The Best Me Deal

Million dollar huntWith an offer of 314,000 euros in _Million dollar hunt_many people would have gone home satisfied, but the 61-year-old Bertha couldnot resist the temptation last night and let herself be carried away foranother round. Her courage was rewarded: she left for home in front of morethan 1.3 million viewers with almost half a million euros. “I’m so happy withthis,” she exclaimed.

In the third episode of the new season of Million dollar hunt last night,61-year-old Bertha stood behind the well-known desk next to Linda de Mol.Unlike many candidates who preceded her, she chose for no reason a briefcase,number 26. Prize money would be more than welcome: Bertha wanted to pay offher daughter’s student debt of 12,000 euros. De Mol asked whether she also hadsomething in mind for herself if she would win a nice amount. A new kitchenwould be nice, but Bertha had one dream that made her eyes twinkle. ,,A camperseems great to me.”

And so Bertha, who accompanies young people with dementia in daily life,started playing with the suitcases in good spirits. The first round didn’t gotoo well for her. For example, 500,000 euros fell off, but the 2.5 millioneuros also disappeared from the list. The first offer from the bank wastherefore not very exciting: 47,000 euros. Bertha didn’t mind.

Stop

The second round went a lot better. ,,What a top round, he was great’, De Molexulted, as she summed up the amounts in the right row. Another bid followed,this time for 99,000 euros, but Bertha didn’t like that either. Once again,briefcases with favorable low amounts were played away and the 5 million wasstill present, but Bertha remained sober. “We’re not there yet”, she respondedto the enthusiastic De Mol.

The game progressed and there were fewer and fewer briefcases left. The bankcame up with an attractive offer of 314,000 euros. This caused Bertha to havedoubts: to stop or to continue? Her daughter, a friend and much of theaudience advised Bertha to stop, but her curiosity won out in the end. “Let’stry it”, she took the gamble.

Bertha then played the 1 million away, but the 5 million stunner was still inone of the briefcases. The bank responded to this, because Bertha received anoffer of 488,000 euros. That was when she chose eggs for her money. “Deal,”she exclaimed. A good choice, because her own briefcase turned out to contain’only’ a thousand euros.

And so Bertha left with 488,000 euros, with which she can pay off herdaughter’s student debt, but also finally buy her dream camper. “I’m so happywith this,” he said enthusiastically.

The Voice

Two weeks ago, De Mol returned to television after months of absence with_Million dollar hunt_. In January of this year she stopped all her activitiesafter it became known that her now ex-partner Jeroen Rietbergen was accused ofsexually transgressive behavior behind the scenes at The Voicemail e orHolland. She was also not on the cover of her magazine for months Linda.

Bertha and Linda de Mol in Million Hunt. © Talpa

Have you looked too? You can respond at the bottom of this article. Only comments with a full namewill be posted. We do that because we want a debate with people who stand forwhat they say, and who put their name on it. If you still need to enter yourname, you can do so by clicking ‘Login’ at the top right of our site.

Also listen to the AD Media Podcast with this week ‘s Evening Show by ArjenLubach, the riot around B&B Vol Liefde, the mediocre scores of RTL and themany talk shows. Listen below or subscribe via Spotify or iTunes.

Million dollar huntWith an offer of 314,000 euros in _Million dollar hunt_many people would have gone home satisfied, but the 61-year-old Bertha couldnot resist the temptation last night and let herself be carried away foranother round. Her courage was rewarded: she left for home in front of morethan 1.3 million viewers with almost half a million euros. “I’m so happy withthis,” she exclaimed.

In the third episode of the new season of Million dollar hunt last night,61-year-old Bertha stood behind the well-known desk next to Linda de Mol.Unlike many candidates who preceded her, she chose for no reason a briefcase,number 26. Prize money would be more than welcome: Bertha wanted to pay offher daughter’s student debt of 12,000 euros. De Mol asked whether she also hadsomething in mind for herself if she would win a nice amount. A new kitchenwould be nice, but Bertha had one dream that made her eyes twinkle. ,,A camperseems great to me.”

And so Bertha, who accompanies young people with dementia in daily life,started playing with the suitcases in good spirits. The first round didn’t gotoo well for her. For example, 500,000 euros fell off, but the 2.5 millioneuros also disappeared from the list. The first offer from the bank wastherefore not very exciting: 47,000 euros. Bertha didn’t mind.

Stop

The second round went a lot better. ,,What a top round, he was great’, De Molexulted, as she summed up the amounts in the right row. Another bid followed,this time for 99,000 euros, but Bertha didn’t like that either. Once again,briefcases with favorable low amounts were played away and the 5 million wasstill present, but Bertha remained sober. “We’re not there yet”, she respondedto the enthusiastic De Mol.

The game progressed and there were fewer and fewer briefcases left. The bankcame up with an attractive offer of 314,000 euros. This caused Bertha to havedoubts: to stop or to continue? Her daughter, a friend and much of theaudience advised Bertha to stop, but her curiosity won out in the end. “Let’stry it”, she took the gamble.

Bertha then played the 1 million away, but the 5 million stunner was still inone of the briefcases. The bank responded to this, because Bertha received anoffer of 488,000 euros. That was when she chose eggs for her money. “Deal,”she exclaimed. A good choice, because her own briefcase turned out to contain’only’ a thousand euros.

And so Bertha left with 488,000 euros, with which she can pay off herdaughter’s student debt, but also finally buy her dream camper. “I’m so happywith this,” he said enthusiastically.

The Voice

Two weeks ago, De Mol returned to television after months of absence with_Million dollar hunt_. In January of this year she stopped all her activitiesafter it became known that her now ex-partner Jeroen Rietbergen was accused ofsexually transgressive behavior behind the scenes at The Voicemail e orHolland. She was also not on the cover of her magazine for months Linda.

Bertha and Linda de Mol in Million Hunt. © Talpa

Have you looked too? You can respond at the bottom of this article. Only comments with a full namewill be posted. We do that because we want a debate with people who stand forwhat they say, and who put their name on it. If you still need to enter yourname, you can do so by clicking ‘Login’ at the top right of our site.

Also listen to the AD Media Podcast with this week ‘s Evening Show by ArjenLubach, the riot around B&B Vol Liefde, the mediocre scores of RTL and themany talk shows. Listen below or subscribe via Spotify or iTunes.

He has been a regular player in the Concertgebouw for decades. And yet aconcert conducted by the Hungarian conductor Iván Fischer (71) is alwayssurprising – in sound, structure or both. Last season, after 35 years ofcollaboration, Fischer became ‘honorary guest conductor’ of the ConcertgebouwOrchestra. About 40 years ago he founded his own Budapest Festival Orchesta inBudapest as a testing ground for experiments. This weekend offered the uniqueopportunity to listen to him on two successive evenings with both orchestras –and then also twice in Beethoven.

It was a tasting with fair starting qualifications. Both top orchestras are(with Fischer) tried and tested in Beethoven. In Amsterdam the entire symphonycycle was sounded live, with Budapest Fischer recorded them.

meaty applause

Beethoven’s Fifth sounded on Friday in the Concertgebouw Orchestra’smasterpiece series ‘Essentials’ in front of a packed hall. The average age wasaround thirty, at least one generation younger than normal – if not two. Eventhe applause sounded different; meatier. But that was just the beginning ofthe surprises.

Fischer, a pedigree educator who also speaks Dutch fluently through a previousmarriage, seized the opportunity to guide the audience through Beethoven’ssymphonic development with charming lay talks.

How shocking are those tragic opening notes of the Fifth (ta-ta-ta-taaa!!)actually? You got it after the orchestra played the opening passages of thefour preceding symphonies in a flash – with Fischer as commentator. “I knowmany people who always feel rushed,” he said of the first part (two thousandsighs of recognition). “This music is about that. She beats us! You now getmusic that scares you.”

The performance was excellent; clear, carried-out lilting in the ‘Andante'(“Listen now to Beethoven’s soul…”) and gossamer polyphony at the joyfulconclusion, with a stately, late rise of the trombones as an extra effect.

Orchestral fraternization

One drawback: because of the speeches you missed the larger-scale ecstasy that_Third Symphony_ Saturday was realized by the Budapest Festival Orchestra(BFO). There were two carefully chosen appetizers: Louis Andriessens indemocratic anti-aesthetic, which seems a bit dated Workers Union (1975) andMozart’s heavily played Concerto for Two Pianos with Arthur and Lucas Jussen,which garnered even more acclaim for the Fledermaus -fantasy; an extremelysuccessful encore, also in the tour that will follow, sponsored by the Dutchembassy.

Now the comparison could begin. Of course, music is not a competition, butwhen do you hear one conductor perform Beethoven with two orchestras?

Observation one: the BFO has something endearingly unruly. In the openingmovement of Beethoven’s Third the scales still remained closed, although thetransparency of the fast string figures aroused admiration here too. But itgot much better. The sound of the double bass group, arranged in the centerback, was unheard of, but of a velvety feel that caressed the ears all the wayto the back of the hall. Also striking: swelling figures in the strings hungdeep in the string. That characteristic and the fierce timbre of the horngroup made the ‘Scherzo’ a sensual pleasure. At the very end, the BFO sectionswere reinforced by 17 Concertgebouw Orchestra musicians. The music didn’t needit, but the effect was nevertheless spectacular.

The reverse stunt will follow in Budapest next week: Hungarian musicians willthen join the Concertgebouw Orchestra. After that, we have to wait for evenmore musical fraternization for Fischer’s return in February; then you can sitin the orchestra as a listener, shoulder to shoulder with the musicians.

Britt van Rij (18) and Carolijn van Straaten (19) quickly arrange theirclothes before entering the main hall of the Rotterdam pop stage Annabel. Thenumber Wild Thoughts by Rihanna blares from the speakers, but neither ofthem wear hearing protection.

‘My father has to do that,’ says Van Rij. “But good earplugs are expensive andthey don’t fit well.” Then rather a ring in the ears when she is in bed aftergoing out. “I have that often enough,” she says. ‘Always, actually’, adds VanStraaten. ‘Very interesting,’ says Van Rij.

The laconic attitude towards hearing damage is shared by many visitors whocome to the danceable hits in Annabel on Saturday evening. This is in starkcontrast to the urgent appeal from ear doctors, hearing care professionals andthe Hoormij patient association. They believe that the sound in nightlifevenues, concert halls and festivals should be softer. Hearing specialists seean increase in the number of young people knocking on the door with tinnitusdue to noise damage. This is due to loud music in the nightlife, but also, forexample, due to headphones at too high a volume.

Medical student Kate Frenzen (21) has learned all about it. Between 1 and 2million Dutch people suffer from tinnitus. In 50 thousand of them, theringing, ringing or whistling in their ears is so bad that it takes over theirlives. Yet she has forgotten her earplugs. ‘I can immediately see all dyinghearing cells in front of me. But yeah, now I’m not going back home.’

Responsible volume

In 2018, the government agreed with festivals, music venues, studentassociations, cinemas and gyms that they would limit the noise level to 103decibels. That covenant expires on December 7, and that is an excellent momentto adjust the standard, according to the Dutch Association for Ear-Nose-Eyeology. The volume of the music should not exceed 100 decibels. The nightcatering industry, which did not sign the covenant four years ago, should alsobelieve in a responsible volume. State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen of Health,Welfare and Sport is awaiting advice from the Health Council in Novemberbefore taking any measures.

‘Even at 100 decibels you will incur damage without hearing protection’, saysHenri Marres, professor of ENT surgery at Radboud University and chairman ofthe ENT doctors’ association. ‘Earplugs muffle the sound by about 15 to 20decibels. At a limit of 100 decibels, you fall, with earplugs in, just withinthe safe range of 80 to 85 decibels. That is the limit set by the WorkingConditions Act: at more than 85 decibels you are obliged to wear hearingprotection.’

Just below the speakers in Annabel, Karel Brand (23) is dancing exuberantly.He is one of the few in the room whose ears sparkle with earplugs. “Hearingdamage is no joke,” he says. ‘I don’t feel like tinnitus’. Robert Stokroos,professor of ear surgery at the University Medical Center Utrecht, doubtswhether there are actually more young people who suffer from tinnitus. Thefigures are difficult to compare, because there is little data from the past.’Nevertheless, there is no question that tinnitus is a major problem and thatprevention is necessary.’

Turning back the volume knob is not the solution, says Ramon de Lima, nightmayor of Amsterdam. Three notches softer doesn’t seem like much, but thedecibel scale is logarithmic. This means that a reduction of three decibels isequivalent to halving the sound pressure, reducing sound perception by 20percent. ‘This makes the experience of a club night completely different’,says De Lima. ‘When the sound becomes much weaker, you no longer feel thevibrations of the bass in your body and the buzz drowns out the music. In anightclub you have to be able to lose yourself in the music on a swirlingdance floor.’

That’s exactly what happens after midnight at Poing nightclub, a stone’s throwfrom Annabel. Under red fluorescent tubes, a crowd of people moves to thetrance beats that Dj CyberFairy777 – with white elf wings on his back – pumpsinto the hall. The sound thumps against the eardrums.

At the bar is Lindsay (25), who for privacy reasons prefers not to use herlast name in the newspaper. She unfolds her hand. In her palm lie two clearearplugs. “Tailor-made,” she says. “All my friends wear them too. I’m tryingto become a DJ, so it’s important that I hear well.’ It is better to invest ingood earplugs than to lower the volume, she thinks. ‘That way I still feel thebass in my chest, and without it I feel empty.’

‘Compare it with smoking’

‘It sounds edifying’, says professor Marres, ‘but we have to get rid of theconviction that going out is not complete without loud noise. Everyone shouldrecognize that some things are exaggerated. To limit tinnitus, the public hasto change its behavior: stand less close to the speakers, always wear earplugsand give the ears a rest now and then. Legislation for a lower volume createslittle support, that should be a last measure.’ Compare it with smoking, saysprofessor Stokroos. ‘In the past, cigarettes were everywhere on the table, butthirty years later that is unthinkable. People must now also become aware ofthe consequences of loud noise.’

In Poing, that consciousness slowly penetrates. “When I woke up this morningto last night’s ringing in my ears, I was still thinking about buying caps,”says Garry Satisfied (40). ‘Because now that I think about it, it’s kind ofweird: I carefully select my sunglasses for the right strength and fit, but Idon’t pay attention to my ears.’

A car dealership from Munich offers a Japanese coupé with a rich history. Itconcerns the Nissan GT-R of the late Paul Walker from the film series TheFast and the Furious which will be auctioned later this year.

During the shooting of the nine-part film series of _The Fast and the Furious_about 2,500 cars were destroyed. Converted, it would be about one crashed carevery 49 seconds in the movies. Fortunately for the hardcore fans of themovies, one specific car was not among the victims.

Unique copy

It is the blue Nissan R34 Skyline, from part four of the series, which hasbeen preserved. This Nissan already had a cult following with sports carenthusiasts before it debuted on the movie screen, but the film series hasmade the sports car an outright legend.

The film GT-R is a unique example that was specially composed by KaizoIndustries for the shooting and with the collaboration of lead actor PaulWalker, who was killed in a car accident in 2013. For example, on Walker’sinstructions, the car has no nameplates or stickers because he didn’t want todrive a ‘sticker bomber’.

Text continues below the photo

The super fast Nissan from the film series The Fast and the Furious. © GTA

‘Bayside Blue’

The ‘Bayside Blue’ color looks like the car came out of the showroom yesterdayand it kind of is, because the Nissan has only driven 6,000 kilometers. Thetwin-turbo 2.6-liter six-cylinder in the front is no less than 550 hp strong.The car features Nismo sports suspension, sports exhaust, body kit, roll cage,Alcantara interior and the on-board computer installed for the film, includinga custom head-up display.

If you consider that standard promotional vehicles from the The Fast and TheFurious movies have already changed hands for more than 800,000 euros, theestimated sales price of five million euros for this very special Japanesefilm car is not surprising. The seller wants to donate a large part of theproceeds to the Paul Walker ‘Reach out worldwide’ foundation. The car alsocomes with a large amount of movie memorabilia. It is not known when the carwill be auctioned exactly.

The new Mini is coming: tough, simpler and sleeker interior, and much morehigh-tech with a large and round OLED screen (+)

Special Ferrari of Michael Schumacher for sale

Our car expert drove the Maserati Grecale: “I was able to negotiate speedbumps with impunity at a speed where many modal cars go off the ground” (+)

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