Citizen Reporter

Well it’s 911. Which used to be an emergency number to teach children in the US. Now, I think it means war against invisible people.

Wars against invisible people should be quite difficult. One would have to be invisible to see an invisible person, and even then, would they see each other?

Still NYC… the homeland… is on the brain. Memories and memories. Though ceremonies and presidential speeches are definately not missed. Whats really not missed is the annoying use of American flags! Thankfully in Amsterdam… or Europe in general it’s considered dam tacky and outright wierd to wear a flag, unless you’re at a football match.

But still… heres to NYC. On this, an anniversary of such a sad day. And to those who don’t know… it’s not a sad day in America. It’s a sad day around the world. Don’t let them tell you otherwise… borders and nationalism are just made up for political reasons. We’re all family round here…. human family.

LOUD DUTCH SINGING! “BLAH BLAH LAAA LAA” And there in a boat, is a group of Dutch singing there hearts out, seemingly making fun of someone on dryland. A look at dryland reveals 2 mounted police, protected by garbage bag ponchos amidst the first big rain this month in A’dam. Next to the horses, there’s the fire-rescue unit… where two divers are standing in full diving gear, save the oxygen tank. They seem annoyed… or embarrassed. And they’re waving off the boat with the singing Dutchfolk. But the boat suddenly floats towards the divers, and the singing turns to chanting… abusive chanting… sort of like “You’re a sucker, you dive into this toxic water!” (To the tune of ol-lang-syn.) And then laughter follows… ten minutes of laughter. One Dutchy throws a lolipop into the canal in slow motion, as if to say… “go get this one!”

And then its over. One diver salutes the boat… they salute back and chug away. Another day in Amsterdam. Another chance meeting of a diver and boat party people. Probably everyone of them was drunk… especially the divers.

What does it all mean? WHY? Whats the significance?

When red light approaches, apply brakes. This is no problem once you have a new brake system. Oh the others will laugh… but theyve never known what it is to stop on a dime and pedal with confidence…..

If you have a terrorist group. That group may in fact be a free-fighting movement. And if so, they may have a political arm.. a party that represents them at the round table that is many governments (ha ha). Now the extremist faction of the party is not nice, Illegal, and morally- completely wrong. Because of this the government could never communicate with them because you don’t communicate with those you want to arrest vs. those who want to destroy you. On the other hand, the political arm is in the business of politics – you could talk to them. You could negotiate, learn about, understand the group by interacting with the political arm.

Based on all this… which has achieved great results in England with the IRA and the Sein Fein. What the F is wrong with that facist Spanish Government. Honestly, these people never really buried Franco did they. They imbalmed him with the finest taxidermical methods available, and his corpse runs things.

Solidarity – Batasuna (Basque Nationalist party, political arm of ETA)

Lets try this: Friends are like snow. Some months, you’ve got none. And then, when it does start to snow, it just comes down. And then, sometimes, one little snowball, becomes a giant snowball, and then…. you get lost in this metafor… which is really a simile… which is lame.

Cut to today: The Luso-Canadiana old long-time friend has been found. Dinner was eaten by many, complete with paper plates and laughter a-plenty. The comrads of the program and quite the cool. Good friendships ahead filled with all the good stuff that comes along.

The Bike… now without a name, as zorro didnt stick… is being repaired. Or reborn, as it seems more aprapo….. A revolutionary idea: Hit Brakes, Bike Stops. Crazy you say? Watch me!

Rugs! Where can a brother buy some rugs up in this piece? My dawgs be cold!

Important people always have places to be. Suddenly, I must go… anywhere.

Well glory be! Good golly! A real grad student, with nothing short of the finest in DELL black sleek technology at his fingertips. Now the dobochery can begin, emails, websites, message boards.. CHATS! The skies the limit really. Though looking up, that limit sure is grey.

Everywhere one walks in Amsterdam people are singing their hearts out. It can make one feel quite left out. (as he types a boat floats by the window with the loudest polka booming from every whoofer and tweater you can imagine. Even more hilarious, not a single, sophisticated, attractive student in this lab flinches. As if to say, “yeah, theres goes the polka boat”)

It rains every other hour. But only for about 10 minutes, which is enough time to go into some store/office/hotel/library and pretend you belong there. Whats with the public’s obsession with the weather anyway… In Lisbon, would bm check the weather? Hell no.. sunny everyday, so whats the point. Now, why bother, cloudy with bouts of rain, no need to check. Three accidents almost took place near Leipsplein (or however you spell it) today, each involved a car, arrogance, and zorro – a recently accuired classic Dutch velocopede belonging (legally I think) to one Mark Rendeiro, residence unknown. In each case bm discovers creative ways of stopping, when one has coaster brakes that are more or less broken. (Why did the kind Algerian Bike salesman not fix such a safety risk?) Insh’ALA (if god wills), I shall survive. (by god, I refer to the golden calf, whom Ive happily worshipped for quite a while)

A man without a home is a like a homeless person who still hasnt come to grips with reality. Second thought, he is a homeless person. No real wisdom there. ‘cept money flies when you live at hotels.

More singing and laughing, it echoes through the quiet computer lab. Why do they sing? Where doth such joy come from? Tis perhaps the herb? Perhaps.