The same as the previous tow-away dog post. The removal of bikes + cars. Well, I can see how to remove a bike which is parked in front of this house. I am really curious about the cars. Again I have some very interesting mental pictures.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Dogs
If you walk the streets instead of being in a hurry, you often notice small oddities. The things you never notice when you pass them quickly on your bike.
This tow-away sign for dogs is one of those things. Interpret it the way you want. I have a lot of different interpretations, that's for sure ;)
This tow-away sign for dogs is one of those things. Interpret it the way you want. I have a lot of different interpretations, that's for sure ;)
Monday, March 05, 2007
Cars...
Recently I read about men and their cars. Men (as in: male homo sapiens) are known car lovers. The more noise the thing makes, the better it is. Also, cars gives men sturdy feelings. This will certainly not surprise anyone. This is widely known. Probably the Oempa-Loempa's would have known if they existed...
I'd say: it is far from sturdy and tough to drive a car. It shows you to the world as a weak person. Someone who cannot walk or drive a bicycle. Someone who misses the physical strength to do those things. Someone who is a pussy instead.
"Why so harsh? Do you not drive a car?" Yes, I do even own one (which has not left the garage the past 4 years... but that is due to maintenance which I still have to do). But, that car is not a car, it is a 2CV.
"But, you hate public transport don't you?" Yes and no. I hate the bus. Except for when it drives me to a location somewhere in the Alps to do some skiing. Also I hate the tram/metro/tube/underground. Except for when they come in handy because of something is too big to carry on the back of your bike (I could say: when it rains, but it always turns out that you have to wait too long... so the bike would have been a better choice).
And I simply love the train (except for when I am obliged to take a bus after arriving). Though the train is most lovable when the ride is long (eh.. long in the Netherlands is between 2 and 3 hours...) in which case you can easily watch a film on your laptop/I-pod/Archos/cellphone/whateverdevice, finally read that book which has been next to your bed for ages, just do some studying, stare blank out of the window or just sleep.
"But by car you would have been 30 minutes/1 hour faster!" Yes, and then I have to pay attention to the road, all the time pay attention if there are no camera's to catch my speeding as I am always speeding as driving a car always makes me fall asleep as it is very verrry boring and only fun when I drive waaay too fast or when it is snowing very hard or there is a dense fog... And you cannot drink. Not that I always have to drink, but I hate soft drinks, and when there is a party...
Another thing are traffic jams (in this country for sure). Nowadays they say: oooh , this morning there are some light traffic jams. A very quiet morning. Just about 220 km of jammed traffic in the country, most of it in the Randstad (this country only measures 41,526 km² and has about 2360 km of highway...). I did an internship in Rotterdam and would sometimes try to get back to Groningen by car on a Friday afternoon. The first half (about 90 kilometers) would take up to 3 hours (!). The second half, ~140 km (where you could easily go 160 km/h, ok, not allowed, but..) would be a little hour... By train you had to switch trains once, somewhere in the middle and would be about 2,5 hours.
Why did I use a car back then? Eh.. well. I lived somewhere which you had to reach by metro... So, for me I should always try to live close to a main train station.
Back to the pussy-story. Using a car also means you drive a vehicle which uses fossil fuel and needs roads which are mainly made out of - yes yes we tend to forget that one - asphalt. Made out of the semi solid products found in most petroleums. A part of fossil fuel. And using the car, which still uses the basics of a system of combustion from over one hundred years old... the car likes flat roads, no bumps. And as so many people seem to like it, a lot of very flat, very expensive roads are needed.
To cut this pile of thoughts short: I don't understand why there are no vehicles yet using Jetsons like systems on hydrogen or something like that. Hmm.. Anyway, no, I dislike the environmental part in this piece. I stick to the men who need to run to the gym by car all the time to lose their weight as all you can do in a car is: consume and consume. Eat, drink, eat, drink, eat, drink and SIT and wait until you can lift your right foot from the gas pedal. In case of cruse control even those muscles are not in use...
I think I made myself clear ;)
I'd say: it is far from sturdy and tough to drive a car. It shows you to the world as a weak person. Someone who cannot walk or drive a bicycle. Someone who misses the physical strength to do those things. Someone who is a pussy instead.
"Why so harsh? Do you not drive a car?" Yes, I do even own one (which has not left the garage the past 4 years... but that is due to maintenance which I still have to do). But, that car is not a car, it is a 2CV.
"But, you hate public transport don't you?" Yes and no. I hate the bus. Except for when it drives me to a location somewhere in the Alps to do some skiing. Also I hate the tram/metro/tube/underground. Except for when they come in handy because of something is too big to carry on the back of your bike (I could say: when it rains, but it always turns out that you have to wait too long... so the bike would have been a better choice).
And I simply love the train (except for when I am obliged to take a bus after arriving). Though the train is most lovable when the ride is long (eh.. long in the Netherlands is between 2 and 3 hours...) in which case you can easily watch a film on your laptop/I-pod/Archos/cellphone/whateverdevice, finally read that book which has been next to your bed for ages, just do some studying, stare blank out of the window or just sleep.
"But by car you would have been 30 minutes/1 hour faster!" Yes, and then I have to pay attention to the road, all the time pay attention if there are no camera's to catch my speeding as I am always speeding as driving a car always makes me fall asleep as it is very verrry boring and only fun when I drive waaay too fast or when it is snowing very hard or there is a dense fog... And you cannot drink. Not that I always have to drink, but I hate soft drinks, and when there is a party...
Another thing are traffic jams (in this country for sure). Nowadays they say: oooh , this morning there are some light traffic jams. A very quiet morning. Just about 220 km of jammed traffic in the country, most of it in the Randstad (this country only measures 41,526 km² and has about 2360 km of highway...). I did an internship in Rotterdam and would sometimes try to get back to Groningen by car on a Friday afternoon. The first half (about 90 kilometers) would take up to 3 hours (!). The second half, ~140 km (where you could easily go 160 km/h, ok, not allowed, but..) would be a little hour... By train you had to switch trains once, somewhere in the middle and would be about 2,5 hours.
Why did I use a car back then? Eh.. well. I lived somewhere which you had to reach by metro... So, for me I should always try to live close to a main train station.
Back to the pussy-story. Using a car also means you drive a vehicle which uses fossil fuel and needs roads which are mainly made out of - yes yes we tend to forget that one - asphalt. Made out of the semi solid products found in most petroleums. A part of fossil fuel. And using the car, which still uses the basics of a system of combustion from over one hundred years old... the car likes flat roads, no bumps. And as so many people seem to like it, a lot of very flat, very expensive roads are needed.
To cut this pile of thoughts short: I don't understand why there are no vehicles yet using Jetsons like systems on hydrogen or something like that. Hmm.. Anyway, no, I dislike the environmental part in this piece. I stick to the men who need to run to the gym by car all the time to lose their weight as all you can do in a car is: consume and consume. Eat, drink, eat, drink, eat, drink and SIT and wait until you can lift your right foot from the gas pedal. In case of cruse control even those muscles are not in use...
I think I made myself clear ;)
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Amsterdam by rain...
The Netherlands can be a rainy place. Though it also has its beauty. See for yourself. Later on I'll post more 'urban jungle' pictures.
View the bridge between Rusland viewing alongside the Kloveniersburgwal.
View the bridge between Rusland viewing alongside the Kloveniersburgwal.
View of buildings at the Waterlooplein from the end of Rusland (street name)
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