LONDON MAYOR CALLS AMSTERDAM “SLEAZY”

[CloudMaster]

"http://www.nltimes.nl/2014/11/12/london ... le-sleazy/

NLTIMES.NL - Posted on Nov 12, 2014 by Zack Newmark

LONDON MAYOR CALLS AMSTERDAM “SLEAZY”


London mayor Boris Johnson (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/adamprocter2006 - Flickr)

The tolerant drug policy in the Netherlands has made much of Amsterdam’s city center “sleazy,” according to London Mayor Boris Johnson. He stated that the progressive approach in countries like the Netherlands and Portugal are “outdated” during a People’s Question Time meeting Tuesday in Waltham Forest, London.

Johnson made this attack on Amsterdam and its Red Light District after an audience asked him whether a different, softer approach on drugs is needed, modelled on experiences in countries like the Netherlands, Portugal and Uruguay.

The Mayor’s comments were made the same day that representatives of London were scheduled to meet with Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan and Dutch King Willem-Alexander at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. The London delegation is participating in the World Cities Culture Summit in Amsterdam, “an initiative of the Mayor of London,” a press release from Tuesday stated.

“The Mayor believes that Amsterdam is a beautiful city and was merely expressing his view that drug laws in the United Kingdom should not be softened,” a spokesman for Mayor Johnson told the NL Times on Wednesday.

“People heard him say “sleazy,” and I think that he said “easy,” Mayor van der Laan said with a wink and a wry smile to a Pow News reporter.

During the meeting with Londoners, the 50-year-old conservative praised the war on drugs that the British and American governments have been fighting for years. Johnson, who is said to have ambitions to become prime minister, stated that the UK is on the right track with a tough approach.

Back in 2008, Mayor Johnson admitted to using cocaine and marijuana while in university.

Two weeks ago there was a crisis within the British government over the drug policy when it was revealed that the Minister of Internal Affairs kept a critical drug report secret. In this report scientists stated that British politicians can learn from experiences in the Netherlands, Portugal and Uruguay."

[RvanSteensel]

nobody cares

[swizzy]

I do

[CloudMaster]

"http://www.nltimes.nl/2014/11/14/london ... dam-mayor/

nltimes.nl - Posted on Nov 14, 2014 by Janene Van Jaarsveldt

LONDON MAYOR SHOULD VISIT AMSTERDAM: MAYOR


Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan (Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Mirande Phernambucq)

If it were up to Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan, his London colleague Boris Johnson would someday soon visit Amsterdam and have a look around.

Earlier this week Johnson angered many Amsterdam residents by calling Amsterdam “sleazy”. According to him, the progressive approach to drugs in the Netherlands is outdated. He made these statements about Amsterdam at a neighborhood meeting in London, where he also praised the British “war on drugs”.

On Thursday during the commission general affairs, Mayor Van der Laan responded to the statements made by his British colleague. “Probably he meant easy, instead of sleazy”, Van der Laan said with a wink.

He also made the suggestion to invite Johnson to visit Amsterdam so that he can see what his fellow countrymen are up to. “They are easy to recognize” said Van der Laan. He continued: “They sing You’ll Never Walk Alone and are dressed as rabbit or priest, sometimes not dressed at all. I would love to invite him to come and see.”

[Billy Bones]

Pot calling kettle, come in kettle....

Boris needs to get out a bit more in his own capital city. I could take you where green is as easy to get as in the Dam. Areas so sleazy that you really don't want to hang around there. Places where I wouldn't want to go in broad daylight.

Illegal weed and unregulated prostitution v regulated prostitution and tolerated weed? No contest.

[Uncle Ron]

BJ was quoted as saying "Amsterdam’s city center “sleazy,” not the entire city. Meh, facts, who needs them?
He's a politician who wants to be reelected some day, or even PM, so he pander's to his base. This equates to cowardice; no sooner than he's out of office, he'll say the opposite.
Something the Lord Mayor's of both cities failed to mention - who and from where are the predominant people/culture that continue to support the "sleaze"? Pandora's Box of worms just opened. The truth is painful, denial is ignorant.
Many parts of Amsterdam's city center are sleazy, no getting around it, so why do some continue to support living like pigs in shit?
The answer is relatively simple - greed. Spend as little as possible, maximize profit, and a perfect example was t'Nes Cafe. Another are many of the canal houses that sat empty for years, the owners hoping to cash in on the inevitable raise in real estate prices. Much cheaper to pay a house sitter to prevent vagrancy, and minor upkeep, than to actually maintain the property at the highest standards. Point made, next...
NYC's Times Square and Boston's Combat Zone are two fine examples of sleaze which were cleaned up nicely, and both places have thrived in spite of the absence of sleaze.
Perhaps the Dutch should take a long look at Las Vegas as well; there is the world famous strip and immediate surrounding areas, and a short distance away is the city of Las Vegas.
Lastly, Boris should simply STFU and deal with the sleaze in London, and worry about Amsterdam's sleaze when he is defeated in his next reelection and looking for some comfort.

Happy Sleaze

[winnie]

“They sing You’ll Never Walk Alone and are dressed as rabbit or priest, sometimes not dressed at all. I would love to invite him to come and see.”

funny shit

[worldcitizen1723]

i miss my sleazy NYC.
the edginess sparked a creative flair