February 2, 2021

Iranian spy and terrorist stayed at Dutch hotel unencumbered

Filed under: General by Orangemaster @ 1:09 pm

Flag of Iran

Assadollah Assadi, a 48-year-old Iranian diplomat wanted by Belgian authorities for spying and terrorism, apparently stayed at a hotel in Meppel, Drente without any problems.

According to books in the hands of Flemish broadcaster VRT, Assadi stayed at Hotel de Poort, across the street from the Meppel train station. Hotel owner Henk van Duinen has not been able to find any record of the stay from five years ago. The Dutch authorities knew nothing of Assadi’s visit to Meppel either.

Assadi was arrested in Germany, and is facing a 20-year sentence. He’s been held in a Belgian prison awaiting the verdict in his trial next Thursday. It has recently emerged that while in custody he was visited by his superiors from Tehran. Apparently, he also gave other spies and terrorists instructions.

The Iranian frequented public spaces in many smaller European cities such as Meppel where he made appointments at tourist spots. The data reveal a predilection for meetings outside castles and fortresses. The only notable person I know from Meppel is my bookkeeper.

(Links: vrt.be, rtvdrenthe.nl, Image of Flag of Iran, some rights reserved)

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September 5, 2018

Meppel issues many fines for people peeing everywhere

Filed under: Weird by Orangemaster @ 6:49 pm

According to RTVDrenthe, Meppel has the most people fined for ‘peeing and pooping in the wild’ of all the cities in the province of Drenthe.

Per 10,000 residents, some 25 fines have been handed out in Meppel, which is more than cities such as Coevorden, the number two (ha, pun) on the list, where 6,2 fines per 10,000 residents have been issued. In what timeframe, that’s not clear.

On the national level, Meppel is in the top list, with places such as Terschelling, Valkenburg aan de Geul, Leeuwarden, Noordwijk, Utrecht and Schouwen-Duiveland out in front of it.

Nope, no idea why, but the amount or lack of public toilets could definitely play a role.

(Link: rtvdrenthe.nl)

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March 29, 2015

Warehouse echoes Rietveld’s famous weaving mill

Filed under: Architecture by Orangemaster @ 8:25 pm

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The jagged roof of this warehouse and office space in Meppel, Drenthe was designed by Dutch architect Arnoud Olie to reference a 1950s weaving mill, Weverij de Ploeg (photo) in Bergeijk, Noord-Brabant thought up by world famous Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld.

Olie wanted to avoid the traditional ‘square box’ buildings that are typical for the region and therefore went with an upgraded Dutch design classic.

(Link and photo: www.dezeen.com)

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April 4, 2007

Woman finds hand axe in street

Filed under: General by Orangemaster @ 7:48 am
axe2.jpg

A woman from Meppel, Drenthe found a Neanderthal hand axe on the street in front of the supermarket and gave it to the Drents Museum in the town of Assen. Street builders probably found the ‘rock’ and unknowingly discarded it. The 80,000 to 55,000 year-old axe broke in two. The woman realised that it was a hand axe and took it home. Even if the axe is broken, the museum claims it is the nicest copy of the Northern Netherlands, which is now on display in the museum. Although Neanderthal hand axes are found only sporadically, finding such a copy in the street is highly unlikely.

(Link, and more here: Link)

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