm.

A recent Beat Sexism survey was published: According to the survey by the organization Beat Sexism, around 32–33% of respondents had personal experience with so-called drink spiking (meaning that a drug or another intoxicating substance was added to their drink without consent). Out of 1,041 responses, 336 people reported personal experience, which is 32.3%. More than 91% of them were women. The most common age group was 19–24 years old. The research was focused mainly on young people in Prague, especially students and visitors of nightlife venues.

If the survey is accurate—which it most likely is to some extent—although chanting the name of a liquid drum and bass artist is rare, drink spiking is quite widespread in Prague.

I also wrote that these very experiences with events in Prague are among the reasons why I do not want to visit Prague. For me, it is a dangerous place, not only because of poisonings at events, and I prefer daylight events outside of Czechia. And the fact is that since 2022, I have not attended any event in Prague.

HelloFake 2027

 I’ve seen some surprise about real wages or spending in certain countries compared to the HelloSafe Prosperity Index 2026, which once again doesn’t match the reality of European countries for me either.

I have my own rough TOP 20 worldwide ranking based on median wealth per adult (typical real assets of ordinary people – the closest measure to “how wealthy people really are”). The data varies depending on methodology (UBS / Global Wealth Report), but over the long term it generally looks like this:

1. Switzerland

2. United States of America

3. Hong Kong

4. Australia

5. Luxembourg

6. Denmark

7. New Zealand

8. Singapore

9. Netherlands

10. Norway

11. Belgium

12. United Kingdom

13. Canada

14. France

15. Sweden

16. Taiwan

17. Ireland

18. Japan

19. Spain

20. Germany

 What is important:

* This is not about “how much the state earns,” but how much wealth an average person actually has (real estate, savings, investments minus debts).

* That is why some countries with high GDP (for example Qatar or Ireland) are not ranked highly here – their numbers are distorted by corporations or inequality. Czechia is not there either, because Czechs are generally not as wealthy as people in those top twenty countries.

If we are talking about average income, wages, or nominal wealth, then for example Czechia is poorer than the residents of the United Kingdom or France.

The HelloSafe Prosperity Index works with data where:

* low unemployment does not rule out low wages, underemployment, or real poverty

* low relative poverty does not mean comfort

* high home ownership among the older generation does not mean affordable housing (for younger people, for example)

* PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) may suggest “good purchasing power,” but for example rent and high energy prices can completely change that paper reality

If you look at the real feeling of living standards, some countries definitely do not feel like TOP 20 richest countries in the world.

For example, the mentioned index suggests that the gap between the extremely rich and the extremely poor is not as huge in some parts of Europe as it is in the USA. Fewer extremes mean a smaller gap between social classes, while greater equality does not automatically mean a good standard of living or determine what someone with an average income can actually afford.

When it comes to living costs and wages, I calculated how much I would have left on average each month from the salary in a social services (with my practice) in the Netherlands after covering my usual, basic expenses (this is food, pharmacy, cosmetics, electricity, insurance, clothing) or maintaining a my usual “minimalistic” lifestyle. The amount would be probably €1,700 to €2300 per month, depending also on spending on things such as clothing. The upper limit of possible savings is approaching the salary of a management of a smaller social service facility in Czechia, such as a care home with around 50 clients.

White like the Moon

 

        Even as I was traveling at dawn, the sun was white like the moon. Someone also asked whether it was the moon. I thought it must be because of the weather warning. 

At the same time, it was beautifully warm, early-spring weather. In the afternoon, it felt like summer clothing would be enough. But the sun remained white. It was pleasantly warm at the beginning of March—so much so that it made me want not to rest along the way, but to keep going. I also felt a strong urge to see buildings and parts of the city in different places under the glow of that white, yet warm sun. 

That day I walked 44,954 steps. It was fascinating how the buildings and city districts were illuminated by rays of a white sun, close in color to the moon, pushing me to keep walking further and further. The warning at the time was about Saharan dust. It doesn’t happen everywhere, and for some people it was surprising—even at dawn, wondering whether it was the sun rising or the moon.

EDM 2018 as the Peak of One Era and the Changes After the Pandemic

 Because of my relationship with techno music for instance, some people may be surprised by my attitude. But I also like EDM, Martin Garrix (Garrix also brought my person to Dua Lipa because his collaborations with Dua Lipa), Alesso, or MATTN from the female DJs for example. 

What saddens me is that many things changed after the pandemic. To this day, I regret that I did not visit Tomorrowland in 2018. I see it as the peak point for EDM, and also the peak point of the time when EDM was dominant at Tomorrowland. Attendance was also at its peak.

Honestly, I am not very enthusiastic about the fact that Tomorrowland became something else after the pandemic. And EDM gave way out. It may be a case for sociologists to explain why. In practice, I no longer have much interest in visiting Tomorrowland. I wanted to experience the EDM atmosphere and community there, and that time is gone…

Drum and bass is also visible at Tomorrowland today. In the past, it was mainly the Belgian Netsky at a Belgian festival who stood out. I like Netsky. Although there may now be people performing at Tomorrowland from DnB whom I personally like, I still do not like that DnB is now common at Tomorrowland. I do not like it in relation to the EDM community and to the experiences I may never have had.

When I look at the changes at Liquicity Festival, in my opinion it is similar. 2022 was the break point, after which what came next is no longer something that attracts me. I also see some similar reasons there as at Liquicity for why the changes happened. But at Tomorrowland among these reasons is not a person :D

 2018 as a Symbol of the Peak

The year 2018 can be seen as one of the strongest moments in Tomorrowland’s history. At that time, the festival benefited from the peak of EDM popularity, massive international interest, and an atmosphere that had been building throughout the previous decade. Mainstage culture, festival anthems, big melodies, and euphoric moments were still at the center of the festival’s identity.

At that time, Tomorrowland did not represent only a music event, but also a cultural phenomenon. For many fans, it meant a place where the global EDM community came together. That is exactly why, for many people, 2018 is associated with a feeling of the peak — not only in production, but also emotionally.

 EDM as the Dominant Identity of the Festival

In the pre-pandemic period, for years EDM at Tomorrowland was perceived as the main language of the festival. Progressive house, big room, and the festival sound defined the character of the main stages and the overall image of the event. Names such as Martin Garrix, Alesso, Hardwell, or Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike were symbols of that era.

That does not mean that other genres did not exist. Tomorrowland was always musically broader. The difference was in what formed its dominant identity and what most people automatically associated with the festival.

 Changes After the Pandemic

After the pandemic, festival culture changed, and Tomorrowland changed with it. Styles such as techno, afro house, tech house, or harder modern directions of electronic music, including neurofunk gained more space. If someone longed to experience the atmosphere of the peak EDM era, they may feel that they will never experience it now. 

EDM 2018… Both weekends were sold out in about an hour. With a capacity of around 400,000 visitors across two weekends, the festival was already fully established as the biggest EDM event in the world.

Dumb and Dumber

 Western Europe is known as a place where people can communicate using one language. English serves as a kind of navigational tool that is expected from everyone if it is not their native tongue.

I had an experience on a trip. During March on the journey from Brussels to Strasbourg, a French woman was sitting next to me. In the seat ahead of us was a lady from Brazil, apparently living in France. In front of her was a darker-skinned woman also living in France. Across the aisle sat a Spaniard. And behind him was a girl — I don’t know where she was from.

On the highway, you could start to feel wind inside the bus. I was quietly amused when I saw the French woman take off layers down to a T-shirt after she had sat beside me. Someone on the bus had left a window open or opened one. For a moment, nobody knew where the draft was coming from. It was still dark outside. It turned out to be a roof window, with cold air blowing directly into someone’s face.

First, a discussion started in English about where the wind was coming from. The French woman asked what was happening. I said that the roof window was open. The Spaniard tried to close it. But meanwhile, the lady who had become friendly with the Brazilian woman passionately insisted that he should leave the window open. Her reasoning was that the bus needed fresh air.

Everyone seemed quite surprised by the confidence of that lady — that the younger generation, which all of us were, were complaining about the cold, while the older woman saw it only as fresh air.

Maybe she did not realize that icy wind was blowing directly into someone’s face. She was sitting in the seat in front of the window. Of course, the French woman immediately put her jacket back on and was probably covering herself with a scarf as well.

To me, the whole situation was almost comical. When the bus was moving fast and smoothly on the highway, you could really feel it on your body and face. After a while, the Spaniard threw his jacket directly over his face. I started wondering whether my own face was freezing too, while laughing at the sight of the Spaniard with his winter jacket draped over his head. This weird situation reminded me the movie Dumb and Dumber, where these idiots ride through freezing weather across America on a tiny motorbike and end up frostbitten. I thought to myself, “That’s going to be us in a minute…”

The girl sitting behind the Spaniard finally couldn’t take it anymore and asked us whether the window really had to stay open, or what was going on. Spaniard said that he was closing the window, but the lady wished it to remain open. Once the girl said that, the Spaniard silently stood up to that older lady. He went to close the window again.

This time, the older lady did not object.

Across all those languages — French, Portuguese, Spanish, maybe Irish, Czech language I know, and others — we managed to communicate on the bus in one language. If someone had not known that language, they would have been lost when it came to solving problems on the bus. 

The approach as a Mirror of Economy

 In the article The Landscape as a Mirror of Society, I wrote about Dutch land management, which is clearly visible at first sight. 

The Netherlands is also considered 

the second-largest exporter 

of food in the world... 

This is mainly about the value of exports, not the number of tons of food produced. 

As in other areas of the economy, the Netherlands is also remarkable in how much it can earn from exports.

I already wrote in the above-mentioned article about Dutch farming, and the truth is that the Netherlands uses high-tech greenhouses, precision agriculture, automation, and innovative cultivation methods. Thanks to this, it is able to achieve high yields even on a small area and with lower resource consumption.

A one of the major roles is played by the connection between farmers, companies, and research institutions. Dutch Wageningen University & Research is globally known for its research in agriculture and food production.

Another key factor is strong logistics, especially the Port of Rotterdam. Goods quickly reach both European and global markets. The Netherlands also functions as an important trade hub. Thanks to its strong ports and logistics centers, goods from all over the world are in the Netherlands and are then distributed further to other countries.

Last but not least, a major reason is that instead of focusing on cheap commodities, the Netherlands concentrates on products with higher value due to quality, specialization, or technology. These include seeds, greenhouse vegetables, flowers, cheeses, dairy products, or processed foods. 

Life Shorter by One Hour

 I feel like I’m missing an hour of my life. First of all, back in autumn I left daylight saving time on one of my watches—my favorite ones. I keep catching myself thinking that the time shown on the watch is the real current time. And that brings me to the second point: I’m missing that hour of life in my life. Because of it, I can’t keep up with what I want to do. I wish a day had 28–32 hours.

Now I associate this with the loss of that hour. A 24-hour day feels too short to me, and on top of that, according to my own watch, I’ve even lost an hour of my life. It’s no longer five in the evening—it’s six. I always pause, realizing the watch is now set correctly, and it’s already six. The same goes for the morning. It’s already so late, when it feels like it should be an hour earlier.

In fact, I feel like I’ve lost two hours of my life — one hour in the evening, and another hour in the morning.

Lekker

 Hah… I recently mentioned that I like hip hop, among other music genres.

At the Happs mix, I also mentioned that Amsterdam is sometimes perceived as a kind of “black sheep,” but I said that I don’t see it that way, that this isn’t like a hip hop track mixed into Happs.

Additionally, I talked about Christmas in Amsterdam. In my opinion, Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful places in Europe during Christmas. I love the real Christmas atmosphere there. 

I also wrote a lot about how I perceive the Netherlands as a genuinely safe country. Sometimes it gives me an indescribable atmosphere, one I find hard to find elsewhere: The West Coast of Europe.  

I came across a video on Dutch Instagram, belonging to a Dutch girl, Somi Linda aka driplist. The video’s description says, “Dutch rappers: I was raised by the streets…” This video is another one, in my opinion, that captures what I often write about the Netherlands. I laughed when I saw this video for the first time.

Experiences Over Statistics

 Recently, I wrote about Grand Est in France. The truth is that, statistically, French cities often rank among the most dangerous in Europe. In many cases, this is true not only statistically.

Grande Île de Strasbourg 

I wrote about Grand Est intentionally because cities in Grand Est, such as Strasbourg, do not rank among the most dangerous cities.

 I don’t like statistics. Safety statistics, including those from Eurostat, are based on reported cases. Reality can be different, and from experience, it is. In Czechia, cities have everyday crime that Eurostat does not cover, I think. This is precisely because it concerns safety—things are either not reported, or people don’t see that reporting would solve the problem, or the issue does not turn against the person reporting another. In many Czech cities, people complain that they are afraid to be outside during the day, let alone after dark. Eurostat, however, shows nothing like this.

„definitions and counting of official crime vary between countries, and comparisons between countries can therefore be misleading“ European Commission 

The same goes for cost of living. Statistics often deal with prices but not with wages, for example. When statistics claim that living costs are lower somewhere, income is not taken into account at all. This is just one example of how statistics fail when it comes to cost of living or poverty.

I don’t know exactly how Strasbourg compares statistically to cities in Czechia, for instance. However, my impression is that Strasbourg itself is safer and calmer than cities in the Czechia. For example, at night, a drone is enough to cover many areas and monitor moving people. In Czech cities, a drone would not be sufficient in similar places.

At first glance, this might seem like excessive control. But the situation is clear: Strasbourg is calm at night in these areas. People are practically absent, homeless people or drug users are minimally visible—or rather, they are simply not there—and the space is well monitored. In such a case, a drone is sufficient for prevention and monitoring.

The contrast with many Czech cities — statistically different places — is stark. In city centers and main areas, movement of various “undesirables” is common even during the day—homeless people, drug users, thieves, or even worse. People often fear intervening, even when something happens that would require a reaction. In such an environment, a drone would not be sufficient—the area is too lively.

It is also clear that official statistics, for example Eurostat in my view, do not provide an accurate picture. They are based only on reported cases and often do not reflect how people actually feel or how safe their daily environment is. In cities, people regularly experience fear from everyday crime, complain about the situation, which statistics almost never capture.

Strasbourg, which I used here as an example, is, from the perspective of nighttime calm around the center and safety, simply a “different world.” Drone there work as an effective supplement for prevention. In similar Czech cities, this approach would fail because the dynamics and concentration of problematic groups in the center and main areas do not allow for simple technological monitoring.

 During the COVID-19 pandemic, drones began to be used in France to monitor compliance with lockdown measures and the movement of people in public spaces; this practice was subsequently restricted by courts due to privacy concerns, which led to the adoption of legislation in 2023 that legalized the use of drones and established conditions for their deployment—officially for purposes such as maintaining public order or preventing crime.

So calm and a sense of safety in a city are not just about statistics or technology, but about the actual reality, the visibility of problems, and the experience of the people who live and move there. Strasbourg shows that sometimes it’s enough to simply have a space where people “normally aren’t” for prevention to be effective. In my view, if there were a society that denied the existence of crime, Eurostat would evaluate that society as perfectly fine.

I don’t even need to mention why so many people outside of a country know me. This is also something that could be sociologically questioned. 

The Dutch CCTV

 I had an arguments about why the Netherlands is a pretty friendly country and seems to be safe.

  Yet, 

the fact that the atmosphere in the Netherlands often feels more relaxed: 

 Dutch cities also tend to have CCTV networks, integrated with AI-based monitoring and real-time alert systems, and you can be everywhere immediately warned by police through loudspeakers on the street or in a park about your behavior without any intermediary.

Once, for example, I experienced a situation where someone who was trying to have a “picnic” in a Dutch park was warned over the police loudspeaker. It was quite a shock, because in other parts of the same park man can clearly see people sitting on benches and for example they smoking a joint, since THC is legal in the Netherlands. But this particular area is more nature protected.

Another example is this experience where a Czech bus drivers tried to enter the Maastunnel in Rotterdam, and they were immediately warned over the loudspeaker by police and given instructions to back out of the tunnel entrance. People in the cars near the tunnel were quite surprised by the event. The yellow bus had to turn around in the bend of cars in front of the tunnel. Traffic into the Maastunnel was blocked because of it. At first, I was surprised that the bus drivers didn’t know where to go in Rotterdam towards Centraal Station, and then that they drove into a Maastunnel meant for cars, which caused the incident. In the end, though, I couldn’t help laughing at the confusion they caused and how they were being instructed over the loudspeakers by police, they were shocked because this immediately CCTV system and loudspeakers itself. It was such a typical “Czech” decision to “just cut it off there and see what happens”. The bus drivers probably didn’t know about CCTV networks in Rotterdam and police loudspeakers which a one can find all over Rotterdam. The truth is, it was crazy to want to go into a tunnel with passenger cars. 

When Euphoria Turns Into an Opponent

 Recently, I read that in the United States there has been a significant increase in THC use in recent years. Along with this, a phenomenon known as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) has been appearing more frequently.

 THC, which many perceived as a beneficial, calming, or medicinal substance, has in some cases turned into an opponent.

THC often acts as a means of inducing euphoria, relieving various types of pain, and improving appetite. However, in some cases—especially with chronic use—it transforms into the opposite of what it was meant to provide.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is precisely that opposite, and it appears to occur in many chronic THC users.

From experience, I have encountered this in certain individuals as well. They often appear tired, weakened, lacking appetite, frequently vomiting—yet they continue using THC, believing they will overcome the condition, or perhaps due to a perceived dependence. This is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.

I looked into 

 the reasons behind CHS:

 The endocannabinoid system is a part of the human body—it regulates mood, appetite, stress, and pain perception. When this system is stimulated externally over a long period of time, it adapts. It reduces sensitivity. It recalibrates. It searches for a new balance: The paradox is that the more a person tries to stabilize their experience through an external substance, the more they may disrupt the body’s ability to stabilize itself.

What is striking is the cyclical nature of this phenomenon: Nausea → THC use → short-term relief → deeper destabilization → further use.

The body sends a signal, but the mind interprets it through past experience: “This has always helped me.” And it is precisely this memory of relief that sustains the cycle.

Physical exhaustion, dehydration, and loss of strength during CHS episodes are symptoms. The body loses electrolytes, cannot eat, sleeps poorly. The body is under strain. Psychological apathy, irritability, or anxiety when abstaining point to another kind of dependence—not necessarily dramatic, but quiet: dependence on external regulation of one’s internal state. The user may find themselves in a vicious circle, aware that THC no longer benefits them, yet unable to stop using it.

The phenomenon of CHS is not merely a medical complication. It is a reminder that any long-term artificial amplification or suppression of a system changes its fundamental setting.

Not every long-term cannabis user will experience this condition. Reactions are individual. Genetics, frequency of use, THC potency, and nervous system sensitivity all play a role. But for those in whom this cycle develops, 

  the solution…

 is paradoxically simple—though psychologically demanding: complete cessation for at least an extended period of time. A return may be possible, but likely only in the form of occasional use rather than chronic use.

Made me laugh

 “If someone doesn’t like it, they probably should work on themselves.”

 

 Sometimes ChatGPT can be amusing. Over the past four days, I’ve been feeling abnormal tired, so I consulted ChatGPT about my current lifestyle.

In the chat, I also mentioned my daily fitness routine. And ChatGPT’s response to my push-ups made me laugh:

 1500 push-ups a day is an extreme volume (sometimes I do even more, up to 2000).

Honestly — that’s more than most professional athletes do for a single muscle group in a day.

To be even more precise:

 In bodybuilding, a high weekly volume for one muscle group is considered roughly:

• 10–20 working sets per week

You’re doing 1500 push-ups a day. Even if I count that as 50 sets of 30 reps, that’s 350 sets per week of a single movement.

That’s a completely different league of volume.

Carrie as a Warning: When Society Fails the Individual

Carrie 2013

 I’ve already written that I like Chloë Moretz because in her films she often portrays what she herself feels, or she chooses roles that have a clear purpose. One of the strongest examples of Chloë Moretz being true to herself, for me, is The Miseducation of Cameron Post. During the U.S. elections, Chloë Moretz also spoke about her identity and expressed concern about the possibility of Donald Trump being elected.

Recently, I rewatched Carrie (2013). This remake of the classic story by Stephen King depicts a teenage girl who is systematically humiliated by her classmates and psychologically suffocated by a fanatical religious upbringing at home.

“I just want a normal life…”,  Carrie 

After watching the film, I was left with questions. For a moment, I was even uneasy about whether the film could be seen as inspirational or as justifying mass murders, which sometimes happen for reasons similar to those the film portrays. Mass shootings are more frequent in the U.S., but such social phenomena are not limited to one country.

The film ultimately feels more like a warning, I think — that when a person is mocked, ignored, or oppressed over a long period of time, something accumulates inside them. Carrie releases this accumulated pain in a destructive way, killing everyone — maybe in distrust of everyone, including those who stood by her. 

Once again, I see in Chloë Moretz someone who accepts a role because of its deeper intention.

And this is where the film asks an uncomfortable question: What happens when a collective systematically destroys an individual — and can later even pretend it knew nothing about it? In Carrie, this is very clear: collective bullying is not just about a few “bad individuals.” It is a group dynamic. And groups have a strong tendency to protect their own image.

It is true that the bullying, humiliation, and rejection of Carrie are carried out by society in the film, yet in the end almost all of them are massacred — except for one person, who later testifies in court about the unbelievable events.

The climax at the prom is not a triumph. It is a tragedy. Carrie does not kill only those who hurt her. In a state of emotional overwhelm, she destroys everything. The film makes it clear that violence is not justice — it is collapse.

In my view, the film does not say that revenge is the solution. Rather, it points to the possible consequences of the systematic oppression of an individual.

Carrie also has supernatural abilities in the film, specifically telekinesis. When I think about the reasons why I like Chloë Moretz, I wonder whether there is also intention in this aspect. In a way, oppressed individuals may become more aware of systems of oppression for the sake of their own survival; they may learn to read people more accurately and develop an understanding of reality that is inaccessible to anyone except the oppressed themselves. In the film, however, there is something deeper about controlling reality. At the very beginning of the film, Carrie saves herself precisely through this power.

In the context of various societies where systematic oppression, bullying, and isolation exist, Carrie functions as a warning. Chloë Moretz portrays a character who is not a symbol of evil, but a symbol of society’s failure. And perhaps that is why the film provokes such strong emotions — it forces to reflect on where individual responsibility ends and where societal responsibility begins.