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Erik Van Linden

@erikofbelgium.bsky.social

180 followers 140 following 200 posts

European. Independent accountant. I love to read and travel in time and place through them. Ancient history-late ancient history fan. European investor. I love to read Mary Renault and her brand of fierce purity.

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 10d

Same here. And wow. Brilliant 📖

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 12d

What a poem indeed, Margaret Atwood, The Loneliness of the Military Historian.
Love her short stories.

Sam Ottewill-Soulsby @samottewillsoulsby.bsky.social · 12d

A brilliant, angry, beautiful poem.

‘I don’t ask why, because it is mostly the same.
Wars happen because the ones who start them
think they can win.’

Tamar @heartinamber.bsky.social · 13d

I tend to think every nerdy trans woman should read Margaret Atwood's The Loneliness of the Military Historian and sit with it for a moment no matter what it is exactly she's nerdy about, but that goes double for you www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47788/...

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 12d

I know the feeling! Same here. It is a totally different book than I expected. Incredible to think that the book was written in the 60’s by Agatha Christie. A real discovery and the ending is so good.
Some are born to sweet delight…

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 13d

This is my book of the moment too. I love to read Agatha Christie and this book reads so easy. In the last chapters now…

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 17d

Answers in my head: there were no good emperors. They were all concerned only with getting power and money and after that with keeping alive. And no, Justinian was not responsible for wat happened in the 7th century. Also, violence and victory in war is needed even for a Christian emperor.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 17d

Thinking about this book a lot. Peter Heather writes eloquently, logically, beautifully while searching for meaning and answers. What does it means to be a good Christian Roman emperor. Was Justinian a good emperor? Did he make possible the fall of the Roman Empire in the 7the century?

Peter Heathers brilliant book Rome resurgent

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 17d

Lion Rose going strong on this sunny day.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 29d

Gorgeous. Wishing you a lovely day. ❤️

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · 29d

Thinking now about a few websites now that I dread to enter because of this. The Edenred’s and Microsofts of this world…

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · Sep 15

My latest cartoon for @newscientist.com

p.s. this week I am on a USA/Canada tour with my new book. Details and preorder links at tomgauld.com

Panel 1. image of a huge nuclear plant.
“Reactor Overheating”

2. A worker in a hazmat suit works at a computer. The screen reads:
“Press cancel to avoid critical overload”

3 - 9. The worker continues to type at the computer. The screen changes in each panel and reads:
“Enter password to confirm”
“Incorrect password”
“Incorrect password”
“Do you want to reset your password?”
“Reset link has been sent to your email”
“Please choose a new password”
“New password can't be the same as old password”
The colour gets hotter in each panel. Starting blue in 1 and ending in red in 9.

Panel 10. Wide view. The entire earth is blown up.

Reposted by Erik Van Linden

Philosophy Bits @philosophybits.com · Sep 11

“What usually prevents us from showing the depths of our hearts to our friends is not so much mistrust of them as mistrust of ourselves.”

— François de La Rochefoucauld, Moral Reflections

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Reposted by Erik Van Linden

Wayne Turmel @authorwayneturmel.bsky.social · Sep 8

I have a #historicalfiction novel set in the Foreign Legion 1908 coming out in January. Does anyone know of a #starterpack of podcasts that interview authors?

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Sep 3

Poor Johnny, save him from the wild beast.

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 28

It sounds painful… I hope it heals well and wish you a fast recovery. Keep up the good spirits.

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 25

Proficiat en zeer, zeer verdiend.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 23

Thank you for the correction. So really grim news.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 23

I did read somewhere the proposal is to convert the loans made under the chip act in 2022 into shares. Not sure if this is a standard formula in the loan agreements. A dangerous evolution for US big corporations anyway.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 22

Every holiday I read one or two of Patrick O’Brians Aubrey-Maturin adventures. This year the penultimate one. The Hundred days.
Painting the Royal Navy world of 1815 to perfection, Europe is in shock. While France reacts to the cries of Vive L’Empereur. The rest of Europe rallies to stop him.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 13

Just some Rudbeckia to brighten the day.

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Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 8

Sometimes all I need is some close quarter violence on the cobble stones of a small village in the Iberian peninsula. Sharpe saved the bacon for Wellington, again.
Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe.
Holliday reading.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 8

Bought the Dvd for this weekend and am looking forward to see it.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 7

Such a perfect poem.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 7

PRESERVATION A magnificent poem.

Alexandra Blaison @alexandrabl.bsky.social · Aug 7

In Antonello da Messina’s Crucifixion Painting, I am the one on the right. I am hanging like that, My back is arched like that, I am facing the real God, I am unknown and will be forgotten, But I am there, too, and my body is Open to all the pain of life.
— Preservation, Sylvie Baugartel #Ekphrasis

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 6

This is the the most concise definition why AI will not replace human brains yet. When we can create Minds who live for hundreds of years with ambitions of their own we can start to worry.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 3

Zakalwe narrates as if talking about someone else. Life is happening around him and even when he is the main actor, he really is just an observer of his own actions. Which is certainly something I can relate to.
Like in meditation, sometimes you step back and watch yourself meditate, smiling.

Erik Van Linden @erikofbelgium.bsky.social · Aug 3

Finished book 3: Use of Weapons

In war we become weapons, used and using other (people as) weapons.
Even for the Culture, war is a difficult question and high morals disappear when victory is all that counts. Do these Minds really know what they are doing?

Three first books of Culture series by Iain Banks

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