Theo Bruinsma — Poet

The crane is the most common bird in Monaco The air in Monaco is always clean Sometimes a raven can be seen But the crane bird is everywhere Buildings rising here and there All the cranes bear the same name From a family with great fame They rule the skies of Monaco Better to be their friend than their foe In the distance is the palace Where the Prince is pacing with malice Another day another scandal The priest shook his head and lit a candle Who had leaked the dirt? To cause the monarchy so much hurt Who made the man with the crown Look like such a clown? Surrounded by the wrong men Punished by a poison pen Though he still has his crown Many greet him with a hidden frown In Monaco the cranes are everywhere Buildings rising here and there The Crane (bird) J.B. Pastor & Fils

"Mirror Mirror on the wall Who is the most popular of them all" "Professor Pim" the mirror said The man the Queen wanted dead The Queen hated Professor Pim For he had called her son dumb and dim With only a few days away Professor Pim would have a say The Queen's ministers had warned her The election was around the corner If Professor Pim would become the Prime Minister of the Neverlands He would hold her future in his hands Without a poison apple around A useful idiot had to be found The Queen's men found such a man And quickly drew up a plan Pim was ambushed in a parking lot . . . shot shot shot . . .  Professor Pim was no more . . .  And the Queen found a new man to adore She named her favorite horse after him The man who had murdered Pim No politician thereafter made fun of the crown Because they all wanted to stick around And that's why they call it the Neverlands Because the people never know their plans

  There was a song during the eighties by the Scottish rock band, Simple Minds, called “ Promised You a Miracle .” But I always heard it as “Promised You America.”

As a teenager growing-up in Holland, I used to watch numerous American TV shows. The one that I really liked was Miami Vice starring Don Johnson. At this time in Holland there were only two television channels, and they didn’t commence until 3pm in the afternoon and ended slightly passed 11pm. Another one I really liked was  Magnum, P.I.  starring Tom Selleck. And though Magnum, P.I. was featured only once a week, it provided me with enough inspiration to enter the world of palm trees, white beaches, beautiful women and a red Ferrari. But if not a red Ferrari, I would have gladly settled for the convertible Rolls-Royce Corniche as occasionally featured in my other favorite TV show, Hart to Hart , starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. For me, Don Johnson, Tom Selleck, and Robert Wagner as portrayed on television were the ideal men living in the ideal world.

Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly in High Society (1956) Frank Sinatra Singing for the Princess Grace Foundation of Monaco in Dallas, Texas DALLAS, TEXAS: In October 1986, a significant event took place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel (then called the Loews Anatole): the Princess Grace Foundation gala, and the royal family of Monaco was in attendance. Several days before the event, all staff scheduled to work underwent background checks. Though we waiters were not privy to specific details, we noticed numerous men in suits loitering around and we suspected they were federal agents.

Elitism vs. Elegance: Encounters with Wolfgang Puck, Robert Duvall, and Depeche Mode at the Crescent Court Hotel DALLAS, TEXAS -- 1985-89: Luckily, a new hotel had opened-up in Dallas, and I was able to work some banquet shifts there. It was a 5 star hotel called The Crescent Court Hotel.

King Willem-Alexander and his mother Princess Beatrix smiling at the people who pay for their palaces Behind the Democracy: How the Dutch Monarchy Exercises Silent Control Over the Government According to Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution, every individual in the Netherlands should be treated equally under the law. However, there is one family who is above the law: the superior royal Dutch family. This is a huge contradiction in Dutch society and culture. The Dutch legislature should either abolish Article 1 or the monarchy and revert back to a republic, which the Netherlands originally was.

The Man Queen Beatrix Feared: Did the Dutch Establishment Intentionally Leave Pim Fortuyn Unprotected? Had Pim Fortuyn lived just nine more days, he would almost certainly have become the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands.  The obvious question that has lingered for years is: Who benefited the most from his death?

  Angelique via Utrecht: Reflections on Medical Ethics, the Dutch Caste System, and a 40-Year Family History It was a typical Dutch gray day—neither rain nor sun graced the sky. The train had just left Utrecht station, bound for Bunnik. I was now only minutes away from seeing Angelique. The last time I had seen her was 25 years ago when she visited me in San Francisco.