Netherlands – Ghost in the Machine

Tulip Time.

“Abstract rainbows of color fill the landscape in these beautiful photos by French photographer Normann Szkop who hopped in a Cesna with pilot Claython Pender to soar above the tulip fields in Anna Paulowna, a town in North Holland.” It’s a Mondrian kind of ground – Let him show you what he can do with it: In the eye candy department, tulip fields from the sky. “See the entire 100+ photograph set over on Flickr.”

El Siglo de Oro.

Congrats to Spain on winning the World Cup 1-0 yesterday (and to Pulpo Paul for going eight-for-eight this Cup, the most impressive run by a psychic cephalopod since the twelfth chapter of Watchmen.) I was rooting for the Netherlands going in to yesterday’s game, but after a chippy game from the Dutch, Spain probably deserved it. On to 2014!

Non.

As feared by EU supporters around Europe, the EU charter vote fails in France. That’s very disappointing, if not unexpected. Update: The Dutch pile on.