PhD process. What I really want to know

What do I really want to know?

How are the laws, the 'democracy'  the partitioning of space, ground space and the people involved related?

When I vote ( the right to vote , the law of voice, stemrecht) I always vote  on the party with the best spatial programm.

And how was that between 1800-1810, 1900-1910 and 2000-2010.

So, the plants, for this research at least, are going to the background

On top of the good, the bad and the ugly, there are also the smart, the wise and the caring. I knew it, there is always more, but what exactly....Countering is the magic word, and think about it, that gives almost without saying. But what is number seven? Yes, you knew it: the calm, the cool.

In stead of Roger Moss, I am going to focus on Roger, Mrs and geMissed More.
I have 29 months left for studying, am I going to make it? Now, I can make a planning.


Improved title/ subjects: Land, democracy, cities, Europe
Or. Property, democracy, cities, Europe
Maybe the last is even better, property thinking, Whst contouren think you own, really?

And by the way, I now also have a name for my peergroup: the homogenetic. Almost all credits to Björk , the Icelandvoriginated musicienne

The homogenic are people with genes so they look like humans,  people with genius and people with
a tic, hic, ic and something fantastischverschrikkelijk/ terrific
Do you recognize anything? Welcome to the homogenic group.

Famous last words for today: knowledge for me is like grass for a cow.

A white cow, as you understand. Like the backing of Europa, like a virgin, for the very first time.



Pluk de dag. I am going to get dressed. White, bien sur. O, I love doing history!

Catch of the day

See
www.worldartparty.blogspot.nl

www.worldartparty.blogspot.nl
One of my other blogs.

PhDprocess. How to sell a book. D.L.Daalder

Heritage, heritage, heritage. I reorganised some books  at home, because a frame had to be moved. I needed space on the landing. I selected this thick book, titled 'Het nieuwe boek voor de jeugd', with a bunch kf flowers drawn at the cover. The cover is made from linen, a bit beige. The book in 'ingebonden', don't know the word in English. Why write about this book? Someone told me, you have all these stories, why don't you write a book for children? The woman herself only reads doctors pulp, but she loves children and she admires my fantasies. I thought, why do the effort, there are books for children in abundancy. Obviously, I haven't excluded it completely, this idea. The thick book: On the third blanco page in the right up corner two lines are written, in two different handwritings. The first line I read three words ' Van Epke Sival', on the second line five words are written 'Van Vader, Moeder en Frans'. What striked me immediately was the handwriting of the first line. It looks almost the same as the handwriting of my son, who is seven now and started to learn to write previous schoolyear. Especially the p and the k are strikingly similar. Obviously both my father and my son don't have the fine motoric senses inherited. And they both do not like spending a lot of time reading, well that's another story. My grandmother and grandfather and my uncle Frans were the readers and they bought this book for my father. I think he never paid it any attention. He never bought a book for me. I am very lucky this book survived. How did it end up on this bookshelf? Since there is no year notion in the book, I speculate now that this book was probably published just after world war two, I guess between 1945-1950. My father was eight in 1945. He and his older brother Frans were sent to a foodprogram in 1945, because they survived the winter of hunger, 1944-1945, city of Haarlem, but were very very skinny. They probably started to go to school and read after this period. The book is published by N.V. Verenigde drukkerij Dico, Amsterdam-Zuid. I can figure this out, the year of publishing some day. The introduction is written by D.L.Daalder. I am not making this up! Daalder is another Dutch word for 1,5 guilder Anyway, how this person writes! I thought only the British are capable of that, he definitely could sell a book! Listen! I mean read on. I
copy the text in Dutch first.

Inleiding.
Toen mij een paar jaar geleden het ,,Boek voor de Jeugd" ter bespreking in een paedagogisch tijdschrift werd toegezonden, heb ik gehandeld als altijd: doorbladeren, prentjes kijken, hier en daar wat lezen en dan pas aandachtig bestuderen van a tot z.
 Vaak is het zo, dat dit laatste punt van het program lang op zich laat wachten: een volwassene heeft nu eenmaal niet altijd lust in de lectuur van een kinderboek, zelfs als hij het ambtshalve moet lezen. Maar met dit ,,Boek voor de Jeugd" was dat niet het geval. Al snuffelende herkende ik allerlei verhalen en gedichten, die mij te eniger tijd hadden ontroerd of vermaakt en die ik zeker zelf uitgekozen zou hebben, wanneer ik het boek had moeten samenstellen. En daarnaast vond ik vertellingen en verzen, die ik niet kende, maar die mij onmiddellijk boeiden, toen ik er mij in begon te verdiepen. Toen heb ik gezegd: ,,Lezen, nu dadelijk, helemaal, en als mijn eerste indruk daardoor
bevestigd, de aandacht van alle ouders en kinderen vragen voor een boek, dat er zo aantrekkelijk
uitziet en met zoveel zorg, toewijding, kennis van literatuur en mensen is uitgegeven." Een heel weekend heeft de foliant mij vastgehouden, hij deed mij alle andere werk vergeten en toen ik klaar was, heb ik geschreven:,,Mensen, koop dit voor je kinderen en jezelf: het is niet een gewoon boek, maar een hele bibliotheek. Er staat ongeveer alles in, wat er mooi en goed is in onze literatuur, de beste tekenaars hebben eraan gewerkt, de uitgever zorgde voor een fraai uiterlijk en de prijs is zo laag, dat ieder er aan toe kan komen. Je doet je familie tekort, als je deze gelegenheid voorbij laat gaan." Welnu, de mensen hebben gekocht. Bij duizenden en duizenden is de grootste verzameling, die wij op dit terrein bezitten, onder ons volk verspreid - het is niet te schatten, hoe groot haar uitwerking is geweest.....
 Was het te verwonderen, dat ik ,,van ganser harte" zei, toen de commissie van redactie voor een nieuw ,,Boek voor de Jeugd" mij verzocht, deel uit te maken van haar college? Toch heb ik aarzeling gevoeld. Want ik vroeg mij af: ,,Is het mogelijk deze eerste bloemlezing te evenaren of zelfs te
overtreffen?" Is al niet ongeveer alles, wat de moeite van het bewaren waard was, daar opgenomen?"
Maar de twijfel werd volledig overwonnen, toen ik meezocht naar goede fragmenten, verhalen, poëzie, en doorlas, wat door mijn mede-redacteuren werd ontdekt. Er was meer, veel meer dan het eerste boek bevatte: niet alleen waren er nieuwe schrijvers opgestaan, maar ook onder de oudere boeken bleek menig foliant te zijn, die werk van betekenis, geschikt voor ons doel, opleverde. Het was een lust, speurdienst te verrichten, een genot op zichzelf, het geheel geleidelijk te zien groeien.
 En zo ligt dan de nieuwe ,,bibliotheek" compleet voor ons. U gelooft onmiddellijk dat de samenstelling geen kleinigheid was, dat er moest worden vergaderd en gekeurd, geschift en beslist, dat tekenaars, drukkers, uitgever moesten zwoegen om dit werk tijdig en gaaf af te leveren. Maar nu het er is, wordt dit alles vergeten. Zoals een mens alle moeite geringschat, die hem tot de overwinning heeft gebracht. Het is een boek als het eerste, laat ik liever zeggen: het is nog beter dan dat: vooral typografisch en illustratief overtreft het zijn voorganger. En het heeft dezelfde functie: het wil alle leden van het gezin bereiken, de jongsten, de oudsten en allen, die daartussen leven, het wil hen
raken, vermaken soms, aangrijpen meer. Ook een enkele maal iets leren, maar dat toch het minst, omdat het de school geen concurrentie wenst aan te doen. Er is stof voor de kleuters, maar groter is het aantal histories en rijmen, dat de kinderen van de lagere school, de ,,vlegels" en ,,bakvissen" van de middelbare of de u.l.o., de jonge werkers in ambacht en bedrijf en ook de volwassenen kan bekoren en veroveren. Menig ouderpaar zal het gebruiken om er uit voor te lezen: er is altijd iets in te vinden, dat zich daartoe leent. Maar de meeste vaders en moeders leggen het op het tafeltje in de hoek: zijn kunnen er verzekerd van zijn, dat het vandaag door Jan en morgen door Jeanette zal worden gegrepen... Totdat vader zegt:,,Laat mij dat boek lezen en ga jij je huiswerk maken..."
Zo zal het zijn. En onder de hand zal het zijn werking doen: oud en jong in aanraking
brengen met artisten van allerlei aard, vaak de besten onder de besten van ons volk - aandoeningen
oproepen, die ons leven verfijnen en onze wil sterken om te worden tot mensen, waar de wereld wat aan heeft. Geluk ermee!

I do write this a bit, because I think of the new thing as a sales motive, I am a bit sceptic towards all the new things, and then I mean really new. A historian just has this book about ' a new human...' , ' een nieuwe mens...' published. Shall I read it or not. In an interview he doesn't mention anything about countering the 'new'. It seems to become quite a matter of approach, of knowledge maybe, of having seen a lot.

What to do? My mind runs free for a moment
More and more people do have an iPad or tablet or e-reader. The Dutch government has recently signed a contract for importing quite a lot iPads and tablets, so the Dutch burger and burgeres can purchase its much cheaper.
Do I have to continue to explore, like what I have been doing the last three months?

1. For kids of six, seven, eight years old, there are YouTube video's called 'Helden van de stad', in more than ten languages. It is Luke's favoriet at the moment. In the Dutch version even a 'mus' is starring, its name is supermus, with a hidden identity, of course.
2. For kids the same age, there is a book pop-up city, published by Nai bookpublishers.
3. Remaining targetgroups: 0-4 and 9-100 year. Maybe I even try some 'pulp' style, for I want the
most attention possible......and there are some pioneers, the poet ingmar Heytze , the philosopher  Ad Verbrugge and  dr. Maurits van Rooijen, now head of the City College of London. There is even a
film 'Pulp fiction', starring John Travolta. Is that about cities? Yes, but not on the territory of Europe. Of raak ik nu in een staat van verwarring? Het offer van liefde.....

I need to go for some bread. French long bread, I prefer. Hopefully I am more serious tomorrow.

PhDprocess history now. All these insecurities, incertainties

All these insecurities, incertainties, now, anno 2015. People, death in cities, Europe and the rest of the world.

Are you having a nice holiday?

Did you parent die, in the city of Paris, because of the heath? Did your friends die because of a plane crash on the city of Berlin? Did your mother die, near the city of Utrecht, because the pacemaker stopped working? Did your child die in the city of Groningen, because of a braintumor? Did your brother or sister have severe wounds, because he/she took part in the tour the France? Did you see somebody shot to death in the street of the city of Amsterdam, because of so called criminal activities? Did your son die, because he happened to be in the city of the Hague where policemen decided to use too long  a neckclam on him? Did you travel to the city of Barcelona with a girl younger than you, trying to make her love or marry you and did she turned you down? Or did you go the isle of Ameland, where you could walk along the beach, looking at the factories standing in the sea, waiting for a tsunami and get really sick while eating icecreams in the city of Nes? It appeared that cows on Ameland had attracted malaria. Did you stay at home, where your former husband, trying to be friendly to your kids, got a temper and beated you up in the meanwhile? Did your house started to crack, because of some earthquake and are you frightened now at night, not able to sleep because you never know when the roof will come down on you? Did your mental ill neighbour ring your doorbell all night? Did you look for one of your adventurous kids, during the daytime, not knowing where or with whom he/she is hanging out? Did your walkingmate got high disease at 4900 m. height on the Kilimanjaro and died because of it? Did you go to a luxury hotel in Turkey, because of your forty year marital anniversary and did someone in a car loose stirringwheel control, hitting the partner who immediately lost her life?

What decided Poetin today with his scheming masterbrain, while being completely bored, sitting at the porch of his datscha and drinking wodka with who knows.(Nobody is giving him a kiss, with world impact)

Violence and threads are never far away. How come?

Volvo Ocean Race. Een vals gevoel van zekerheid. De navigatie. Anders dan de beroepsvaart hoeven zeezeilers geen officiële zeekaarten te gebruiken. Daarin ligt een bron van verwarring, zoals de stranding van de Vestas Wind (zeilboot) op een rif in de Indische Oceaan liet zien. Hans Steketee, NRC 13+14 juni 2015.
Nog nooit is een zeilrace zo zichtbaar geweest. Maar die klip heeft niemand ( niemand?) zien
aankomen.

De Volvo Ocean Race organisatie zet een onderzoek uit, onder leiding van Chris Oxenbould, Australische marine-officier ( the military!) en ervaren oceaanzeiler. De toon van het rapport is zakelijk, de conclusies zijn pijnlijk. Er was iets mis met de elektronische kaartsoftware, geleverd door C- map. En juist de bemanning van Vestas ( van de windmolens in Denemarken) sliepen tijdens het op de klip lopen. Advies: Vaar bij het navigeren nooit blind op 1 bron.

Het lijkt doing history wel!

Nog wat tragiek.
Bij de eerste Whitbread verdronken drie zeilers. In 2006 vielen twee doden, oa. Hans Horrevoets , ABN AMRO II. Bij de vorige petitie braken de helft van alle masten. Peter Blake, vijf Whitbreads , werd in 2001 door piraten vermoord. Zelfde artikel als hierboven.


 90 % van de mensen die verdrinken, woont in landen met lage inkomens. Bangladesh is zo'n land, waterrijk en straatarm. 43 % van alle kinderen die sterven tussen 1-5 jaar, komen door verdrinking om het leven. NRC, juli 2015, Numbers.

Wereld, wereld, waar zijn we toch met z'n alleen mee bezig?!
Kon het niet laten, even een drama vraag op zondagmorgen. Mijn overburen, het burgergezin, papa, mama, zoon+ dochter zijn deze week naar Skûtsjes zeilen, in Friesland. Hadden ze erge zin in. Heel lekker rustig in de straat, o nee, ik woon in een laan (vreemd Nederlands eigenlijk). Niet van kliffen gedroomd, vannacht. Wel van mijn phd. Het wordt vast lekker warm vandaag. De jaarlijkse hondsdagen komen eraan. Deze aanvulling typ ik op 2 augustus 2015.

Oja, en nog wat. Anton van Hooff, classicus , schreef over democratie. ' Groot -Brittanie herkende zich als zeemacht in Athene. Op de public schools and colleges las men gretig de nobele woorden van Pericles bij Thucycles:'We passen een bestel toe dat niet de instellingen van de buurvolkeren nabootst. We zijn eerder een voorbeeld voor sommigen dan we anderen imiteren. De naam? Alleen omdat de macht niet bij enkelen (niet?,  maar bij de massa berust heet het democratie.'  Verwijzing etc zie drie of vier blogs verder.

PhDprocess. Herodotus according to L.Geysels S.J.

After a power nap, a campari on the rocks, looking out of the window, endlessly into the clouds, feeling the summer heating up in the great city of Groningen, I cannot not resist the urge to share with you something which was written in 1966. Or at least, printed in 1966. There is an edition, 'ingebonden' lying in my lap. Since I have become quite shamelessly I am going to type The Introduction for you, translating it according to my best English language skills.

Who was Herodotus?
A Greek from Small-Azië , Little -Azië perhaps, like Little Rock where Bill Clinton came from. Born in the Doric city with the name Halicarnassus. He was a slave of the king of Persia, during the emotional years between Marathon and Salamis. Both cities belonging to the Greec motherland (!)

A refugee. Urged by political trouble to leave the homeland, he fled to Samos.

A worldtraveller. Cowboying through a large part of the old world. Not because of the lust for adventure, but because of an endless curiosity, without even being a person for so called discoveries.

A friend of Athens, the cultural hotspot of Hellas, where he lay his head after the long travels he conducted. Athens, where he became a celebrated cabaretier. Athens, the city which gained his admiration for its great attribution to bend the Asian threads.

A civilian (een burger) of Thurii (Thurii???), a brand new founded panhellenic colony in the south of Italy, where he found a new homeland in and about 440. Probably where he died as well, a few years after the start of the Peloponesic war. About the time that Xenophon was born in Attica.

What did he write?
He started to write down all sorts of happenings he saw and heard in the Hellenic and 'barbaric' countries. In the end he published his great story of the world in Thurii. This history unites, besides the jungle of notions and stories about nations and people, the theme of the growing power of Asia and the conflict of Asia with Europe.

Book 'Herodotus. De mens voor het voetlicht der historie by L. Geysels S.J., derde druk. H.dessain, 1966. Onderdeel van Geerebaert klassieken, Griekse en Latijnse schooluitgaven onder leiding van J. van den Bossche S.J.(p.7-8).

PhDprocess Six questions of Vinod Subramaniam to Mijnske Sival

Vinod Subramaniam, rector magnificus VU Amsterdam, announced 20 July 2015. Probably reformed Hindoe
Mijnske Sival, promovenda VU Amsterdam, 1 January 2013-now. Van God los / disconnected from God

Vinod and Mijnske are approxinately the same age, likely to be peergroupies. Both have something with 'the world'.

Question one:
Did you study the history of the VU?
Answer one: No, but the building reminded me of the TU Delft, Bouwkunde building, designed by vd Broek and Bakema. A building I loved at first sight and after a few years of studying architecture, the professors honoured me with a title and a signed diploma for Ingeniera. Later, I even was honoured and named at the top ten list of best architects, according to the prix the Rome competition Architecture 2000-2001, in the city of Rotterdam. I did read something about Abraham Kuiper. He went to the East, in the beginning of the twentieth century and he came back. He went West again, so to say. I really like the name the best, Vrije Universtiteit, Free University.

Question two.
Do these facts relate to a religious source?
Answer two.
It is a fact that a number of people at the VU has an open mind for all sorts of backgrounds. I could be the girl on the photo, with a headscarf (because of all the headaches). The policy core business slogan of the VU of the college year 2014-2015 is : give confidence. So beautiful!

Question three.
Does this career move mean the end of your architects career?
Answer three.
Yes. Definitely. Maybe I am pretty young........ The previous twenty years I noticed that working with young people, like me, gives me a very good feeling. And working with, mainly Dutch, complaining clients did not give me a good feeling. Now,  to engage new territories, distant knowledge / nano teaching and researching is the most adventurous to do. The VU gives me this very  pioneering opportunity.

Question four.
The end of a career in the designing world. How do you think about educating almost 25.000 VU students?

Answer four.
It is simple. Give them an iPAD. We have become 'Americans' anyway, and then they can read and counter my blogs and blogs by other 'teachers' anytime and join actively and open in the discours around it. Also, do treat/ spoil all tutors, lecturers, professori' s with the same product. Next question will be, what to do with the heritage of the second hand designed building? Maybe all students and tutors can make money here, inspiring the elderly or other minority groups in the world, with sharing their knowledge, give the advice they have asked for  or simply share funny video's. It seems that all sorts of people in the world have hardly anything to laugh about.....


Question five.
The heritage. A failed fusion between the technical faculties of the VU and the UvA.
Answer five.
I admit. I was too late. Nobody introduced me to both boards. But that can change now, of course, since you are the rector magnificus. Opportunities enough, for growth and cooperation in the future.

Question six.
Scientific mal behavior. Is it necessary for new policies?
Answer six.
Not necessarily. Scientific mal behavior is from all times and all places. It is the habit of people, just like journalists and other people. Funny that you ask, for the original title of my PhD was'The Good,
the Bad and the Ugly', a film , directed by Sergio Leone in the sixties of the previous century. Dark coloured people did star in this film. Something you cannot say of the VU these days. Maybe I have to distribute some dark coloured make-up in the beginning of the next college year. At the roof terrace event. I know a few professori who could use some colour. They don't go to the beach in summertimes, they keep on working......and try to keep up with all these energetic hormone conducted PhDstudents.
Yeah, that's a revolutionairy idea. It seems there is this fantastic party in the Netherlands, on the fifth of December, quite a few persons do the same thing. That'll make you look like St.Nicholas! Wow, you can be integrated in the Netherlands before Christmas 2015.

Vinod: thank you for your time, fir your thoughts.

Mijnske: I loved this interview. I loved you questioning me. Thank you. Thank you so much. I wish you all the best of luck in your new job. Hope to meet you soon, again.

PhDprocess. The real stars

I made up my mind.
When I really want to write a proper and factual story, other people in the world are going to read, I really have to star some people. And not only some people in general, persons! Personalities! Europeans. Like Noorderlingen. A bit from Alex van Warmerdam, who created and directed a film called Noordelingen and a bit from the big datacontroller at Windesheim, Zwolle, who happened to be on Ameland as well. She introduced herself as the mother of Mats, another temporary friend of Luke during this summer. Later she called herself Sandra and when the coffee was nearly finished she trusted me by saying she was really a Noorderling. So I asked her, knowing only the film by Warmerdam, what is a Noorderling. She had to think about that. I noticed. It was quite quiet for a while.

My favourite Europeans so far, are:
(Adapted, 25 July 2015)

1. Britt Sterken, pharmaceutist
2. Birgit Kuilenberg, tutor, lecturer
3. Adriana
4. Peggy van Ilias
5. Mieke Hoogeveen, singer
6. Mrs. Oma Naomi
7. Mrs. Kiki

Probably, you would think of a few, Europeans? But, please, pay attention, I am quite sure that witten
 a year, I, well maybe not fully as I may hope, but that I am able to convince, or maybe to put it better, to write convincingly, about these at first sight 'random' choosen stars.


I will 'walk on the edge' for you. My mother can't scream anymore about that, so, no danger (a bit kidding). Seriously, I think, a sparkle of experiment dipping in the research. What harm can it do? No arguments at forehand. Probably the best arguments in the end.......

Well, let's make it a decision. Proposed stars nr. 1-7 are going to be the stars of my history writings. I bring them in as sources.
Four arguments:
1. They all are real persons
2. They all lived between 2000-2010, one of the time demarcations I have decided on for this research.
3. Contemporary political correct theme: diversity
4. European slogan: Think global, act local.

Statement for PhD: To think green is quite global, to act in cities is quite local

PhDprocess. History plants, cities, Europe thoughts about writing

Words
How many words shall I write for my thesis?

A common thing to do in the Netherlands, in the field of history , is to write 80.000 words.
What is a common thing to do in Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Poland? I have to do some inventory.

Elmer Sterken, the head of all professors of the University of the city of Groningen (RUG) has this opinion that historians write books who are too thick. His argument is: who read these books anyway?

Point taken.

I heard my promotor say once, in the first year of my phd process: ' O, the thesis, well, this will end up in one drawer or another.'

Uh?

In the beginning of this year, I received a free copy of the thesis one of my former phdgroup member wrote. The book looks very nice, the content is vey interesting. But, I haven't read it through.

So, what to do now?

I never had this ambition to make a book. Although I love books. I had this ambition to gain a better understanding of green architecture on planet Earth. Well, this is sized down to get a better
understanding of plants, cities and Europe, since green and architecture are too multiplied
understandings for doing history. And, no nonsense, please. The facts!

What if I write my thesis as a blog.
And
What if I write 40.000 words in Dutch and 40.000 words in English?
Wouldn't that be a winwin situation, with probably a higher readers rendement, a higher 'society' output than writing 80.000 words in one language and hide all these words in a book, one has to purchase first, which mean to make money for it first. Meaning, you have to be industrious first, busy. On top of that, I really like information to be free. Accessible.
My argument is, that the more calm one is, the more accessible for information adaption.

And this blog has a regularly read of 40 already. The graphics show me that the most readers are active late at night.

So, there are people who want to know. I feel that as very rewarding, already.

What drawer?

PhD holy days space today Pluto and future crater cities

See for yourself at   NASA.gov
One million Miles to go
Pluto is more intrihuiging than ever

nasa.gov.    nasa.gov

To see is o.a a circular crater feature, probably inspired by the cityplan of Paris......


You are welcome to counter this!


Vienna......( the music, Queen)

Some information from National geographical, juli 2015, page 35.
Pluto is not a planet. It is not unique: it is one of the thousand objects in the Kuiperbelt, an enormous ring with small stones, just across Neptunus. Pluto contains, not numbered yet, comets and icedwarfs. These so called rests of the shaping of the solarsystem, apparently 4,6 milliard years of age ( wow, really?), have been separated from Earth a long time ago. They contain fingerprints from the earliest times of the solar system.


Didn't had la France a solar king, a Roi du soleil, once upon a time? And what about Ra? Somebody's name in Egypt, a while ago.........
O,o, so many stories. And now Plut o,  named by Venetia Burney in 1930 ( page 39)

History. PhDprocess. Postcard from Vienna 2015

What to do?
Walk! Daily 15 or 20 kilometers ( kilometers, not Miles!).
Visit 10 churches and 2 palaces.
Meet a friend. One w no lives in Vienna and studies there, for instance an instrument.
Eat. Where? In the restaurant of the Justizpalast( ,!!), with a roofterrace, good food and a beautiful view garanteed. What? Weiner schnitzels, in any mediocre restaurant.
Drink. Water from the tap is okay.
Fly to. Standard KLM flight, duration 1,5 hours ( Schiphol, Amsterdam AirPort), distance 950 km.

Knowledge.
The Ringstrasse, a broad boulevard , around the citycentre, dates from the second 'flower' time of the city. Nineteenth century we are talking now. Before it was realised, this green boulevard, it appeared like the planners of it were inspired by the urban plan of Paris. Quite a few other planners of other cities in Europe did the same thing: let demolish the stone walls which surrounded the city, make sure plants were introduced in the space created( for instance the city of Münster).
After 1600 Vienna experienced this 'flower' time, after concurring the Ottomans, with the help (cooperation) of the contrareformation, based in Italy.

Impression of the person who sent me the information of above( one of my phd peer group):
Interesting about Vienna is the royal radiance. The innercity contains only buildings which appearance can benamed monumental and pompisch. Churches, castles, public buildings, governmental buildings, shops. The buildings all look extraordinary well kept and glamorous.


It was my pleasure to ask him, about his fresh experience of Vienna, it is even a better pleasure to write this blog in my own writingstyle, to communicatie this information with you.
He didn't write about the amount of elderly, dying or already dead, this year, in Vienna . How come? No information on that at the VVV Vienna or in the tourist brochure in the plane?

And for me for now. I am mot really tempted to pay a visit to Vienna. I am more tempted to by a piece of wood, somewhere near a beautiful place, to create my ideal home. With glass only. I already informed about the price, it seems to be okay for me. 100.000 euro, 900 m2 land, no trees yet, but that us an easy part, some seeds, some water and some time. And the condition, for buying it. The anouncement on internet gives information on the level of that everything is permitted to build on this parcel. Well, since I am studying history, I don't belief anything no more. So, I think the price can be much lower and what about the freedom. Are there no building regulations? Dutch building regulations? European buildingregulations? The parcel lies in the Great City of Greeningen. More I cannot tell you. To be continued.......
One thing for sure, I won't be bored this holy days. Nothing is so good for me as the sound of trees. And, okay, I admit, a good Joke once in a while, once in the three months, or so.

History. PhDprocess. Vienna Paris Rotterdam

Sorry, summerguests. Today I have a Massive headache, a full nose, a throat you don't want to feel and aching limbs. But,

I was thinking, I saw this very informative documentary last night, on TV, made or created by zwarte zwanen ( Black swans). During looking at the documentary, I heard someone tell that the financial industry has its origine in the beginning of the 20th century. Perhaps in Vienna? Europe?

When did the war industry begin? 19 th century, Napoleon Bonaparte, Europe?

When did the city industry begin? 21 st century, the Netherlands, Europe?

And when did Linnaeus write down all the plant species? Beginning 18 th century?
Carl Linaeus was born in 1707, Sweden. The rest you can Google. I wonder what he did, the first three years of his life ?

(A diversity pattern?) An industry pattern, keywords: innovation, creativity, control, care, persons, p.r.,  the group, concepts, energy, social thinking, movement, dynamics, risk taking, 'rendements' thinking.

The beginnings:

1600. Bloeiperiode van Wenen, 'flowering' period Vienna ( is bloei, a typical Dutch word ?)
1707 (18th century.)  Linaeus and taxonomy, plant thinking, Sweden
1805 napoleon Bonaparte, (19th century.) War industry, Europe
1900 (20th century.) Financial industry, Vienna
2000 (21th century.) Computer and City industry, NL/london/Paris/ N.Y.

2010 introduction concept: people, planet, profit ( language: English). What will this mean fir the future?

22th century.  People industry, Earth ( material) industry and or planet ( shape and space) industry?

( okay, this is not allowed while doing serious history, a bit provoking as an historian, for the sake of the discussion.  Otherwise it is becoming so boring for me.

Note.
There is something 'radical' in the Netherlands
For instance, in the summer of 2003  20.000 elderly died in Paris because of the heat. Till now there is only the ( worl famous) botanist, trying to inspire everybody with the beautiful 'green' wals he creates. He has created about ten walls many, in Paris. And Paris is a tourist metropole, one could say. Another example in Paris, this spring there was an enormous smog in the city. The only measurement taken was the restriction of the amount of cars, driving in Paris. And only because it was the Fashion week of Paris ( women complaining, off course)

Two examples of 'radical' approach. The first is on the level of a building in the city of Amsterdam. An extensions if a swimmimgpool was requested. People in the neighbourhood didn't want an ugly building again. The architect designed a building completely coverd with fifty ( really) plant sorts, inspired by this French botanist, which was consulted first. Realised by a Dutch company, with more than hundred years of experience with plants. And as third a maintenance contract for 10 years was signed by the citycouncil of Amsterdam and this plant company.
The second example is the city of Rotterdam. In november 2014 elected as Cultural city of Europe 2015. Which means, a lot of tourist or 'guest' will come to Rotterdam. Especially in the summer. And 'all of a sudden' the whole city of Rotterdam is becoming green, with plants.

PhDprocess field History City of Vienna/ City of Rotterdam/City of Groningen

I am still reading in the book 'In Europe. ....20th century, written by Geert Mak, 2004, p.51-69

In the centuries before 1800, the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy had played a crucial (? Maybe important is a better word..) role in Centrla and Eastern Europe.

1848-1916 Emperor Franz Jozef

1900-1910. Austria is seen as superpower, Vienna as a city of talents
1900-1919  More than 3,5 million Austrians emigrate to America ( by boat?)
1900 More than half of the population lived from the proceeds of their small businesses
1900 No departement stores allowed in the city of Vienna
1908 Theo Zasche painted a group portrait, showing all of Vienna's prominent citizens on the Sirk corner of the Ring
1910 Austria counts 50 million inhabitants,the city of Vienna counts 2 million inhabitants
1910  Approximately 1% of all Viennees families had their own home
1910  The architect Adolf Loos has designed a house, without ornament, the elevations to be finished with white calc-cement. It was realised in the same year. In the eyes  of many Viennees the house was a monstrosity

I read a lot from and about Ludwig Wittgenstein. Especially the sisters of Ludwig seems to have had a lot of influence on politics and daily life in Vienna, around 1900-1910. They even stimulated Ludwig to build his own house, together with Adolf Loos. ( Ludwig appeared to have been a lousy teacher at grammar school, hitting the pupils with a stick in their fingers (Au!). The women were needed to come up with ideas what to do with their little brother. The sisters were the keyplayers in
introducing these two men to each other. I am still at Ameland, without my real library, but I will come up with the nice names of the sisters of Ludwig. The family name was the same, of course, Wittgenstein, well, what's in a name.....As an historian, one should never underestimate the influence / power of families. The Wittgensteins owned a series of houses in Vienna.......in that time....wonder.....now as well? Ludwig went to London, as an escape, Theresia's a job as professor arranged for him. In the philosophy. Later, he fall in love with another man. Unfortunately for Ludwig, this man didn't want to follow Ludwig to Norway. Wonder why Freddie Mercury, Born in the city of London, wanted to die in Vienna, 1981. Pay back time? Power of the people? Opportunity? Middlefinger? Well, it's out of my time demarcation. But maybe, I find someone who died in the city if Assen, Emmen or Groningen? Lou Reed? Between 2000-2010. Or was shot, that's even better. Unfortunately Beyoncé is still alive and singing.

The historian Brigitte Haman has studied this period of time and space. She cites from a speech by Hitler in one of her books: ' If the words no longer reverberate, then the stones must speak.' As an example and argument to understand demagoguery. Because demagoguery alone was not  enough, 'great works can secure the dominion' and 'the crucial importance of social policies and major public-
works projects'.

Makes me think, secure?,  dominion? social policies?  Major public works?  The Netherlands just before and after 2000?


2002. The publication of the book ' De puinhopen van paars/ The ruïnes of purple', 2002 en ''Droomkabinet./ dreamboard of politics...', 2001written by Pim Fortuyn, a city of Rotterdam based politician, with a history of  studying sociology in the city of Groningen . He introduced the understanding 'leefbaarheid', ' liveability', ( 'Eerst het leven , dan het ideaal', Heinrich Heine, 19th
century), a very European understanding, into the Dutch politics, in the beginning of the 21st century.
First there was reaction of Hanneke Groenteman on 'Droomkabinet', proposing Adelheid Roosen to become prime minister.( an idea? idealistic? pragmatic?)
In 2012 there was a reaction on Droomkabinet, in HP/De Tijd, an opinion magazine in the
Netherlands, with the proposal to dream of Mark Rutte as prime minister of the Netherland (pragmatic and 'demagogueing'?)
2015  Both cities of Groningen and Rotterdam are occupied with being and becoming 'leefbaar',
'green' so to speak, nowadays. Using mainly plant 'material' and space.
Today, the city of Groningen is marketing itself as a city of talent.

The city of Rotterdam is realising all sorts of gardens everywhere, even in highrise buildings. Do they in Rotterdam want to become the greenest city of the Netherlands, like the city of Emmen is this year? I have to check how the city of Rotterdam is doing its citymarketing (named p.r. / public
relationships, hundred years ago in Vienna).
2010 the city of Rotterdam  presented the 'workprogramm Talent and enterprising', for the period of 2010-2014
And........the city of Rotterdam is European Cultural Capital of 2015! Congratulations! And this has nothing to do with Charlie Hebdo, because Rotterdam was elected for this in November 2014.
That's why the New Institute ( former Architecture Institute) has so quickly realised a garden! Speaking if making things beautiful!

So, if you want to go to a city party this year, or are you looking for a platform to show your European film, Rotterdam is the place to be! I will not elaborante on this further, because it is not in the time framework I have chosen for my PhD.( 1800-1810, 1900-1910, 2000-2010)

I think I will elaborate some more on computers, data, curiosity, p.r., the need for electricity, derived from Elmer, I quote: green= electricity. Minions.......E.T....imagination or na apen.

But not today! Holy days! I dream  of an holy empire ruled by........., well the persons who know me know the answer, isn't Ingrid?

PhDprocess, field: history. Death in Vienna

In free times, in a room with a view on a 'buizerd' or a hawk, rabbits hopping, ' o schattig', pine tree bushes and grey clouds moving from left to right in front of piercing light air, I read in the book 'In Europe. Travels through the twentieth century', originally written in Dutch by Geert Mak, 2004. The version I read is translated in English by Sam Garret, 2007. I also heard this song, produced as a single in 1981, 'Vienna', by Ultravox ( lightgiving voice) in my head and I sms't with a phdgroup member who recently visited Vienna, by plane. He sms't 'was zeer de moeite waard'. What did he see? I wonder. I wrote about the airport of Vienna before and now I have this association with Dick Grace, the pilot who could crash on buildings, trees or on the ground, in front of the camera and live another day to tell about it. He also was the writer of the comicbook with the title 'Squadron of death . True adventurous of a MoviePlaneCrasher. 2001,  two pilots, two highrise buildings, a lot of smoke, the falling man, in short: nine-eleven. Airplanes, originally a French innovation, have become the killing machine of 'the enemy' or of 'some guys who read the comic books and tried to do the same'.
Vienna is also the capital of Austria, but what is the name of the premier/ president again? Werner Fayman, federal chancellor. And to which Party is he/she committed? SPO, since 2008. Interesting political history on Wikipedia, including the Bohemian period of time, the battle of Austerlitz, the defeat of Austria, Napoleon III ( quite near the city and villages where I grew up). I had quite a few military neighbours. Austerlitz is a tourist attraction now, very nice re-designed, recently, in my personal opinion. If you are not sure how it looks like, you can Google, it is about one third of the pyramids of Gizeh, completely other material though, from the outside. It was made to keep the troops occupied, back then in the beginning of the 19th century. On top of all this I remember an article in one of the Dutch newspapers about and important banking rule, adopted by the banks of Vienna this year, after the banks of Switzerland all agreed on it, 2015. Something against fraude practises. Just before the second millennium Freddie Mercury died in Vienna, after being quite
seriously ill. In a documentary made on him, his illness and his death, one can see he died in great
pain, in the arms of his beloved and friend, who took care for him the last year. Beautiful isn't it? Vienna. Was it hot, in Vienna? The temperature, I mean, I stay factual. How many degrees? Daytime, nighttime? Celsius, Fahrenheit? How many elderly would have died in the hot summer of 1903, in Vienna?

G. Mak, In Europe. Travels through the twentieth century. Vienna, p.51-85. My notes.

The merry Apocalypse was what they once called this city, this odd mixture of creativity, middle-class normality, human suffering, power, complicity and schizophrenia.

In the centuries that went before ( before 1900, MAS), the dual Austro-Hungarian monarch had played a crucial role in Central and Eastern Europe ( really? Or a role that can be controlled, verified? MAS).
They had driven the Ottoman Turks from the gates of Vienna. They had made it possible for Germans, Hungarians, Rumanians, Italians, Rhaetians, Serbs, Croatians, Poles, Slovenes, Slovaks, Czechs, Jews and Gypsies to live together in peace.

1910. In the early twentieth century the empire was still seen as a superpower. With almost fifty million inhabitants in 1910, it was second in size only to Germany, with sixty-five million. After that
came Great Britain ( forty-five million) and France ( almost forty million) ( four nation with a total
200 million people, MAS).
Vienna in 1801 contained 230.000 people.

1910. Vienna was considered the Arcadia of the middle class.(proof?) More than 2 million people lived in this city.

1900-1910. For those who did not belong to the moneyed classes, life was hard there. The housing shortage in Vienna was worse than anywhere else (by what standard thinking? MAS). In 1910, barely one percent of all Viennese families had their own home, only seven per cent of the houses had a bathroom, and fewer than twenty-five per cent had a toilet.

To be continued.....Luke wants to play the ghost game.. A game with 60 cards and five objects! Each
with a different colour. In the end Luke won all the cards. Guess why? I am thinking, not looking fast
anymore Well, I have all night to practice. getting all my 'old' skills, looking and fast reacting, back.
Tomorrow, pay back time....

Vienna ( ultravox sound, imagine...)

Geert Mak, Page 53,
Along the Ringbahn, the entire history of European architecture is tipped-out over unsuspecting passers-by. This was the 'via triumphalis' of Emperor Franz Josef and the liberal moneyed classes, the  eternal  Ring along which every self-respecting flaneur took his daily steps between the Karntnerstrasse and  the Schwarzenbergplatz, and along which today old ladies ( old ladies? Herman?just joking) show off their fur coats as the trams go crawling past. I know that is something my grandfather and grandmother did, in the 70s of the 20th century. I inherited a fur coat, 18 years ago. This particular fur coat, had been purchased in the city of Utrecht, in the 50s of the same century, there were three shops then, selling fur coats, in the city of Utrecht, in the street very close to the street where I attended some history schooling with my phd history Peers and the professori, last year and the year before. The buildings of the shopscare still there, no fur coats are sold there anymore. Maybe in Vienna? I worse this inherited fur coat, while teaching architecture students how to draw buildings in the city of Groningen,  using their eyes, measurement estimating skills, counting streetmaterials, pencil and A3size thick blanco drawingpaper. And of course, I did some drawing myself now and then, on their papers, to inspire, to share the fact that making a drawing is something very nice to do and also to answer to the diversity of learning capabilities. It was in the winter of 1998. It was cold. Some of the readers of this blog probably remember this winter. They all succeeded the drawing classes. There were 12 students in the class.The fur coat was stolen, 6 years later, by people who needed it more than I, I like to believe. I never missed it. Last winter I purchased a dark green wintercoat, looking very Russian, for 25 euro, in the city of Groningen, in one of the warehouses.

Geert Mak, page 53
The Ring. A space 500 meters wide and 4 kilometres long was created and filled with hotels, the pal aces of both old and new wealth, expensive appartements for the rich and huge public buildings: the parliament, the town hall, and the Burg theater, the Royal Opera, the stock exchange and the university.

To be continued, tomorrow , the red wine from south Africa, red label, is calling...

The Ring served as area of transition (transition, a 20th century word?) to the suburbs and the working-class neighbourhoods that lay beyond. And, just as in Paris, the broad arterial had an important military ( military!!) function as well: in the event of rioting, (rioting!) troops could be brought in quickly everywhere. Barracks were built at strategic locations, as well as an impressive arsenal complex.

Mmmm, makes me think. NL, rechtsstaat, geldstaat, groenestaat. Nation of Law, Nation of Money, Green Looking Nation. Andandand, winwinwin? More than perfect? Generation 'nix' is in power, with Marc, Jet, Alexander, Marianne and Melanie.

Geert Mak continues: Around the turn of the century more than half of the population lived from the
proceeds of their small businesses, which they bitterly defended against outside competition. Until 1900, departement stores were banned in Vienna. P. 54

Somewhere I saw a group portrait by the painter Theo Zasche, painted in 1908 and showing all of Vienna's prominent citizens on the Sirk corner of the Ring.p.54

From no other nation were people so eager to emigrate: between 1900-19, 3,5 million Habsburg subjects left for America, more than from any other country. P.59

Today, on Sundaymorning, I am on my way to put a rose on the grave of the unknown waif.(waif?). Along the Danube, behind the neglected shipyards and the last dusty silos, lies the graveyard for bodies washed up from the river, the Friedhof der Namenlosen. Here lie all the unknown persons who jumped from bridges in desperation at the beginning of the twentieth century, a regular occurrence in the highly strung Vienna of that day. P.60

Victor Adler, founder of Austrian socialism, devoted himself to advocating all forms of adult education, public libraries, workers' groups and other social-democratic organisations. In 1905 he organised a general strike to force the introduction of universal suffrage. In 1907 the social democrats won eighty-seven seats on the imperial council.
A new wave in parliamentary movement was introduced, which, in practice focusses more and more on the welfare of the community as a whole. P.62. ( very interesting....). Are we talking 1910?

PhDprocess. Thinking on the question about laws on buildings and green

Thursday, the 9th of July, I spoke a law person, a 'jurist' who works for the court of justice in the city of Groningen.

She told me that there is definitely a law on buildings and the obligation of realising balconies in the Netherlands. She knew nothing of a law on the right for citizens to obtain a building and an adjacent space (garden) in the city.

Facts, more or less
1. In the Netherlands a 'grondgebonden woning' is an understanding.
2. Most people see it as an ultimate dream to live in a house with garden ( I will  come up with numbers and literature references soon)
3. When people a going to live in a home for the elderly, about 15% of the elderly fancy a garden ( research done by house cooperations, seen in reports of graduation students Built Environment, Hanzehogescholl Groningen, detailed references to put forward, soon)

4. Most cities are the owner of a total of 75% of the total compound in m2 of cityspace in the Netherlands, now( I read that somewhere, this year, I have to check and dubbelcheck this)

5. Around 1900, the State of the Netherlands owned most of the national m2
6. Since ...... there is a political issue about 'Leefbaarheid' . Is this term somehow legalized already ?



Possible PhD question: How come there is no law on the right to obtain a building and an adjacent space in cities in the Netherlands?
And how does this fact relate to European law, 2010?

PhDprocess. Defining urbanism in Europe, now

In the book 'Bouwen in Nederland 600-2000', edited by prof. dr. Koos Bosma, prof. dr. Aart Mekkering, prof. dr. Koen Ottenheym and prof. dr. Auke van der Woud, published in  2007, a chapter with the title 'Groene stedebouwkunde', written by dr. G.M. Andela and prof. dr. J.E. Bosma, can be read ( in Dutch). In this chapter, on page 582, a definition of urbanism is given: De stedebouwkunde is een denk - en handelswijze die bestuurlijk handelen, procedures en vormconcepten ontwikkelt voor de exploitatie en inrichting van de aardbodem.
I translate: Urbanism is a way of thinking and acting, while developing boarding, procedures and shapeconcepts, for the exploitation and 'furnituring' the surface of planet Earth.

This is a definition, thought of and written down, after studying 20st century urban action, material and policies.

Now, in the 21 st century, in 2015, I showed in my previous blogs that thinking is acting. Thinking is a quite invisiblele action. It can be visualised by writing texts and by making drawings and by talking. If I combine this with my workexperience as an urban designer in the period 2001-2007, working together with politicians, urban planners and other urban designers.  I can counter, complete and introduce nuances the definition given.

For my phd study with the title 'Plants, cities, the professional, Europe', I shall work with the following definition:

Urbanism is a thinking, drawing, writing, talking, learning and enjoying profession, where a diversity of professionals and civilians cooperate and which takes place in and around cities, especially in Europe.

PhDprocess. Green Cities Europe: boat travellers etc.

Previous blog: seven knowledge bites, here translated into English, casestudying three cities in 'Terra Incognita' according to the 'ombudsman' van het NRC ( a national Dutch newspaper).

Boat travellers
Animalparcs and Helptroups
Children, youngsters, young adults, adults, the elderly
Impressive photo: Schilderswijken, Zuiderpark / Neighbourhoods of painters, South Parc (The last shot of the film 'Death in Venice' is also very Impressive, but then it rains.
HEAT
Beach and volleybal in the city
Spring: Mothers with nine sons and one daughter

I shall check the news regularly and ask' professionals for data on these subjects, this year. Maybe there are patterns to discover. To be continued

1. City of Assen

2. City of Emmen


3. City of Groningen
Neighbourhood of painters and citypark  (South Parc) are two different city area's.
How many dead bodies between 2000-2010?

A column by Pierre Carriere, oa. writer of the book. ' The open organisation', 2012 and 'In de ban van de Roos', 2013, inspired by the rose of IKEA. ( No Umberto Eco this time)
Www.pierrecarriere.nl/Tuinindestad/          http://www.pierrecarriere.nl/tuinindestad/

In development........

PhD process 'green, cities, Europe' Seven knowledge bites

1
Europa onder druk
De aanhoudende stroom bootvluchtelingen, zet Europese samenwerking, op een onacceptabele manier onder druk ( was de Europese samenwerking dan al acceptabel ? Zo ja, voor wie! Zo nee, voor wie niet? MAS). De enige ( enige?... Geen scenariodenken..., wel pressure denken) is, inzetten op 'opvang in de regio'( inzetten op? Is is it a pokergame? MAS).
Dat betoogt VVD- fractievoorzitter Halbe Zijlstra. Uit: NRC, 17 juni 2015, Opinie, pg. 17

Marc (Rutte, who else?) gaat voor zijn plezier bootje varen in de zomer, als vrijetijds besteding. Met mannelijke gesprekspartner. Hij organiseert dit zelf. (foto's zijn te downloaden). Ik ga bootjevaren van het vasteland van Nederland, de westelijke delta van Eurazie, naar Ameland, georganiseerd bootjevaren kan ik dat noemen. Zelfs auto's krijgen een plek op een dek. De boot heeft een naam: 'Sier'.

2.
Vrijheid in een stad. Wie verlangt er niet naar? In een stad in het oosten van Europa gebeurde het volgende:
Afgelopen maandag stroomden tijgers, leeuwen, beren, wolven en een nijlpaard mee met een uitbundige rivier. (ViVE la liberte! MAS) Tot er een mannelijke mensen brigade werd georganiseerd, met de naam Hulpdienst. De dieren leven nu weer veilig in het plaatselijke dierenpark.
(Zijn ze niet een  paar dieren vergeten? Dieren die kunnen vliegen? Vergissen kan menselijk zijn.MAS)
Vrij uit: NRC, 15 juni 2015

3.
Laat zorgjongeren van 18 jaar niet vallen.
(Zorgjongeren? Bestaan die dan, en waarom mogen die niet vallen? Vallen en opstaan, dat hoort toch bij het leven!MAS)
Den Haag. Jongeren die tot hun 18de hulp krijgen ( Wat voor hulp? Geld? En wat dan nog meer? Is
dat wel eens aan de 18 jarigen gevraagd, systematisch? Wat weten 'we' daarvan af? MAS)
Dat stellen de staatssecretarissen van Volksgezondheid ( nu, een baas van de eigentijdse medici) en van Veilgheid en Justitie ( de 'politie') vandaag in reactie op een oproep van Kinderombudsman ( kinder?..... Het zijn jongvolwassenen, toch? jongeren....) Marc Dullaert. Marc ( alweer een Marc! Wat moet jij met deze jongeren, en waarom noem je ze kinderen?) Hij ( Marc) rapporteerde dat jaarlijks zo'n 6000 kinderen ( feitelijk zou zijn: people with the age  of 18) die onder de kinderbescherming vallen ( ze zijn dus al gevallen!) volwassen worden. ( juist ja, volwassen worden of de leeftijd van 18 bereiken? Wat een taal! Heeft hij geen geschiedenis gestudeerd? En dan toch Ombudsman, Kinderombudsman, worden. Zou zijn peergroup daar net zo over denken. Hoe groot zou die peergroup zijn? En werken die allemaal met mensen van bijna 18?. De laatste zin: Vaak laten ze dan de hulp schieten (ANP) . From: NRC 31 mei 2015
MAS: Nou, dat zou ik ook doen als die hulp weinig soelaas biedt voor mijn toekomst als net 18
jarige. ( Au!) Ik zou ook zsm proberen op te krabbelen. Zouden deze 18 jarigen allemaal in een stad
zijn? 6000. Even een rekensom en een gedachtenexperiment: 17.000.000 inwoners in NLcity, 6000 (
counted, controlled) 18 jarigen.  We hebben het over 0,2916% van de totale bevolking. Een normaal
business model rekent met 3 % verlies. Gelukkig klinkt NL city niet als een business.

4.
Naziha's Lente (2doc/NTR). NRC Handelsblad, 16 juni 2015
'Vrijheid, dat is als de mannen er niet zijn ' ( Au!)(MAS: Maar mannen zijn zo leuk!, niet dan?)
Artikel geschreven door Hans Beerekamp ( die durft! Hans, dat is toch een mannen naam? Misschien is het geen man, kan ook natuurlijk. Of juist wel! Een die vrouwen leuk vindt! Het wordt steeds complexer...) Hans schrijft zo dat je dat zo maar ook kan gaan denken. De documentaire last een filmbeeld zien met Rhama, een meisje van 10 jaar, zij vraagt aan haar moeder: ' Mama, ben jij vrij?'. ( Best wel een Europese vraag. MAS).De moeder aarzelt (Hans  toch! De moeder is een tijdje stil, bedoel je, zou ze niet nadenken? Aarzelen, hoe kom je daar nu bij? Denk je? MAS) . De moeder
antwoordt: 'Moet mama eerlijk zijn?' (OEF! Wat Erg! Een moeder die aan haar dochter vraagt, vraagt ! Niet gewoon lekker antwoord geeft, maar vraagt: Moet ik...., dat moeten, alsof eerlijk zijn moet! Is eerlijk zijn een dogma geworden?  Het wordt steeds erger.)
Heeft deze moeder nou echt nooit boeken gelezen die bijvoorbeeld Diane de Beausaq of Heirich
Heine hebben geschreven? Heeft ze geen iPad , zou dat het zijn? Kan ook, natuurlijk, maar het krantenartikel laat zich lezen als dat het allemaal veel complexer ligt. Het meisje Rahma 'heeft' 9 broers. Ze zegt tegen haar moeder: 'Bij mij is vrijheid als m'n broers er niet zijn.' (Au!)(Zouden die broers allemaal op straat lopen in de stad? Staan er bomen in die straten? Overdag of 's nachts? En waar is die vader, of waar zijn de vaders, je weet het maar nooit als man of je echt de vader bent van al die kinderen, gelukkig voor de man us er de huwelijkswet, met recht op aanwijzing van 'zijn' kind. Onzekerheid ten top, Heisenberg (De natuurkundige van de Wet van onzekerheid,  had het alleen nog  maar over hele kleine deeltjes, geen mensen, MAS)

5.
Een waanzinnig indrukwekkende foto .........in de Volkskrant of het NRC.
Later..., waar ligt ie ook al weer in mijn perfect gearchiveerde studyroom, heb ik t al gearchiveerd? Mmmm. Even nadenken. Vakantievergeetachtigheid, nu al?
Na zes uur in de tuin met meester Bert, Luuk, Elmi en zes meisjes met de leeftijd van 7 en 8, op de fiets naar de moeder van Elmi, want Elmi en Luuk willen met elkaar spelen bij ons, blijkt Noura, de moeder van Elmi jaren geleden in haar rug geschoten te zijn geweest in Somalië en loopt nu met een dwarslaesie. Ik vind Somslische mensen vaak heel knap. Ik maakte Noura een compliment daarover. Ze werd zichtbaarder op haar gemak en vertelde allerlei ellendigs over buren in het nieuwe 'oranje' gebouw (zoals iedereen in de buurt het noemt, door de opvallende kleur oranje op het beton) waar ze woont, en dan had ze het over nare roddels over haar. De vader van Elmi is ergens in het buitenland,
Noura en ik hebben wat bij zitten praten over Kenia, Tanzania, Mombassa. Plekken op de wereld waar we allebei geweest zijn en tenminste ik hele fijne herinneringen aan heb. Uiteindelijk kreeg ik
nog een compliment over mijn jurk, een lange bohemian van hele fijne soepele kwaliteit, bijna Afrikaans, maar dan van Vanilia. Op de markt van Mombassa worden voornamelijk mooie stoffen verhandeld, meestal door vrouwen. En het is daar heel warm, in combi met een gevoelige huid, zijn fijne stoffen onontbeerlijk. Anders kom je nergens. Afijn, toch nog maar eens 'Dark Star Africa' lezen, deze zomer op Ameland. Met Elmi en Luuk vervolgens plaatjes van Freek Vonk 'gedaan', over dieren gesproken, er ligt weer een album vol exotische exemplaren klaar, om besproken te worden. Van koala tot doornstaartagaam. En voor degene die nog in het riddertijdperk van Lancelot verblijven, er loopt ergens op planeet aarde een Ocelot, vlgs Freek en de zijnen, in Suriname. Het is maar dat je het weet. Ons drietal fietste vervolgens naar twee speeltuinen, beide tuinen met veel groen gras, heerlijk! Het leeftijds en temperament verschil tussen Luuk ( net 7) en Elmi ( bijna 9) werd uiteindelijk te groot. Dan houdt het spelen wel op, kennelijk. Wel fascinerend om te zien was dat Luuk op sportief niveau, zowel mentaal als fysiek, terwijl beiden er atletisch uitzien, en Elmi een kop langer is, elke keer van Elmi 'won'. Ja, pannenkoeken eten! O, we hebben geen stroop! Stroop
halen....Nee, we eten pasta! O! 1900 uur Bernd op de veranda, na 7 jaar. Heerlijk rustig
keukentafel gesprek over rozen, een boek, deadline, tekst, experiment, verslag van een gesprek tussen Bernd en uitgever.
De volgende ochtend. 3 uur lang alle kranten doorgespit, van alles gevonden, niet de foto. Hoe bestaat het. Okay, maar waar het om gaat, is het volgende:
De indrukwekkende foto. In kleur. Een hoop mannen die over elkaar heen op de grond liggen, rugby? Nee, geen rugby, geen rugbyveld, wel in een buitenruimte van de stad, de stad Den Haag, schilderswijkbuurt. Een paar mannen zouden politie agenten kunnen zijn, een man zou een Schildersbuurt bewoner, citizen, kunnen zijn. 'Wat gebeurt hier? Lijkt wel een Amerikaans tafereel, repressieve politiemannen, in de meerderheid, citizen in de minderheid. Er blijkt een nekklem gebruikt te worden. De stadsbewoner sterft op een plek in het Haagse Zuiderpark! ( als ik kon kiezen, dan was ik toch liever dat nijlpaard uit die stad in het oosten van Europa, MAS)

6. Hitte. Heel Europa krijgt het warm. Bomen en planten houden de stad koel. Rotterdam experimenteert met daktuinen en gevelgroen, 'zolang het maar groen is'. De bonen, sla, aardbeien, en frambozen zien er prima uit en staan te wachten om te worden geoogst. Bijen zoemen vredig rond hun kast. Een pastoraal tafereel. De groenten-en kruidentuin ligt in het hart van Rotterdam, op de zevende verdieping van een kantoorgebouw. .........20.000 Fransen stierven tijdens de hittegolf van 2003 (!). Onder hen merendeel ouderen. In de augustusmaand. NRC 1 juli 2015
Hoe heten die hele hete dagen ook al weer in augustus? Hondsdagen. Elk jaar weer zijn er drie tot vijf dagen in augustus die voor ons, mensen, bijna ondraaglijk heet zijn. Een Oostenrijkse regisseur maakte een film, met de titel 'Hundstage'. Ik heb het gezien, de film, fascinerend. Bijzonder detail: er deden geen acteurs mee, alle mensen in de film waren door de regisseur van 'de straat' geplukt. Herzog, heet de regisseur, de film werd zo rond 2003 'de wereld' rond gedistributeerd.

7. In hartje Den Haag is een gigantisch beachvolleybal strand aangelegd, tijdelijk, met uitzicht op het torentje. Moet ik toch aan Arjan Klok denken, zomer 1990, Delftsche hout, stedenbouwkunde student, volleybaltrainer, in zwembroek op een handdoekje. Helaas 'had' hij al een vriendin, bleek
later. Marc Rutte is bijna 50. Arjan Klok zal nu 51 zijn. Helemaal zeker weet ik het niet.

Vraag: Wat heeft punt 1 met punt 5 te maken, punt 2 met punt 4 en punt 3 met 1 en 4? Etcetera.
Vraag: Wat niet?

Op een rijtje:

1.Reizigers per boot. Wie gingen er ook alweer massaal bootjevaren tussen 1945-1955. En waar gingen zij heen?
2. Dierentuinen en de Hulpdienst. Parken, gevangenissen, kampen, voor de 'veiligheid', van wierook al weer?
3. Kinderen, jongeren, jong volwassenen, volwassenen. En de PAPA'S en MAMA'S.
4. Lente, groen en blauw, feest van het begin, Franse revolutie. Jeanne d'Arc jaren en jaren opgesloten, zonder frisse lucht
5. Indrukwekkende foto. Zijn er nog meer schilderbuurten, all over the world? In LA bijvoorbeeld?
Of Beijing ? En waarom bijna alle professionele 'beeld' kijkers zo blij zijn met Hans Aarsman
6. Hitte. Was het in Australie of Rusland onlangs ook zo heet? Afrika?New York? Sri Lanka?
7. Peergroup denken?

Waar had Volkert J. het ook al weer over? Die van de Rechtsstaat, een tijdje geleden, heb ik behandeld in een van mijn blogs. Iets over iets in een jaarverslag van Dutch Councellors, iets over kwaliteit en middelmatigheid. Terwijl, dit nu allemaal aan de hand is. Fukuyama dacht eind 20ste eeuw dat het einde van de geschiedenis in zicht was. Ik denk nu, de burger bestaat niet meer, dat was een personage op een schilderij uit de 17 de eeuw. Maar wie zijn dan die mensen die 's avonds op de bank voor de TV, met TV aan, breeduit zitten?


The incredible life of a midlife historian in Europe.

Don't worry, I have only fifty more years to go. Life's a bitch and than you die! (a quote).

The great story of Greeningen. Life is beautiful, two catches of the day

Who said only men are good fishermen?

I just happen two have two excellent catches of today! Listen!

I copy for you two texts parts, the original text is written by Lotte Jensen, printed and delivered in my physical mailbox on the 6th of June, 2015. And in more than thousand other mailboxes, but probably in the paper recycling already. Volkskrant, Sir Edmund.

Lotte and I are going to write history! Wanna join in? You are welcome.

Op een zeker moment verklaarden de Beierse autoriteiten zelfs het dragen van een snor onwettig, omdat het een uiting van opstandigheid kon zijn. ( ......who was this person again, wearing a very straight groomed moustache all the time on all these pictures and films? MAS). De repressieve maatregelen hadden ook ernstige gevolgen. In 1836 kregen 36 studenten de doodstraf, omdat ze betrokken waren geweest bij een opstand in Frankfurt(Frankfurt!!!! Studenten!!! Opstand!!!)( 2015 Amsterdam, opstand, studenten!) sluitend bewijsmateriaal was er nauwelijks. Dit soort praktijken kwam ook voor in Engeland, Frankrijk en Rusland. Zo liet Tsaar Nicholaas in 1825 vijf rebellen ophangen, omdat hij de maatschappij wilde zuiveren van kwaadaardige invloeden ( lees: de armen..... Zie vorige blog, de Grieken....).  Op basis van flinterdun bewijs werden nog eens vele anderen gevangen gezet en naar Siberië verbannen ( Rusland , Siberië , ijskoud en eenzaam!, vreselijk!)

Hij ( Oostenrijkse staatsman) gebruikt opvallend veel vulkanische en medische terminologie ( medische terminologie!!! Oppassen dus!): ' revolutionaire lava', dreigt Zwitserland te bedelven,
terwijl het 'morele koudvuur' zich in ijltempo uitbreidt. Europa lijdt aan hoge koorts. Met dit soort
hyperbolen ( een taal ding! Let op my dear itc and techno friends! ) creëerde de Oostenrijkse staatsman een spookbeeld van de werkelijkheid, waartegen hij vervolgens fel ten strijde trok.

Einde  copieer gedrag.

Terug naar het schilderij van Jan Steen ( ik ben in naam familie van Jan, volg mij van Jan, naar Jeanne ( d' Arc) naar Anne , A in M. A. S Sival van Groningen.
Steen, volg mij naar de tempel van Apollo, met J.G naar Herodotus en de steen in de tempel van Apollo.

Jan Steen, de schilder. De Burgher van Delft, het schilderij.
Okay, de burgervader trekt alle aandacht, in het midden, verreweg het grootst afgebeeld. Links voor op het schilderij heeft Jan een geest, een spookbeeld geschilderd. ( echt waar) en je zou zo maar
kunnen denken dat het zijn dochter is in een huwelijksgewaad. Maar misschien is het wel de verschijning van een al dood klein meisje in een lijkwade, ......een kat in een zak, of een bevroren sculptuur, made by Chinese artists who are very good at this, making ice sculptures en Jan 'wist' dat al in 16.. Of, de kleindochter van de Burgher , ze is ook zo klein, petite, afgebeeld. Waarom kijkt de arme vrouw alleen naar de Burgher? Waarom vertelt nooit iemand dit aan de arme vrouw? Waarom luistert de arme vrouw nooit? Waarom kijkt ze niet minstens elke dag naar dit schilderij van Jan? Waarom blijft de zoon van de arme vrouw zolang naar het spookbeeld kijken? En waar kijkt de Burgher eigenlijk naar? Zonder vrees, not alarmed? In het oneidige.....Naar jou! Hypnotiseert hij je? Ben je al in zijn ban?
En O, o, o, de eigentijdse medici, De Medici waren ooit een machtige  familie in Italië , what' s in a name???? Ze willen zo graag helpen, maar de steen weet al lang dat je niemand kan helpen. Dat je je zelf moet helpen, je zelf moet verzorgen. Er bestaat toch helemaal geen slechte lifestyle! Kijk naar jezelf en als je er goed uitziet, dan ben je helemaal okay! En nu wordt het ook nog al maar warmer. En de steen van toen is de ijsklomp van nu, okay, overdreven , de ijskap met allerlei icequeens. En die icequeens are melting. Because of some warm whispers. What an emotions. The Burgher is
threathened, by the sons of the poor woman who has learned to speak to the daughters, the Alpha men, according to the biologists, so they melt, the little iceprinsesses. In front of the poor sons off course. They can't help it! They have been born ( read: body, biology) this way.

But where does that leave the Burgher? With his enormous body. In the hand of the medici, off course .
And the ice princess becomes the queen, or Queen, you know, the popgroep, and the poor son, if he starts writing and speaking, not staring, becomes the king! No more Burghers! We will all become Queens and Kings! Of our life off course, a very European thought. And all the lawyers are telling  us already, because that is written in the book of Law. In Europe, at last.

Did you read the book of Law? If not, you better hurry up and get your life organised!!!! And financed, off course. Please, take the advice of Wislawa Szymborska: Zo is het genoeg!(2012).
She was a Nobelprize winner. Moral authority enough, I would say so.

And in some extraordinary cases the mekten iceprinses, the Queen already has a son. A son who looks like the son of the poor woman. You have seen nothing yet, the 21 st century is a century with so many wonderful coincidences. I only have to find an artist to paint this reality.

And maybe this stone, is the same as the pot of gold in the film made by Sergio Leone in 1960. 'You are gold', always believe in you so! ' a popsong, by who, I don't recollect that....

Life is beautiful! Now! Not over two years! Are you looking in the 'right' direction?

Green, cities, Europe. Introducing B.A. van Groningen

B. A. van Groningen has a wiki.
I selected a part of the text, which seems to contain interesting information for me.

B. A. van Groningen, Bernard Abraham. 20 mei 1894-1 maart 1987. Since I am Sarah, I really love the Abraham name. Between 6 and 16 years of age he went to the Athenee Royale in Brussels. Hij was enkele jaren leraar, conrector en rector in Groningen, Leeuwarden en Assen (!).
He was  classicus and papyroloog, van 1928-1964 hoogleraar  Oudgrieks aan de universiteit van Leiden.
In 1929 sprak hij zijn inaugurele rede 'Nieuwe getuigen' uit.
In 1950 sprak hij de diesrede Griekse geest uit, ter gelegenheid van de 375e dies natalis.

Hij verrichtte pionierswerk met zijn uitgave van de fragmenten van de scolia ( drinkliederen) van Pindarus: Pindare au Banquet, 1960
en
zijn omvangrijke commentaar op het eerste boek van Theognis, 1966
Bernard was toen 66 en 72 jaar oud.

This Theognis is interesting me, all of a sudden.
I'll continue.......

Theognis van Megara
De griekse dichter Theognis leefde te Megara tijdens de 2de helft van de 6de eeuw v. Chr. Hij was een aristocratische grondbezitter die noodgedwongen zijn stad verliet, misnoegd om een democratische machtsovername, waarbij hem zijn bezit werd afgenomen.

Very interesting, what is the relation with plant thinking? You might question now. I come to that later.... Theognis is much more interesting now.

Op politiek vlak was hij de tegenpool van Solon. Uit zijn gedichten, vaak gericht aan zijn jonge hartsvriend Cyrnus (Grieks: Kyrnos), leren wij een hooghartig en pessimistisch aristocraat kennen, die heftig van leer trekt tegen de toenemende democratisering (al herkenbaar? Misschien nog eens de blog 90 minutes with Elmer lezen? En denk denk denk........) in Hellas en met haat en heimwee aan het verleden terugdenkt. Theognis' dialect is het episch met enkele Dorische elementen ( this seems to be a detail, but it could become of basic importance).

De hoofdthema's in het werk van Theognis zijn:
- De bezorgdheid  van de adel ( de goeden) om de toenemende invloed van mensen uit lagere standen ( de slechten)
- de nobele vriendschap die jeugdige aristocraten moet verbinden, km het democratische gevaar af te wenden ( mijn inval : het begin van  het 'peer' group denken/ thinking?

nl.m.Wikipedia.org

Enough for this sundaymorning. With regards, Mrs. M.A.S. Sival van Groningen.
The new high priestess of the world ( I can be anything I want to be, I am free, I desire no land nor position)

I love the world, right now! Swimming time.....where is Liefje Luc?

Green, cities, Europe. Reading Herodotus

It is such a beautiful wether now. More beachlife, white wine from the Muller house, I couldn't resist.

Herodotus again. Book: De mens voor het voetlicht der historie, L. Geysels S.J., 1966
De omslagtekening is van de hand van R. de Pelsmacker.
Ze stelt Herodotus' wereldbeeld voor. Zijn geografisch wereldbeeld vooreerst, dat grotendeels bepaald was door de wereldkaart die zijn voorganger, Hecataeus van Milete, had ontworpen ( ontworpen=designed); In het middelpunt werd Delphi geplaatst, vanwege de heilige steen in de tempel van Apollo, die de navel van de aarde werd genoemd. Ze stelt vervolgens zijn geestelijk wereldbeeld voor, verzinnebeeld door de orakelpriesteres van het heiligdom te Delphi, dat niet alleen een voorname plaats in Herodotus' verhaal inneemt, maar ook zijn visie op het wereldgebeuren sterk heeft beïnvloed.

Before I continue, L. Geysels does not mention what was encrypted on the outside of the tempel of Apollo. I wonder why? Did he not know? Like one of the 'meeses' at the VU, Amsterdam. A language 'mees'. We had a discussion, I suddenly said, ' It comes down by knowing oneself'. I proceded by asking him ( it was obviously not a Juf) : ' Do you know who said this?' He didn't say a word. A silence. I proceded by saying, probably a lot of people, but it seems that it had been engraved  on the Tempel of Apollo. In Greece. Where else?

This happens to me all the time. Teaching the teacher. Anno 2015 a very hip thing to do in the Netherlands. And no, I never attended the PABO. I went to Delft University. I had a great time, the first three years. Thinking and acting in the most beautiful lab you can imagine. Unfortunately, the building has been burned to ashes some years ago, due to a failure in electricity maintenance.....   ..Foei, board of TU Delft!!! Foutje, sorry! Two words, sometimes very hard to say by certain persons. Wonder why? A position to lose?

Well, Herodotus. L.G. writes us: De tekst keuze voor deze Herodotus- uitgave was geen makkelijke taak. We (we?) moesten nu eenmaal rekening houden met het feit dat de tijd die men Herodotus toemeet, soms vrij kort is. ( Wat vaag, ik bedoel, wat 'fuzzy logic' style, ik bedoel, wat weinig feitelijk!). Nou, toe maar (typical Greeningen thinking). Meer nog dan voor de andere Geerebaert- klassieken was hier dus beperking geboden.( O ja? Waarom? Mocht het boekje niet meer dan 111 bladzijden bevatten, of niet meer dan ........ gulden kosten? Waarvan geen akte....not done? But what about the economic argument then? Embarresment anno 1966? I am touching in the dark).

Bij de vaststelling van de tekst hebben we ons vooral laten leiden door B.A. van Groningen (!!!!!!!! Really, I am not making this up, it is printed on page 5, you can read it yourself, if you don't belief me). Onder de gebruikte commentaren is vooral dat van B.A. van Groningen ons vaak met zijn oorspronkelijke en nuttige opmerkingen van dienst geweest.

L.G. I love you. From now on my writers name is M.A. Sival van Groningen. I found my new man! It is a wonder. Miracles do happen. I am SO happy now.

Let' s continue before this gets pathetic.
Introduction/ Inleiding.
Wie was Herodotus?
Een Griek uit Klein-Azië, geboren in de Dorische ( Dorische? I was learned that there were only Dorische columns) stad Halicarnassus, als onderdaan van de Perzische koning, in de voor het Griekse moederland ( moederland? We should start call the Netherlands ' the Dutch motherland, in stead of 'an urban field'. What inspiring!) zo bewogen jaren tussen Marathon en Salamis. (What e reliëf, emotions were permitted, no psychology yet).

Een globetrotter, die een groot deel van de oude wereld heeft verkend, niet uit avonturenlust (really? I doubt it), maar uit weetgierigheid, zonder evenwel een ontdekkingsreiziger te zijn.(O, L.G. toch, hoe weet jij dit allemaal?)

Zo, die zit! L.G knows where he is writing about. But......no literature notes.....mmmmm, do I have to counter this? Or do I 'salting all the snails right now?' = a Dutch expression translated into English.

Well, I feel that I have been writing, thinking, looking, reading enough. See you next time.

And remember, I have this ambition to become  M.A. Sival van Groningen......more to it than you imagine now. Does B.A. van Groningen has a profile? A wiki, a bio made by Dutch historians? Who is this person?

Green, cities, Europe. Reading Herodotus

Literature
Herodotus. De mens voor het voetlicht der historie. Een keuze uit zijn werk ingeleid en verklaard door L. Geysels S.J.,1966.    S.J.? What do these initials mean? Scholarly Justice?
Geerebaert- klassieken. Griekse en Latijnse schooluitgaven onder leiding van J. van den Bossche S.J. ( again S.J. ?)
I attended the gymnasium from 1977-1984. The book was already eleven years of age. Well, it can be worse. In January of this year I gave two hearing lecturers to the first year students of SABC. About materials. Based on a book, dated from 1986. It is 2015 now! Do you realise how much has been changed?

While re organising my books I found this fourth book I kept from Highschool/ Gymnasium. I had no recollection of it at all. There are even notes, translation notes, from Ancient Greek to Dutch, in my handwriting. Can you believe it?
I will continue in Dutch. I know, I have holy days now, but I donT know what is happening to me, I canT stop the 'machine'. L.Geysels wrote in Dutch

De omslagtekening is van de hand van R. de Pelsmacker. ( de Pelsmackers, probably a family living or making a living from polar bear skin, once upon a time, why else would you have a family name like that? ( MAS)
Ze (de omslagtekening) stelt Herodotus' wereldbeeld voor. Zijn geografisch wereldbeeld vooreerst, dat grotendeels bepaald was door de wereldkaart die zijn voorganger, Hecateus van Milete, had ontworpen ( Milete, a city, at the TU Delft, departement Bouwkunde, educated as the first city in the
world , 1985. Now, 2015, Uruk is introduced as the first city ever on planet Earth, by Margarete van
Ess. Uruk is placed in the epic of Gilgamesh, 3rd millennium BC. Margarete writes: at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC., Uruk was a thriving city of some 30,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, standing on the river Euphrates on the northern shore of the delta with the Tigris, some 3000 km (186 Miles )
south of modern Bagdad. Text derived from the book: The great cities in history. Edited by John
Julius Norwich, 2009)

To be continued, I only have to catch Luke from school......I thought. In the meanwhile it is fridaymorning the third of July. We went to the citybeach near a large sportsarea in the East of the city of Greeningen ( I start to name Groningen, Greeningen now, because Greeningen is much easier to pronounce and the the name is much more appropriate, because Groningen looks so green today). This citybeach is actually a combination of a lake, a strip with muddysand and an area covered with nice cool green grass. It was packed, yesterday. Luke couldn't stop playing in the water and I had a lot to look at, mostly young students in swimming outfits, trying to gain some teint. And talking all the time. About each other off course, what else?

More about Herodotus another time.....he has been waiting  patiently for me for such a long time. His writings I mean off course. You understand. I recollect the sound of Mrs. Wit. Her voice, telling us this adventurous stories, originated from Ancient Greeks, preparing us for life. We were sixteen then. Me and the gymnasium peers, selection of the 1980s.

Green, cities and Europe

'Green' in the meaning of the plants, vegetation

My concern of today:
Plant thinking
I cite two readings, the first by meester Bert, newsletter group 3c, week 27, Karrepadschool, Groningen, the second by Doris Lessing, Het gouden boek, (1988), p.547 and I will describe two drawings made by Jacob Cats ( Vadertje Cats, perhaps the first National poet, dichter des Vaderlands)

The first (In Dutch, I shall translate later).
Het voorjaar, voortgestuwd door bijzondere weersomstandigheden, was afgelopen voordat de meeste groenten en bloemen daar erg in hadden. Toch was het weer leuk, vond ik, wantijen kunt overal iets van maken. Een plant die het te koud of te droog heeft, laat veel over zich vertellen. We hadden de tuin ingedeeld in uitgenodigde en niet-uitgenodigde . De laatsten kregen vooral de meeste aandacht al 'plant' van de week', elke week een nieuwe: weegbree, vergeet-mij-nietje, melkdistel, kleine klaver, echte kamille. Een hele middag zat voor ons een vermoeide distelvlinder model op duizendschoon. Staan er prachtig bij, nog steeds, kom even ruiken. Soms vloog hij even weg, als het hem te veel werd. Een paar ijverige kauwtjes aten eerst nauwgezet alle tarwe en daarna alle suikermaïs op. Dat ligt in hun aard. Ze zij er net geen Vogel des Vaderlands mee geworden. Op de daklijst van het schoolgebouw hamerde een bonte specht. De peultjes groeien hoog boven hun steunhek uit en bloeien mooi wit, de eerste peulen smaakten heerlijk zoet. De kruidentuin geurt. De bloemen in de prei gaan open. En nu wordt het zomer en gaat de school dicht.

The second.

Het weefsel van het kleed vervulde me met afschuw, een dood, gefabriceerd ding; mijn lichaam was een dun, mager, spits plantaardig ding, net een plant die geen zon kreeg, en toen ik mijn hoofdhaar aanraakte, was het dood.

The third.
For the lucky bastaards who also own a copy of the book ' the Embarrasment of Richess. An interpretation of Dutch culture in the Golden age' by Simon Schama, (1987), on page 5 are two images printed, one from an 'engraved frontispice' and one from a 'woodcut', with the text ' lateat dum pateat'. In the middle of the two images a text is printed:  ' houwelyck: dat is de gantsche gelegentheydt des echten- staets, gedruckt anno 1655.
What everyone can see on both 'images' in the book are two persons and a ceramic ( like) pot with a tulipplant. The pot and tulipplant are situated in the middle, the two persons, both female, are situated each on one site of the pot and tulipplant. On the engraved image, one can also see a bird, a small dog and the head and one leg of a whitish sheep. Very small drawn/ engraved is a building which could resemble a churchbuilding, like the Martini church, Groningen.
On the woodcut image one can see the same main three figures: a woman on the left, a pot and tulipplant in the middle and a woman on the right. On this piece no birds, a small dog and the head and two legs of a larger dog. No resemblance of a building can be looked at.

Intriguing, isn't it!

And as a gift, a 'toegift', because The Lay ( Dutch singer) has passed away recently, two Belgian artist have made this most intriguing 'painting' , called 'Blauw blauw blauw keer ik terug naar jou', inspired by Picasso, or better, by a painting made by Picasso (the Spanish painter) with the name 'La Belle Hollandaise' (1905)

I suddenly remember a phrase from a printed interview with M. Houlebecq, because he had written this book Sousmission', wherein Houlebecq apparently has been said: ' I am glad that I am not a woman in these times'. And I have written in one of my blogs: I have no talent for soumission. I can write, 'I am so glad I am a woman'(some song from the eightties). I can sing so many songs. All night long.

How come?
I think because I do all this thinking...........and not let myself be distracted......and I have no fear, thanks to the mental support of one of my grandfathers, I like to think ......and I have all these talents...........and I love the world............and I work bloody hard for it.........and I challenge people...........I irritate people........I shock people............I know, I am really lucky! Like my son.

But somehow, nobody wishes to be me. So odd, don't you think? Don't tell anyone, please, you promise?