EU-DIGEST

Heineken Experience' reopens in Amsterdam - by Toby Sterling

One of Amsterdam's most popular attractions among young adults, the Experience has reopened after a year of renovations. Long gone are the days when the tour, located on the site of Heineken's former brewery in Amsterdam, was mostly a way to drink unlimited amounts of booze. The remodeled version lives up to its name, a cross between corporate museum and a chance to achieve rapture with one of the world's most-recognized beer brands.

Though for cynics the Experience may feel like one long advertisement, for those who love the beer, it's "a pilgrimage," says Bob Rogers, a branding expert who advised Heineken on the museum's renovations. "We wanted to bring back the connection with beer-making, and the history of Heineken, to help people see it, touch it, taste it," he says. The new Experience updates its offerings with several high-tech exhibits targeting the "YouTube" generation. For instance, visitors can perform karaoke of the cheesy Dutch classic song Tulips from Amsterdam against a backdrop of canals — and instantly send a video clip of the event by e-mail to their friends.

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Heineken

Amsterdam -- Not As Fun As It Used to Be

Less brothels, pot and sex shops in Amsterdam? The nerve! The real Sin City -- Amsterdam, Netherlands -- is closing down a lot of its marijuana cafes, brothels and sex shops in an effort to run organized crime out of town. Officials are also closing down the gambling parlors, peep shows and massage parlors that are being used by drug dealers to launder money. Who would have thought the world's most famous destination for prostitution and drugs had so much crime?

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Netherlands, Prostitution

Amsterdam Poker Capital of the World

Yesterday, November 7th, the 17th edition of the Master Classics of Poker started in Amsterdam. The Master Classics of Poker is one of the biggest and best-known international poker tournaments in Europe. Last year the total prize pot added up to more than 3.7 million Euros. This year the total prize pot will add up to almost 5 million euro. Between Friday 7th and Saturday 15th November the best poker players from all over the world will be pitted against each other. Amsterdam will be the poker capital of the world this week.

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Poker, The Netherlands

Is Amsterdam turning into a prudish backwater? - by Frank Scimone

The owners of cafés in the centre of Amsterdam are again up in arms against what they say is the umpteenth attempt to turn the city into a prudish provincial backwater. A majority of the Amsterdam district council 'Amsterdam Centrum' have voted in favour of a measure that would forbid customers from sitting outside on a terrace past midnight. A Dutch newspaper says the centre of Amsterdam is moving another step towards becoming a 'Staphorst on the Amstel'. Staphorst is considered the most strict and devout Calvinist town in the Netherlands.The Amsterdam City Council is also in the process of "cleaning up" the city. Permits for a large numbers of rooms in the Red Light District, where prostitutes stand behind windows, are being rescinded. The rooms are being turned into fashion shops and the women replaced by mannequins in designer clothes. Recently the town council ordered the closure of the famous sex club Yab Yum as well as the live-sex theatre Casa Rosso.

One website which has collected thousands of signatures protesting against the council's policies writes: "This is where Rembrandt rose to fame, Michiel de Ruyter departed for his epic journeys, the great author Descartes wrote his best works and (besides Paris) the first city to erect lights...we were then progressive. Now...our city seems more like a provincial village than one with the allure of an international metropolis...The beautiful vibrant city centre is being literally paralysed. A city is a city with all of its achievements, as well as its bad habits...When someone moves to the country he can't ask for a ban on fertiliser, roosters and mooing... Amsterdam should remain Amsterdam. A fantastic place where for centuries freedom and individual development have been of paramount importance."

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Netherlands

Project to clean up Amsterdam’s sex trade which employs 25.000 people - by Ashley Doodnauth

Of the approximately 16.5 million people living in the Netherlands, about 20,000-25,000 individuals are sex workers, and 90% of those individuals are female. Most of the prostitution is concentrated in Amsterdam, a city that was established at the end of the 12th century. By the end of the 17th century, Amsterdam was known throughout Europe for being able to satisfy any carnal pleasure. In 2000, the Netherlands legalized prostitution in hopes of bringing the profession out of the shadows and protecting the city’s sex workers. However, the government now wishes to partially reverse the legislation, as it did not fulfill its purpose. According to Reuters, Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen wants to focus on eliminating the organized criminals whose presence has corrupted the Dutch city. Cleaning up the Red Light District would include the elimination of human trafficking, money laundering and drug abuse. By greatly decreasing the prostitution windows in the city area, it will pave the way for “upmarket boutiques.” The city council realizes that the seedy history of the area is part of their identity, so they are refraining from eliminating all prostitution.

Nonetheless, the critics are up in arms about the proposed change that will most likely result in forcing hundreds of women, who once made their living by selling sex, out of work. Even worse, the displaced women could be forced underground, making the legalization of prostitution ineffective.

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Netherlands, Sex

Utherverse and Amsterdam's popular Red Light Centre Website now offering virtual sex and drugs hits Canada - by Suzanne Fournier

Police are concerned about a website being set up in B.C. that combines Facebook-like social interaction with virtual drug deals and naked characters having sex. Bruce Shuster, owner of Utherverse Inc. and Amsterdam's popular Red Light Centre site, claims he's already had 40,000 free hits, and found 1,200 people willing to pay $20 per month for an avatar - computerized persona - that can get naked, have sex, get into the "passion club," and buy virtual alcohol and drugs.Shuster claims his site is restricted to "18 and over"and he insists "it's an incredibly self-policing community. "Any time a minor pops onto one of our sites we boot them out."

Shuster wouldn't disclose if he has a way to verify age.He also insists "pedophiles are not going to be trawling our site because none of our avatars are children." Far from hiding or encouraging stalkers or predators, Shuster says his site promotes sexual liberation. "Users feel liberated. Women e-mail me saying they appreciate another aspect of their sexuality by using an avatar."

Labels: Amsterdam, Canada, Ottawa, Sex

Rioting continues in western Amsterdam

Unidentified young people set another car on fire in the night from Thursday to Friday during the fourth consecutive night of riots in Amsterdam's Slotervaart neighbourhood. The rioting was substantially less than the previous night. No arrests were made but police remained on high alert. The unrest began after two violent incidents took place in Slotervaart, in the western part of Amsterdam, last week. Both times young Moroccan Dutch were involved. The rioting had started as a 22-year old Dutch opf Moroccan descent, Bilal B., entered the office. He walked towards her, jumped over the counter, pulled a knife and stabbed her in her neck. When she fled, he stabbed her twice more in her back. A male colleague tried to help her, but to no avail: he too was stabbed by Bilal, in the neck and chest. The heavily wounded female police officer felt that there was only one way to stop Bilal B. from killing both her and her colleague, pulled out her gun, and shot the attacker. Bilal B. died.

Note EU-Digest:With this kind of violence, regardless if it originates in traditional or immigrant neighborhoods the Dutch police must adopt a zero tolerance policy. Even the president of the neighborhood Slotervaart, Marcouch (who is of Moroccan descent himself), called on the police to adopt a zero tolerance policy. Unfortunately the Dutch police is a very weak force, which does not instill respect and often is not able to enforce order because they favor a ‘soft policy’. This does not work with hardened criminals or uncontrolled youth."

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Netherlands, Riots