Holland Times - September issue

26 Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Want more from the Times? Check out our website at www.TheHollandTimes.nl FREE Y EVER TH MON Life on the streets of Holland P14 Come meet us! Go to page 3 to read more www.rsm.nl/meetus Controlled Circulation | Postbus Box 9308 | 1006 AH Amsterdam SEPTEMBER 2009 Concerts on the canal: Grachtenfestival 2009 What does the future hold for Dutch-Muslims in a PVV influenced Netherlands? P5 NE W CALL AROUND THE WORLD AT EXTREMELY LOW RATES 10 = 20 WITH EVERY TOP-UP FREE! CALLING BETWEEN ORTEL AND ORTEL FOR * Rates per June 3, 2009. Call set up fee 015 for each call. Rates are calculated per minute and include VAT. Maximum duration for free Ortel to Ortel calling is 10 minutes. For more info: www.ortelmobile.com 26280809__T02______1 26 www.nhtv.nl NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences is a modern and dynamic higher education institute with almost 6,500 students from over 50 countries. NHTV P.O. Box 3917 4800 DX Breda T +31 76 533 22 03 F +31 76 533 22 05 communicatie@nhtv.nl www.nhtv.nl Studying at NHTV means: > 40 years of experience > Focus on practice > International scope > Problem-based learning > Electronic Learning Environment > Personal student coaching Discover your world – Study in the Netherlands! Name: Camilla Stahl Country: Sweden Studying at: NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences Study: Third year international Tourism Management student How did you decide to study in Holland/Breda? For more information: What does a day of your life as a student look like? Best experience? Next Open day: 7 November 2009 Where do you meet your friends? A Breda University of Applied Sciences 26 SEPTEMBER 2009 3 EDITORIAL The proudly right-wing Partij voor de Vrijheid (Party for Freedom or PVV) has continued to gain support across the country in recent months. The PVV seems to have tapped into widespread popular sentiments of conservatism, nationalism and anti-Islamic ideology. According to a study conducted by research institute Motivaction, an alarming picture is materialising for the famously liberal and tolerant Netherlands. The survey prophesizes that the PVV’s popularity has resulted in a staggering 51 percent of all Dutch-Muslims “seriously considering” emigrating out of the country. Some may say ‘good riddance,’ but is making your own citizens feel unwelcome and unwanted really a sophisticated and acceptable way of dealing with social problems? While the Dutch-Muslim community is not without its problems, the same can be said for any ethnic or socio-economic community in the country. In the past five years there has been a series of cases where notable Dutch citizens with large earning capacities (such as football coach Guus Hiddink) have blatantly tried to assume Belgian nationality over Dutch nationality in order to claim lower tax rates. Has the PVV ever questioned their loyalty to the Netherlands? Many may say it is the choice of Muslim people to leave, and rightly so, but the fact that the PVV’s policies and popularity can foster such feelings is a disgraceful reflection upon the nation as a whole and should be “seriously considered” as quickly as possible by the powers that be in the Second Chamber. The Motivaction research also revealed that 40 percent of Dutch-Muslims believe the best way to deal with the PVV is to simply ignore them. This is also just as alarming, for doing nothing will only allow the PVV greater scope to achieve its goals. If Dutch-Muslims do ignore the PVV and emigrate in such massive numbers as predicted, Wilders and the PVV will have gone a long way in achieving their goal of turning the Netherlands into a monochromic, white-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed populace; something not even Hitler could achieve in Nazi Germany. The Holland Times is pleased to announce that the illustration on the cover of our July edition has won a prestigious industry award. ‘Dutch Kiss,’ created by Graphic Designer/Illustrator Jo Holdaway for our story on Swine Flu in the Netherlands, won the Flair Illustration competition for the month of July on industry website Creative Match. To view this and more of Jo’s colourful creations go to www.creativematch.co.uk/?act ion=viewFlair&fi=4074 and www.joholdaway.com. Congratulations Jo! CONTENTS Arts & Culture P19 Dutch film turns to Spain as Tramontana opens Netherlands Film Festival in Utrecht PROFILE P21 NATIONAL P6 High-profile legal battles put file-sharing Japanese jazz pianist finds new inspirations along the Amstel in jeopardy NATIONAL P7 Local filmmakers take on conservative U.S. media on YouTube REVIEWS P22 The latest in film, books, art and music SPORT P23 Eredivisie football season kicks off The Holland Times is currently looking for experienced freelancers to join our team. If you are interested, send your CV and writing samples to: editorial@thehollandtimes.nl. We look forward to hearing from you! ECONOMICS P9 Innovation leads to a positive perspective Cover illustration by Francesco Baccari on the credit crisis How can I get with The Holland Times? The Holland Times, the Netherlands’ only English-language newspaper, is widely distributed throughout Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. 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The Times has a SUBSCRIPTION service available. To subscribe, or to enquire about distribution, please contact: subscription@thehollandtimes.nl T: +31 (0)20 - 584 90 20 F: +31 (0)20 – 584 90 50 Controlled Circulation: International institutions, the Diplomatic Corps, Captains of Industry and epicentres of the Netherlands’ international and expatriate communities. Your full potential as a leader and manager is waiting to be realised. At Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, we show you how to activate the knowledge, apply the skills and access the selfawareness that will free your personal potential. We offer three MBA programmes: International Full-time MBA, Executive MBA, Global Executive OneMBA. Our unique strengths support your success: • Leadership Development embedded in all programmes • Rotterdam location central to EU business • 100+ nationalities for a truly international experience • Open, innovative and original thought-culture 9 October 200 Saturday 10 BA Open Day RSM M SMS: www.rsm.nl/mba last name first name + 10 October + via www.rsm.nl/events e+ ‘RSM’ + spac gn up or sign up 10 0 8 to si to 26280809__T04______1 26 SEPTEMBER 2009 4 ROTTERDAM | A Rotterdam court on 7 August ordered the detention of four men accused of trying to join Islamist rebels in Somalia. Kenyan police arrested the men - three Dutchmen and a Moroccan with Dutch residency papers - on 24 July. On 30 Coverage July they were put on a plane to Brussels, By Jonathan Gill whereby Belgium extradited them to the Netherlands. They are accused of being on the way to join a Jihadist training camp in Somalia. They are also suspected of aiding The Dutch Deputy Prime Minister’s appearance at the World FaSomalia’s Shebab Islamist militant group. NATIONAL Alleged Jihadists detained The future of Dutch conservatism mily Congress leads a number of governing parties to express concern. The Congress emphasizes a conservative approach to family values that is in stark contrast to many long-standing progressive causes established in the Netherlands. Rotterdam sacks advisor ROTTERDAM | Rotterdam announced 18 August that Muslim intellectual Tariq Ramadan will no longer serve as an advisor for a programme on Press TV, a channel it claims is backed by Tehran. Erasmus University has simultaneously dropped Ramadan as a guest. “Press TV is a channel that is financed by the Iranian government,” it said. “We find (his) indirect relationship with this repressive regime … to be unacceptable.” Ramadan has been an advisor to the mayor of Rotterdam on issues of multiculturalism since 2007. Ramadan said he took offence to the charges, and will take the council to court. Marijuana bill proposed THE HAGUE | Patients with chronic pain may be able to grow their own medicinal marijuana if a bill proposed by Second Chamber Member Boris van der Ham (D66) is passed in September. MS patient Wim Moorlag last year successfully won a landmark case in the High Court to legally grow his own marijuana for medicinal purposes. Lawyer Wim Anker now wants the Opium Act amended to allow any person suffering from diseases with chronic pain to automatically be allowed to grow their own marijuana. “Patients are denied effective medicine” he says, as “marijuana is very expensive and not easily available to all sufferers.” Royal family tackles AP THE HAUGE | The Dutch crown prince as- ked an Amsterdam court on 14 August to fine The Associated Press up to 250,000 euros if photographs taken on their Argentinean holiday are published again. Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima claim four photographs of them and fiveyear-old daughter Amalia taken by AP violate a media code under which they pose for press regularly in return for respect of their privacy. The US agency said the pictures were taken “at a respectful distance,” arguing that the Dutch royals were public figures at a public ski resort. The controversy that erupted over the participation of Deputy Prime Minister André Rouvoet in the World Family Congress held in Amsterdam in August to promote “the natural family” has died down, but the entire country is undergoing “a spiritual revival” when it comes to family values, according to Larry Jacobs, one of the American organizers of the congress. The Netherlands can soon expect more of the same conflicts, as groups promoting stricter conservatism become more vocal and popular in throughout the country. Simon Polinder, the head of the congress’s local organizing committee, agreed that the public airing of such issues will only become more common in the Netherlands, though groups promoting the WFC’s goals will try to tone down the top-down promotion of moral standards that makes for heated confrontation but little communication. “We want to defend the natural family based on social science, not on moral beliefs,” said Polinder, who suggests that such important issues should be the province of professors and researchers, not demagogues. “That strategy should be the future. Social sciences have a high authority and we should fill that gap, which will make it possible to have a debate.” Criticisms of the WFC’s goals are based on the emphasis on research and social science, suggesting that only masks an agenda that promotes the narrowest possible vision of family life, one that discourages homosexuality and the emancipation of women. Fears about the rise of an American-style conservative movement in the Netherlands are compounded by changes in the country’s famously liberal attitudes toward tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. Despite assurances from Minister Rouvoet, the country’s first Minister for Youth and Family and a leader of the conservative ChristenUnie party, that he was “in favour of all families, regardless of their form,” liberal politicians insist that even his appearance on video at the congress, regardless of its content, would be out of step with the beliefs of a majority of Dutch voters. Indeed, the WFC has called the Netherlands “a bastion of anti-family policies,” although Jacobs, who is the managing director of the Howard Center, Deputy Prime Minister André Rouvoet made an appearance at the World Family Congress held in Amsterdam in August. His message called for building bridges toward living in a plural society with regard to family values. Photo: ANP the conservative American think tank that runs the World Family Congress, tried to blunt that statement by calling Amsterdam a “family-friendly city.” Rouvoet’s message, which innocuously called for participants “to build bridges on the topic of how to live together in a plural society with differing views on the family,” encouraging workplace flexibility, parental leave, supporting underprivileged children, and helping parents with child raising and relationship issues, was not the problem, so much as the recognition his appearance gave to some of the congress’s more extreme speakers. Representatives of the Green Party, the Socialists, and the VVD all expressed concern about the minister’s appearance before the congress, as did Boris van der Ham of the liberal D66. “This organization strongly opposes alternative relationships, contraception, and laws governing individual choice in pregnancy and at the end of life,” says Van der Ham. Rouvoet’s appearance also attracted opposition from non-governmental organisations like the World Population Foundation, which is based in the Netherlands, as well as by more nebulous groups like Autonomous Feminist Action, which organized an intense campaign both online and on the streets calling the WFC “anti-feminist, anti-choice, homophobic, and against divorce.” Criticism of the congress, which attracted more than 800 participants from 62 countries, one-third of them from the Netherlands, wasn’t limited to rhetoric. In the days leading up to the event, the local organizing offices of the congress in the EuroCongress building on Jan van Goyenkade were vandalized with paint bombs and obscene slogans like “ChristenUnie F---- Off.” The Amsterdam police are currently investigating the vandalism. The choice of Amsterdam as host of the WFC’s fifth international gathering may be interpreted as odd. Gay marriage, liberal divorce laws, female participation in the workplace, and strong support for day care are so entrenched in Dutch society that proponents of conservative positions on these issues are a radical minority. Protesters criticize the WFC as an American-style, fundamentalist Christian organization. At the recent gathering, participants wore buttons reading, “I regret having an abortion,” flaunted pamphlets that claimed that gay marriage is a source of disease and paedophilia, and praised the natural family as a divinely-sanctioned social good consisting of a heterosexual couple with children. The WFC’s values are shared by most major established religions, and participants include representatives of conservative Jewish and Muslim sects. While Dutch voters might reject the WFC’s anti-gay and anti-abortion stances, they have no problem with the congress’s concerns over human trafficking, child abuse, and domestic violence. The WFC has also focussed on population growth and fertility, awarding a prize—albeit posthumous—to a man who fathered nine children with the same wife. That is not to say that the participants in the congress agreed about everything. A reversal in the plan to keep gay marriage off the agenda led to the withdrawal of a number of Dutch participants. Nell Coumans, co-founder of the European Large Families Confederation, and the mother of eight children, resigned from the congress’s organizing committee, but that appeared to be less an ideological disagreement than a practical one, given the overwhelming support for gay marriage in the Netherlands. But the time for open discussion of gay marriage, as well as virtually taboo subjects like divorce, abortion, and euthanasia is coming, she notes. “There is more attention to these subjects now that we have a religious party in the government, but it’s still too painful to do it out in the open,” Coumans said, framing the issue not as a culture clash between liberals and conservatives but between Dutch and American styles of talking about highly contested issues. As for the Rouvoet controversy, Coumans praises the way the minister walked the line between his commitment to a relatively progressive government and his own more conservative views. “We need to show the world that you don’t have to be afraid of freedom, but perhaps we have too much freedom.” Orange Tax Services tax consultants Tax return to be filed? Contact us. Keizersgracht 62 - 64 Amsterdam 020 - 553 9665 info@orangetax.nl • www.orangetax.nl 26 NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2009 5 PVV popularity sends ripples through Dutch-Muslim community Perspective By Audrey Sykes Home-care funding record THE HAGUE | Home-care organisations in Groningen and The Hague have requested a record 48 million euros in aid from the Dutch Health Authority (NZa). According to spokesperson Gerrit Jan van Otterloo, the money is needed for the restructuring of two large-scale former residential care facilities. Van Otterloo says the figure is “the maximum” need for the restructuring, cial image of Muslims post-September 11 and that it “may well be lower” if costs and using this feeling so every time he are tightly monitored. The two facilities says something he goes a step further,” combined care for almost 14,000 people. says Kreeft. “They [Dutch-Muslims] need a group who stands up for their rights, who goes into debate with Mr. Wilders.” As preparation, Kreeft is a main figure behind scouting candidates for the 2010 municipal elections across the country, including Amsterdam, Almere, The Hague, Rotterdam and Noordoostpolder. “There is a wave of anti-Islam and anti-Muslim in Holland and Europe, but if the Muslims stand up in a great group it’s just a question of looking to the elections,” says Kreeft, who also plans to include NMP representation in the 2011 national elections. “It’s not a question about particular leading figures, I think it’s better to include different sides, different angles and different points of view. Yet the Motivaction survey reveals hesitance among the Dutch-Muslim community’s opinion on party formation. A more agreeable way to challenge PVV’s platform, respondent’s say, is to simply ignore PVV remarks (40 percent), In addition, 35 percent agree a debate with the PVV is necessary, 23 percent support protesting, and just 11 percent recommended voting for a Muslim party. “There were anti-Muslim movies that came out in the Netherlands and weren’t really a big hit because no one said anything about it; in that way it was silenced to death,” says Mirza. “But this is not a movie, this is a man with an agenda and who’s gaining voters.” “I’ve got mixed feelings; I don’t think there is only one solution. We should try to keep arguing but also organize communities and especially get them to vote,” says Mirza. “There are enough people in the Netherlands and other parties who don’t see things like he [Wilders] does.” Regardless of any current apprehension, NMP plans to push forward with a political platform to counter the PVV’s future anti-Muslim agenda with an additional goal, as Kreeft says, “to create a social movement for people who need our help in almost every way.” As a perceived anti-Muslim sentiment gains momentum in the country, Muslim leaders are coming together to encourage greater unity and political support for Muslim parties in the 2011 national elections. For Umar Mirza, editor and founder of young Muslim media outlet Wijblijvenhier.nl, the Party For Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders and his antiMuslim outspokenness comes off more as a political exaggeration than a threat to the Dutch-Muslim community. “He says a lot of things about Islam, Muslims, immigrants – he mixes everything up and it’s often just slogans. Wilders always says Muslims should debate about problems, but when his statements are challenged he never bothers to debate himself,” says Mirza. “Every time people invite him for debates, and even leave a seat open with his name on it, he still doesn’t come.” Still, the PVV’s advancements, like gaining four seats at the 2009 European Parliament elections, linger in the forefront among the Dutch-Muslim community. A June 2009 study released by research agency Motivaction reveals over half of the Dutch-Muslim majority feel less comfortable in the Netherlands due to the increasing presence of the PVV. Not only did the survey reveal a whopping 74 percent of Dutch Muslims feel negativity towards Muslims has increased since the growth of PVV popularity, but PVV support has also has led to 51 percent of Dutch-Muslims feel an increasing tendency to emigrate; 36 percent said “sure” to emigration. “We used to think that Wilders would just go away in one or two years. Well that’s not the case; he’s still here and the party is still growing. But I would say let’s see what the national elections say,” says Mirza. Forecasted visions of a 36-percent drop in the Netherlands’ Dutch-Muslim population might sway favourably towards Wilders’ political platform, but the realistic reaction towards PVV activity among Dutch-Muslims is a call for active citizenship and representation in Dutch politics – arriving sooner than the PVV might have imagined. For almost four years, Wijblijvenhier.nl has attracted 100,000 visitors a month with 30 to 40 articles of fresh content posted monthly about a multitude of topics written by Dutch- Activists denied protest MAASTRICHT | Ten shop owners in Maastricht say they feel threatened and intimidated by animal activists. The Action Group Respect for Animals has announced via its website it has a ‘special campaign’ for stores that do not immediately stop selling fur products. Respect for Animals denies it has threatened any retailers however Maastricht Mayor Gerd Leers cancelled a public Respect for Animals protest in August as he said the city “could not guarantee the safety of shoppers.” Hells Angels claim millions AMSTERDAM | A group of 24 Hells Angels Anti-Muslim outspokenness suggests a need for better Dutch-Muslim representation. Muslim youth. It is a media outlet for expression, says Mirza, “that started from the feeling that young Muslims believe the Netherlands is their country and they themselves are Dutch.” “At the same time, maybe it’s time for our political party to show something here. Many Muslims feel like they’re not represented in politics, not even by left parties.” Government representation for Dutch-Muslims has a brief and bare history, with the Islam Democrats holding one seat in The Hague local council since 2006. And while prominent DutchMuslim political figures like Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and Rotterdam Alderman Hamit Karakus are active politicians, their current political identity rests within left-wing PvoA. Bridging this gap of under-representation is the Netherlands Muslim Party (NMP), a party existing since 2007 that strives for a more positive image of Islam. The NMP is headed by Chairman Henny Kreeft, a Dutchman who converted to Islam in the 1990s. “I think he [Wilders] is creating an enemy image in which the Muslim is the new problem in our society. A new cold war starting in the world which Wilders can use as something for him at the right place and the right time.” Kreeft says. “Let us try to work on our country with the same rules for everyone.” As a former member of the Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF) party founded by murdered right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn, Kreeft’s drive for NMP support is an unexpected circumstance, as most LPF members unsurprisingly joined the PVV as a comparable alternative. Nevertheless, Kreeft presents the NMP as a headstrong challenger for the PVV and plans to put forth his party’s platform near the end of September. “Fortuyn has said things before and Wilders carries them on, creating a spe- are demanding 2.2 million euros in compensation from the Dutch state, the Public Prosecutor announced on 12 August. The Angels said they sustained damages as a result of prosecution by the authorities. One claim for damages of nearly 800,000 euros is lodged by Harry S., 51, a member of the Amsterdam chapter who was held for two months until the public prosecutor had to order his release. The Public Prosecutor responded: “You must ask yourself if these people must get compensation, when actually they are already coming out of it very well.” Schiphol Tunnel under review THE HAGUE | Transport Minister Camiel What Dutch–Muslims think about the PVV 74% feel negativity towards Muslims has increased 51% feel an increasing tendency to emigrate 36% are sure to emigrate 40% simply ignore PVV remarks 35% agree a debate with the PVV is necessary 23% support protesting 11% recommended voting for a Muslim party Eurlings (CDA) announced in August he has ordered the Transport and Water Management Inspectorate (IVW) to conduct a detailed investigation into the safety of Schiphol Tunnel. NS train drivers and conductors criticized communication between traffic control and train staff, when on 2 July smoke in Schiphol Tunnel was found and the Schiphol train station evacuated. Socialist Party and Groenlinks Members in the Second Chamber asked Minister Eurlings for clarification and a quick investigation as “a real fire and the associated panic would be a major catastrophe.” Modern Japanese Kitchen Prinsestraat 77 2513 CC Den Haag 070-3633320 Early-Bird Discount Order Today Menu between 17:30-19:00 hrs and receive 25% discount on your entire bill (condition: your entire table has to order the Today Menu) Today menu - (daily variation) 1 - miso soup 2 - fresh fish salad 3 - Japanese carpaccio 4 - main plate + side dish Oni Japanese Dining Prinsestraat 35 • 2513 CA The Hague • t: 070 3645240 • i: www.oni-restaurant.nl • open: 7 days until 22:30 hrs € 35,00 p.p. Ono Japanese Dining Antoine Platenkade 1005 • 3072 ME Rotterdam • t: 010 486 39 62 • i: www.ono-restaurant.nl • closed on Mondays You can enjoy sushi, sashimi, tempura, a choice of nine sorts of Bento boxes and many more at Oni & Ono Japanese Dining. Have you thought of a Japanese cocktail? The restaurant may also be reserved for company parties with a capacity up to 80 people. Kitchen open: Tue − Sun 17:30-22:30 monday closed www.nohrestaurant.nl 26280809__T06______1 26 SEPTEMBER 2009 6 NATIONAL Boycott of Dutch mussels ANTWERP | Flemish Liberal Party politician Annick De Ridder has called upon Belgians to boycott Dutch mussels from Zeeland until the Dutch government agrees to dredge the Scheldt estuary, the main waterway serving the port of Antwerp. The dredging is necessary to allow large ships to reach Antwerp. De Ridder suspects the Netherlands is stalling over the Scheldt dredging because Rotterdam stands to benefit if Antwerp - the third biggest port in Europe - remains inaccessible to bigger ships. Holland the eye of the storm in Internet downloading war Coverage By Rufus Richardson Dutch lead pirate fight RED SEA | The Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen took over command of Operation Atalanta in the Red Sea from Spain in August. Operation Atalanta is the E.U.’s contribution to the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia. The operation has a dual task: protecting shipping and rounding up pirates. The Dutch ship is under the command of Commodore Pieter Bindt. The European naval force comprises eight to twelve ships and a number of reconnaissance aircraft. The ship can pick up pirates and put them on trial. This could soon lead to pirates being tried in The Hague. Downloading music and movies from the internet, a relatively recent phenomenon known as filesharing, is now as common throughout the world as iPods and Twitter accounts. The Netherlands is also one of the globe’s file-sharing hotbeds, with one in three Dutch people downloading content illegally from the Internet every day. It may come as a surprise to some, but the Netherlands has made a universal name for itself concerning torrent sites and file-sharing. Amsterdam is one of the world’s most advanced Internet hubs, has fast broadband connections to all continents, and attracts data traffic from all over the world. Even in quiet, medieval Utrecht, five inconspicuous Information Science students run one of the most popular websites in the world: Mininova.org. Approximately 45 million people visit the site every month hoping to find the latest in movies and music. Mininova Managing Director Erik Dubbelboer (25) is not some obscure computer geek, but rather a serious student and entrepreneur. Indeed his entrepreneurial skills have well and truly begun to overshadow his studies, with Mininova now earning almost two million euros a year in advertising revenue. Many complain that it is in fact the entertainment industry itself that has lacked the initiative to take advantage of the Internet. Instead of embracing new technologies, and in what can only be described as a reactionary measure, record companies at the turn of the millennia went on the defensive by putting poorly functioning copyright protection mechanisms on their products. Paul Rutten, a professor of digital media at Leiden University who co-wrote the TNO report, told NRC Handelsblad: “Record companies have been busy protecting their old ways of working, rather than adjusting to the changing behaviour of consumers.” But it’s not all smooth sailing for downloaders, particularly in Europe. An Irish web provider has recently started disconnecting clients who share music and movies. Additionally, the world’s most high-profile anti-piracy advocate, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has plans for illegal downloaders to be banned from the Internet for up to a year after three offences. Anti-piracy movement The brains and brawn of the Brein Foundation is Tim Kuik, the face of the anti-piracy movement in the Netherlands and a 27-year veteran of fighting piracy and copyright issues. “Things were more manageable 15-20 years ago,” Kuik told NRC Handelsblad. “Then it was just small clusters of people who could be easily tracked down and convicted. These days, it’s a lot easier for almost anyone to start a site and commit cyber-crime.” Kuik doesn’t go after individuals like American Jammie Thomas-Rasset who was fined 1.9 million US dollars in October 2007 for exchanging 24 songs on Kazaa. Kuik’s fight is with bigger conglomerates such as Mininova and the world’s most infamous torrent site: Sweden-based The Pirate Bay. Unlike Sarkozy, Kuik is not in favour of completely disconnecting people, but says he would rather see Internet pirates’ bandwidth limited so that they simply are not able to share files. Figures point to a downloading cultural phenomenon here in the Netherlands. However Dutch downloading habits appear to be far less circumspect than the rest of the world, where paid-for music downloads (such as iTunes) account for 21 percent of all industry turnover. In the Netherlands downloads account for a mere six percent. So while the rest of the world embraces commercial market norms, it appears Dutch downloaders are standing steadfast in the right to pay when you feel like it. Smoking ban not enforced THE HAGUE | Confusion continues over whether or not the controversial smoking ban is still being enforced across the country. Dutch café owners say they have not seen any inspectors from the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA) for many months. The Health Ministry has not released any figures on the number of inspections since June, leading to widespread confusion. VWA spokesperson Chris Jacks says the Health Ministry has stopped releasing figures simply because “the press no longer requests them.” However, he says the Ministry believes “over eighty percent of bars and cafes are now adhering to the non-smoking laws.” Napster and beyond File-sharing had its genesis in 1999, when peer-to-peer network provider Napster started sharing mp3 music files throughout the celestial cyberspace matrix. Amidst a blaze of public outcry, Napster was forced to shutdown its modems in 2002 and a number of similar sites, such as Kazaa and Limewire, have since struggled to maintain their existence while contesting a series of high-profile legal battles. Mininova’s staunchest domestic adversary is the Brein Foundation, a lobby group for the rights of the entertainment industry — the Netherlands’ equivalent of the U.S.A’s MPAA. The Brein Foundation has filed a lawsuit against Mininova, demanding that it check all its links - currently 1.2 million - before they are made accessible to the public, and pay 1,000 euros per link that breaches copyright. Mininova says they are more than willing to check the links, if the entertainment industry underwrites it. A decision is expected in early September. The Netherlands is a leader in internet torrent downloading and file-sharing. Photo: ANP Gates gives to TB foundation LELYSTAD | The Netherlands-based foundation Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI) will receive three million dollars over the next three years from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A TBVI spokesperson said they will use the money “to further develop European research into tuberculosis and continue to recruit new vaccines against the fatal disease.” Research is conducted by more than thirty European universities, institutes and international firms. According to the World Health Organization, 1.8 million people die annually from tuberculosis. Erik Dubbelboer recently told NRC Handelsblad the torrent files on his website are not necessarily illegal copies of movies or music. “All [Mininova] does is simply supply the technology. We don’t know what the links our users send us refer to.” Under Dutch law, downloading games and software is illegal, but sharing copied films and music is not. In essence this means consumers are free to make, or ‘burn’ copies of CD’s and DVD’s they own and to store those copies as files on their own computers. Users then ‘share’ these files with sites such as Mininova. Downloaders not enemies Since 2000, turnover in the music business in the Netherlands has almost halved from 500 million to 270 million. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, between 2000 and 2008, worldwide music sales dropped from 30 billion dollars to 18.4 billion. However, according to Dutch research institute TNO, people who download are not necessarily the entertainment industry’s arch enemy. According to a report presented to the Dutch government this February, TNO said, “It is clear that the economic implications of file sharing for the level of welfare in the Netherlands are strongly positive in the short and long terms. File sharing provides consumers with access to a broad range of cultural products, which typically raises welfare.” The report went on to also state, “people who download still buy CDs and go to the movies - more so in fact than people who don’t share files.” It also points out that the music and movie business probably would have suffered even without the Internet, as young people of current generations are more inclined to spend money on computer games and mobile phones. PARKWEG 89 · 2271 AG VOORBURG · Tel. 070 386 9335 www.restaurantzenzo.nl The Japanese art of cooking is considered to be the purest in the world, and well-known for its simplicity and excellence; the food gives natural avour, and herbs are rarely used. Zenzo respects this tradition: most important with this style of cooking are fresh ingredients, and the way they are prepared by allowing their natural avours to shine. In Zenzo’s kitchen attention is paid to the smallest of details; this is highlighted by using the best Japanese ingredients and the freshest of sh. 26 NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2009 7 Amsterdam filmmakers stand up to America’s Fox News Channel Coverage By Prashanth Shanmugan Rail chaos unacceptable UTRECHT | National rail provider NS is to undertake urgent discussions with track manager ProRail about the vulnerability of communication systems on Dutch rail networks. In mid-August the failure of the GSM Railways System, the centre for communications between train drivers, caused enormous chaos around Utrecht Centraal station. As a result of failure of the system all trains were bought to a standstill in the early rush hour, and remained so for almost three hours. Tens of thousands of people were stuck at Utrecht Centraal, the main rail hub in the Netherlands. In response to a scathing segment on the popular Fox News The O’Reilly Factor calling the country’s capital “a cesspool,” two native Dutchman contend that the generally held view of Amsterdam as a city of vice does not reflect reality. In December last year, the Fox News Channel programme, The O’Reilly Factor, which has a daily audience of 3.5 million viewers, presented a segment on Amsterdam. The anchor, Bill O’Reilly says that in the United States, “secular progressives are pushing the envelope now that a liberal has been elected president.” O’Reilly went on to say that liberal Americans want to turn the United States into “a permissive culture like Western Europe” due to the various attempts to legalise marijuana and prostitution. “In the Netherlands, perhaps the most liberal European country, the government is now shutting down pot shops and legalised brothels,” says O’Reilly, adding that organised crime is controlling both industries in Amsterdam. O’Reilly cites the information about plans to close some of Amsterdam’s coffee shops and the Dutch Government’s proposal to have tighter regulations on soft drugs (see: The Holland Times , August 2009). He uses this to attack both the city of Amsterdam and the Netherlands, as well as the American liberal left whom he contends wants to turn the United States into a carbon copy of Amsterdam. “The far left is embolden…with all this liberation, and they are going to push the same thing here. Over in Holland it’s a disaster” claims O’Reilly. On the programme, Republican Strategist Margaret Hoover comments that the Dutch have “wonderfully naive ideas about teaching their children to have safe sex and smoke grass.” She also adds that criminal elements throughout Europe have “gone and exploited that opening in Amsterdam. And its absolutely run out of control.” But it was Monica Crowley, a regular commentator on Fox News, who sums up the segment when she declares, “In the Netherlands their experimentation with social tolerance, free love, free drugs, clearly has backfired. Amsterdam is a cesspool of corruption, crime - everything is out of control. It’s anarchy.” Two residents of Amsterdam, Robbert Nieuwenhuijs (26) and Elian Wils (28) originally saw the segment on the Dutch ALMERE | Beginning next year, primary school students in 23 Municipalities across the Netherlands will spend more time in the classroom. The ambitious new education strategy, which will cost 27 million euros over the next two years, was announced on 17 August in Almere by State Secretary for Education Sharon Dijksma (PvdA). The Ministry of Education hopes the extracurricular hours will be of particular benefit for children suffering learning difficulties in language, literacy and maths. Extra school hours Elian Wils and Robbert Nieuwenhuijs used their own filmmaking skills to respond to Fox News’ comments about Amsterdam. political programme Pauw & Witteman and were shocked to see their city portrayed in such a negative light. Fox News Channel’s slogan is “fair and balanced,” but the two friends took issue with how unfairly and unbalanced their city was presented to millions of viewers. “If you are a journalist for a news channel, your objectivity is extremely important. And this piece completely did not do that” says Wils. “The images that they show are some of the dodgiest. This is not how we experience Amsterdam. This is not our perception of the city,” adds Nieuwenhuijs “The Red Light District is just one small area. And the people they do film inside the coffee shops, its so clear they are all tourists.” The passionate Amsterdammers wanted a right of reply and since both work in the media and film production industry they decided to respond in the best way they can- by making a short film. The “aim was to offer a counter voice. A lot of people watch Fox News,” says Nieuwenhuijs who proudly has a tattoo of the coat of arms of Amsterdam on his ankle. “We know what do to with editing, making items. We know the about the power of the media,” adds Wils. The result is a 90 second film titled The Truth About Amsterdam , which has been a major hit on YouTube. Since it was uploaded about a month ago, over 300,000 people have seen it and over 2000 have posted comments. The film clip, peppered with images of families and people waving from canals, is interlaced with statistics comparing the U.S. with the Netherlands. “We used facts,” says Nieuwenhuijs, “we did not want to do the same thing O’Reilly does. Real arguments are based on facts.” Nieuwenhuijs and Wils had hoped that the film would reach about 100,000 people over a year, and to have made a point about the real Amsterdam. “But we got that in a day!” says Wils. They have appeared in several Dutch papers and on TV and radio. The film has also been posted on several prominent blogs. Such was the success of the film that O’Reilly commented about it on his show. “The picture we painted of Amsterdam is that of a permissive city. But of course the left does not see it that way” O’Reilly responded. A panel on the O’Reilly Factor reiterated the crime problem Amsterdam faces due to the “permissiveness and lack of enforcement around drugs.” O’Reilly went on to say that Amsterdam is a “Disney World” for the criminal underworld. When challenged by one of the show’s panellists on the statistics in the Dutch film, O’Reilly responded saying, “The way they do the statistics in the Netherlands is very different, and plus it’s a much smaller country. It’s a much smaller base.” He concludes by admitting that he does not “even care what happens in the Netherlands” and warns, “this is coming here to the United States.” Both Nieuwenhuijs and Wils stress that their film response is not a personal attack on O’Reilly or the Fox News Channel but an attack on the misinterpretation of Amsterdam as a city of “corruption, crime and anarchy.” They want to showcase the reality in the Dutch capital as seen through the eyes of residents, not weekend tourists or media personalities. But open any guidebook on Amsterdam and you are bound to see, among other things, a description of coffee shops, prostitution and liberalised drug and sex laws. Many Amsterdammers would argue that is not a fair description of their city and that tourists do not get to experience the real Amsterdam or Dutch culture. Nieuwenhuijs and Wils do not consider themselves the far left nor do they relate to the descriptions of the liberal secularists that O’Reilly describes on his show. But, they do believe in a liberal approach. “The openness, the tolerance, the directness are the things that you will find here. These are Dutch values but you find them in Amsterdam the most,” says Wils. They believe that the liberalised drug policy is just a small facet of that freedom, but, for better or worse, it is the one that gets the headlines and the tourists. The Truth About Amsterdam can be seen on: www.truthaboutamsterda m.com Dutch rest-stops a disgrace THE HAGUE | According to the Netherlands’ automobile association, ANWB, parking and rest places along Dutch motorways are among the dirtiest and least safe in Europe. In a 16-nation European survey, 101 rest-stops were investigated. Dutch rest-stops were found to be unsafe because they lack lighting, and many also fail to offer toilet facilities. ANWB points out that the main reason for drivers to pull into these places is the urge to answer the call of nature. One third of Europe’s lay-bys were judged poor, with Italy having the worst. AMSTERDAM | According to Dutch motoring and travel magazine Champion, the worst take-away pizzas in the Netherlands are found in the Friesland city of Leeuwarden. Contrastingly, the most delicious pizzas come from ovens in Middelburg and Maastricht. Champion said the quality of cheese used on pizzas was the most significant determining factor in the test. An over abundance of ingredients, and superfluous vegetable oils caused Leeuwarden pizzerias to score particularly low. The winning restaurants both used high quality cheese and sauce in correct proportions. Leeuwarden has worst pizza DE LASTAGE FC - 026 The Amsterdam Times 53122-30081-1 De Lastage Luxury Apartments in Amsterdam city-center Up to 7 persons per apartment Starting at euro 55,- per person per night Minimum Stay of 1 week When mentioning the special code “HT-Lastage” 2 bicycles free for the entire stay Valkenburgerstraat 188a, 1011 NC Amsterdam, The Netherlands Tel: +31-(0)20-6200720 Fax: +31-(0)20-4201403 info@delastage.com www.delastage.com 26280809__T08______1 26 FINANCIEEL VOORLICHT GUEST COLUMN To borrow or to save… Getting divorced in the Netherlands Suppose you want a new (or nearly new) car. creation of international personal relationships Or you wish to we are seeing more international ever easier. So renovate your kitchen. For this a marriages, and money more divorces.you dodivorces fair amount of sadly, is required. If Such not often any money in your savings account, you have have have consequnces that take divorcing parties by surprise. you save until you do or you two options: either borrow money. When people go through the difficult proces of a divorce most would normally prefer to arrange anddivorce in their What are the pro’s and cons of saving the borrowing? home country, where theyis that you receive interest on The advantage of saving are familiar with the laws. In an international marriage that is notmake the payments your savings account and you can always possible. An example. savings account when it suits you. If you do into your A French woman is married to a German man, they live in the Netherlands. Both parties want to arrange not have a loan, you do not have an additional financial the divorce in their own country. But this is simply not monthly obligation. The disadvantage of having to save possible. Based on the European guideline which gives is that you cannot immediately buy that new car or sets the rules as to which court is competent, a divorce kitchen you would so love to have. may have to handled by the Dutch courts. It is then the Dutch court that decides on the applicable law in Which is why you may choose to borrow money! the divorce. The first step to take in case of a pending Because to find mediator, only immediately. However, divorce is you canafulfill that desireafter giving that a the disadvantage is that you will now chance then go looking for the lawyer.have a monthly obligation to repay the loan and in the end you will have paid more than the goods actual cost because grounds In The Netherlands couples do not need to giveof the interest you will have had you consider that you can for divorce to the courts. Ifto pay. A loan means you have a longer live with your partner for whatever reason, nofuture financial obligation which does not need to be a problem, however, you will grounds for divorce you can this is considered sufficient need to be sure that in the Netherlands. The petition for divorce however has to be repay it. filed in a court. Normally of course this is handled by the divorce lawyer. new car immediately as the old one is If you need that beyond repair and you have limited savings, then try to The next step to take is theMaybe a (financial) plan. In will find a cheaper alternative. make a second hand car case of divorce many things to borrow, fine, but make do. If your mind is made up need to be deliberated, discussed and decided. Before you visit the mediator, sure you are well-informed. The two most common loans divorce lawyer and/or financial planner, it is a good you can get are: idea to draw up a list of assets or debts that need to be divided. The list would look something like this: fixed amount all at once and from that moment you pay a fixed amount each month back to the bank. In Marriage contract, if applicable this case you know exactly how much you need to Value of the marital home (or maybe second home), if pay and when the loan will be fully repaid. applicable FC - 026 The Amsterdam Times 53017-30000-5 our world is making the The globalisation of Life insurance policies continuous credit facility you withdraw money up to Value of the contents of the home a certain amount as cars Other assets such and repay on a monthly basis. But Bank accounts, debtsrepaid, youloanswithdraw again. everything you have and other can Current pension situation (recent pension statement) Here normally a variable interest applies. Income of both parties Monthly outgoings Your ‘To Do’ list before borrowing: Alimony for the ex-spouse as well as youthe children is outgoings. If you do this properly, for can see how always a major point of discussion. The upbringing of the much money is left to repay your loan. Is this enough? children is also an important point. As a financial planner Should it not be, then you will have to cut down I will discuss the other financial issues that one typically comes across. And for how long? It is very important not to deceive yourself. Because if you cannot manage once you If you are a home owner, the couple must decide which have the loan, you could get into serious difficulties. of the two partners will stay in the house. If the home is communal property, the surplus value (value of the home over and above the residual amount owing under thea cheaper version. Or maybe repair thesame applies mortgage) will have to be shared. The old product rather than replacing it. for any other assets, depending on whether or not a marriage contract applies. The spouse that stays in the increase. will have be less room for unexpected or marital homeThere will to be able to afford the mortgage additional costs, let alone saving mortgage will on his or her single income. And this money. Do you expect a increased to be able the near probably have to be decrease in income into pay off the future? Such as retirement, unemployment, disability other spouse. If you are a tax payer in The Netherlands, theetc.? In this this increased mortgage commitmentdate. interest on case try to repay the loan before this will be tax deductible. If after the divorce the ex-spouse will continue to contribute towards thegoing to secondary this in your spending, such as kids interest payments, willeducationtax college. Will you still be able to afford remain a or deduction for another two years. the repayment of your loan? (The ex-spouse will have to declare the so called “eigen woning forfait”). Another point to consider is goods. period during which you will use the new that any surplus value in the ex-marital home will affectthe desired In other words, if you are expecting to use future tax deductibility offive years, make Of coursethe loan isof life car for say the new home. sure that the value insurance within this period. considered as well. So do repaid policies need to be not hesitate to seek the advice of a financial planner. can always start by ‘test’ saving for a few months Any pension rights built up during the marriage will have to see if you will be able to save the fixed monthly to be split. Both ex-spouses have a right to half the repayment amount. If this proves difficult you should pension built up during the marriage. Both ex-partners not take out a loan. will be paid out directly by the pension fund or insurance If after careful thought you decide to take out a loan, companies when retirement sets in. This does not apply compare the offers. And multiply the number of months to the Dutch State Pension (A.O.W). This is paid out with the monthly payment to check how much interest individually as of the age of 65. (if you have not lived in you pay in total. since age 15, a a will not be entitled to The Netherlands For a loan withyou longer term, monthly payments tend a full A.O.W.) to be lower, but in the end you will pay more interest. Normally you pay more interest on smaller Once you and your spouse/partner have agreed on all points, the divorce court becomes a mere the interest mentions the effective interest rate. This is formality. In case one has not reached agreement on fixed or variable? including other costs. And is the interest all points, the judge will have to decide. In case you do not agree with the judgement, you can appeal andinstitution licenseda And very important: Is the financial ask the judge for by temporary arrangement. The judge will then decide on how the general rule is, have to be careful when borrowing But much alimony will always be paid and where the children try always the‘stay in control’. money, will live in to interim. José C. de Boer MFP RLP is an Independent Financial José C. de Boer MFP RLP is an Independent Financial Consultant and her office is specialized in advising Consultant and her office is specialized in advising Expats on financial matter, such as mortgages. Expats on financial matter, such as mortgages. www.fvbdeboer.nl www.fvbdeboer.nl j.deboer@fvbdeboer.nl j.deboer@fvbdeboer.nl +31 70 5118788 +31 70 5118788 Hoek van Holland Harwich from 68,- Oslo When you think of a holiday trip or a visit to your relatives and friends in Great-Britain, Ireland or Scandinavia, think of Stena Line! Our stylish ferries will carry you straight to your destination, with your own car. Night and day. For example, our route from Hoek van Holland to Harwich: convenient and affordable. Our onboard services meet the comfort demands of each traveler, from adult to infant. Don’t hesitate and visit our website to book your trip or to find more information. Because the earlier you book, the cheaper you travel. Welcome on board! London Cardiff Rosslare Fishguard Dublin Dun Laoghaire Belfast Glasgow Stranraer Frederikshavn Holyhead Liverpool Göteborg car + driver Varberg Grena Kopenhagen Kiel Hamburg Den Haag Harwich Hoek van Holland Rotterdam Voted Best Ferry Company www.stenaline.nl 26 ECONOMICS Analysis By Matthew Curlewis SEPTEMBER 2009 9 A Crisis of… perspective Dutch ignorant about finances THE HAGUE | Most Dutch are overly optimistic about their financial situation because they have insufficient knowledge about money matters, shows research commissioned by the Finance Ministry released 18 August. The research platform CentiQ surveyed 1,400 respondents and found six out of 10 respondents report having financial knowledge, however few are aware of the cost of an overdraft or know the interest they pay on personal loans. Lack of financial knowledge is most evident among women, those over 60-years-old and the lower educated, the survey found. “Global Financial Crisis.” Three simple words that send mediafanned chills through the hearts of ordinary mortals. And yet countering the alarmist red arrows pointing down on evening news graphs, some Dutch business and cultural leaders report the clouds on the financial weather forecasts actually have silver linings. You simply have to know where to look for them. September, the month where even as temperatures cool and people return from their vacations, business activities start heating up. And looking around, things don’t look too desperate. Trains, planes and automobiles are running efficiently across Holland. The sun has been shining. Maybe it’s been climate change, maybe it’s simply been summer. Queues for bread have not stretched for blocks, and homeless people have not taken over the streets. Perhaps a view of a world in ‘crisis’ depends a lot upon your particular vantage point. Jaap Kooijman, founder and director of Dutch company Young Executive Recruitment (YER), an international recruitment agency focused on finding positions for graduates, professionals, executives and directors, ruefully admits that his field of business has borne severe bruising during the months they’ve weathered the storm. But tall and jovial, with an indefatigable air about him, Kooijman has no time for gloom and doom. “It’s been tough, no doubt. In the first half of 2009, there were 50 percent less permanent jobs available than in the same period 2008. And July and August’s figures only show very slight improvements.” “But leading up to this,” he adds, “We enjoyed some exceedingly good years that were almost abnormal. Now we’re being forced to be more innovative and more creative, and people are working in a closer sense of value-proportion to the euros they end up earning. This way of operating is more realistic.” The innovation theme is echoed by Roeland Dekkers, manager of Uitmarkt, the national opening of the cultural season held over three days in Amsterdam at the end of August. “While I cannot say we lost any stand holders as the result of theatre companies going bankrupt in 2009 or anything like that, I can say that people were more creative this year. I was constantly getting calls from companies saying, ‘Can I include a video screen with my booth? Can I bring this particular kind of promotional material?’ At Uitmarkt we offer cultural companies a Schiphol no longer top 10 o AMSTERDAM | Schiphol Airport has slipped to 14th position in world airport rankings, reports financial daily Financieele Dagblad on 18 August. Schiphol was ranked number nine from 2001 till 2006 according to the Geneva-based Airports Council International (ACI) report. However, since 2000, the number of aircrafts at the airport has remained stagnant as global travellers decreased due to Sept 11 and increase in ticket fees. An airport spokeswoman played down the dip in ranking and emphasised Schiphol’s ambition to preserve the quality of the airport . Tents at the cultural festival Uitmark in Amsterdam saw record visitors this year, despite the poor economy. Photo: NFF stage to present their new programmes to upwards of 500,000 visitors. I found that this year people were thinking much more creatively about how they could get the most out of that audience. I was thrilled! It made for a much more vibrant event.” Mariette Hoitink, managing director of HTNK Fashion Recruitment & Consultancy, and Initiator/Project Manager of Red Light Fashion Amsterdam, lives and breathes the fashion business. But while being immaculately put together, she remains approachable and open, qualities that have obviously served her business well while riding through tough economic times. “Even though a few big clients of ours went bankrupt, a welcome shakedown I’ve noticed is that solid, basic values have returned - with the lack of cash flow even barter has returned. The good people are back to approaching transactions from the perspective of, ‘What can we do for each other?’” Hoitink also thinks aspects of the Dutch character have helped some companies here stay afloat while international colleagues might have gone under. “Fortunately in Holland we’re very easy. Sure it’s nice to have a big car, but if it’s not possible we’re also content on our bikes. Champagne and caviar are fun, but hey, life is also quite manageable on prosecco. The only thing I don’t like is the lack of accountability from the banks. They’re always on the phone when things are going well, but conveniently manage to disappear during hard times.” Then maybe it’s that resilient Dutch character emerging as she adds, “But at the same time, worrying solves nothing. That’s my motto and I’ve even made a stamp with it!” Perhaps the banks themselves should invest in Hoitink’s stamps, especially in light of figures released from De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). In the first quarter of 2009, Dutch people managed to save a staggering 12 billion euros, almost double what they saved in the first quarter of 2008. When all that money is not moving however, it forces everybody to be cautious, a very unhelpful vicious cycle. This month’s PICNIC Amsterdam, “three inspiring days of ideas, fun and sensory stimulation in media, technology, entertainment, art and science”, according to their web site, has slashed its admission price by almost 50% over last year’s, anxious to make the festival more accessible to both local and international attendees. “This ticket reduction is an aspect of how the crisis has affected our organization,” comments Communications & PR Manager Liz Keel, “But in PICNIC itself, we’re promoting the idea that these troubled financial times are actually ripe with opportunities.” Conference sessions with titles like “Rethinking Money” bear out her comments, and even as programme elements are being finalized, Keel assures notions like “strategy, innovation,” and “creativity” will be recurrent themes. A universe away from the abstract dots and zeros of the digital world, Mart van Drunen, founder and director of high end jewellery company Statement Jewels, trades in tangibility, with metals and rocks. While wearing an intriguing pendant composed of white, brown and black diamonds, van Drunen remarks, “Yes my business has been impacted by the crisis, but in a positive way. Back during the Icesave banking crisis, clients who had previously only bought small items, suddenly wanted bigger, more important pieces. Instead of watching their stocks plummet in value, or their money go down the drain with the banks, people wanted something they could hold on to. And hey,” he adds, with a cheeky dazzle from his pendant, “this way you can enjoy your investment a lot more in the meantime. What fun is there in watching zeros appear or disappear on your bank statement?” From a gentleman who shirks silver linings in favour of those etched in yellow gold, white gold, or platinum the message is clear - it’s a crisis if you want to buy into it. But for those who look beyond the evening news, it’s also a time rich with promise, opportunity and possibility. Fortis profits drop AMSTERDAM | Fortis Bank Nederland, now wholly owned by the Dutch state, has seen its operating net profit from ordinary activities in the first half 2009 drop to 338 million euros. This is in stark contrast to the same figures for 2008 which recorded a 562 million euro profit. Fortis Bank Netherlands says, “we are pleased we have achieved a net operating profit despite market difficulties such as high costs, high loan provisions, costs for territorial separation and preparation of the government integration.” Without a one-off windfall due to sales in its investment sector, the figure would be a lowly 51 million. Flu epidemic proves costly THE HAGUE | Swine Flu is likely to cost Dutch businesses at least 1.8 billion euros. The figure emerges from a study by accountants Deloitte Nearly half of the 65 senior financial officers surveyed said they were anticipating a 3.5 percent drop in turnover. More than a quarter of the companies said they had not made any special preparations to deal with the flu. Deloitte partner, Wim Eysink said he thought this was unwise given the progress of the epidemic remains uncertain. HORATIO HIGH END FINANCE Horatio Assurance Group is a young company with a respectable curriculum. 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World Trade Center Amsterdam Strawinskylaan 659 C-06 1077 XX Amsterdam T: 020 714 7100 F: 020 714 7101 E: info@assurance.nl www.assurance.nl 26280809__T10______1 26 Sponsored content TOURISM TOURISM In the last issue of The Holland Times we informed you about a fantastic destination in Italy. The Ciociaria with Fiuggi and the many amazing villages around and about the coast of the Campania with Sabaudia and the second largest city of Lazio: Latina! Latina has also another big advantage, and that is the accommodation during heavily booked periods in Rome and regarding congresses and meetings. In just one hour train ride from the Rome Airport you will arrive at the Hotel Europa in Latina; it takes 45 minutes by car. The costs for the accommodation and your stay are about half the price of staying in Rome! In Fiuggi we want to tell you more about the Hotel Ambasciatori and all the possibilities you will find there. Hotel Ambasciatori is an elegant four-star hotel with 86 rooms. 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You will stay in nice wooden houses, reconstructed into the old and traditional Kerala style! The cottages in the resort offer a cosy and comfortable retreat! All facilities available. Take an idle moment to relax in a swinging hammock beneath the shady coconut palms. For reservations and informations: Somatheeram Benelux and Travel Ambassadors and Advisors / Travel a la Carte International, Phone 070 – 331 0769 or mobile 06 – 1690 7617 and e-mail: dr@taabenelux.com Kerala, India.- Kerala, India. Somatheeram Information and Reservations tel: 0039.0775.514351 fax: 0039.0775.504282 T.A. &info@albergoambasciatori.it 0769 or 06 4252 1313 e-mail: A. Benelux: 070 331 E-mail: dr@taabenelux.com for informations and reservations Benelux or contact your070 3310769 / email: dr@taabenelux.com T.A. & A. Benelux : own Travel Agency or contact your own Travel Agency or contact Hotel Ambasciotori Centro Congressi & Spa, Via Dei Villini 8, 03015 FIUGGI (FR), ITALY Quality and Expertise and Style with Personal approach member of CBW (Centrale Branchevereniging Wonen) supplier of exclusive traditional parket, carpet, laminaat, marmoleum and linoleum floors established since 1999 trustworthy advice on location or in our show room own expert in floor setting Good warranty and solid after-sales You can reach us in our stores in Epe, Apeldoorn and Velp Apeldoorn +31 55 – 579 17 28 Velp +31 26 – 361 21 41 Epe +31 578 – 611 0 78 e-mail url info@parketstudio.com info@projectdezign.com www.parketstudio.com www.projectdezign.com €45 00 di scou nt. THE SUBARU FORESTER AND OUTBACK HAVE THE SAME PRICE ANYWAY: €32.495,- The price of the Outback is temporarily reduced with €4500,-. So now an Outback and a Forester have the same price-tag. This gives you an immediate advantage. And what is more, both cars are equipped with the standard and unique All Wheel Drive (AWD-)system. Of course there are differences, but it is what ever fits your needs. Experience the difference in a test-drive. You’re invited ! Ask for our tax free prices! *The equation Outback versus Forester for €32.495,- is based on a Forester 2.0 Comfort versus Outback 2.5 Exclusive. The special Outback sales-price of €32.495,- is valid until Aug. 31, 2009 and for as long as they are in stock. Shown cars could have options against additional price. Ask us for the sale conditions. Above mentioned prices incl. BTW and BPM, excl. delivery costs and disposal contribution. Av. use and CO2 prod. type dep.: 8,4-8,7 l/100 km, CO2 199-205 g/km. Modifications reserved. SUBARU DE RESIDENTIE ZONWEG 57 2516 AK DEN HAAG T (070) 381 42 11 www.deresidentie.subaru.nl THE DUTCH ADDRESS FOR ALL YOUR DIPLOMATIC AND TAX FREE SALES! 26 MERCEDES STERN AUTO FC - 026 The Amsterdam Times 53134-30091-1 A few months ago a brand new MercedesBenz E-Class was introduced in the Netherlands. Stern Auto are very pleased with the responses to the new model. “The new E-Class is full of innovation, reliable technique and has a green A-label,” says Arnoud Zuijdendorp, Director of Passenger Cars. A new benchmark in the field of safety and environment The new E-Class Mercedes-Benz sets new standards in safety, comfort and environment in its market segment. Mercedes-Benz has the new technology of the E-Class - ATTENTION ASSIST, Night View Assist PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS and automatic emergency that absolutely leads the way in comfort and safety. What is now other cars. Thus, for example, with the airbag and anti-lock system. Compared with the previous model’s uses, this new Mercedes uses The new E-Class at Auto Stern. Welcome home. drive. “The car drives like a C-Class with the comfort level of an S-Class,” says Zuijdendorp. “The technology that Mercedes-Benz has used, the new E is absolutely unique.” Coupe and Estate In addition to the new E-Class limousine, there is also a very nice contoured coupe available. In November of this year, the E-Class Estate follows. A combination of lifestyle, where space and luxury go hand in hand. Stern Auto Stern Auto is part of the only publicly traded automotive companies in the Netherlands, Stern car represents the Mercedes-Benz brand in greater Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Utrecht, Amersfoort, Almere, Ede, Veenendaal, Nijkerk and Gooi and more recently by the recent acquisition of the region of Leiden, Alphen aan den Rijn, Haarlem and Roelofarendsveen. L.I.A.M opetorque of 385Nm. you can directly contact Raymond Amesz of Stern Auto. Satisfaction Stern Auto runs everything for the customer. fectly happy,” said Arnoud Zuijdendorp. “The past two years, the customer has a very large and positive presence. Everyone who works at Stern Auto is also very aware that it is always about the customer and his or her wishes. Meeting the expectations or even exceeding our customers’ wishes is greatly appreciated. Our customers really feel at home.” This excellent service is also a part of Stern petrol engine, and a compact hybrid module, mical luxury car with petrol. This Mercedes is really smart with energy. The brakes, for example, generate and store electrical energy. In highway and city mileage, it consumes tres. This is certainly not associated with low performance. This S-Class, with a combined sine with a green label. Blue HYBRID in the Netherlands during Stern Auto Exclusive in Breukelen. This new and leasing branch makes the circle complete and will certainly guarantee the best service. Responsibly driving excellence 23 percent less fuel. This is especially due to technologies. Each E-Class offers a unique combination of assistance and safety systems, the E-Class is a leader in suspension and adaptive shock absorbers, comfort new E-Class is one of the most comfortable cars to rates under its own name. The big advantage is that the Stern Mercedes Car Branches offer the unique products from Stern Group to their customers. Stern Polis is an insurance with extensive coverage at a very competitive price. Stern Garant is a unique program that guarantees all the Stern Auto standard MercedesBenz models for a full two year’s warranty. Unique in the market. Your own insurance, rental event, Stern Exclusive Auto. This year this wonderful event was held on 6 June, at Landgoed Groenevecht te Breukelen. The entire MercedesBenz model line was shown and there were beautiful historic vehicles on display next to the really exclusive cars, like the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The organization is in the hands of Stern Auto itself each year, in cooperation with exclusive partners Oger, Gassan Diamonds and Hotels van Oranje. Amesz Raymond is the man at Stern Auto when it comes to exclusive sales. He is responsible for contact with all the Ajax players, the captains of industry and famous Dutch people. In addition, he is engaged in the sale to expatriates and has is characterized by a highly professional, personal and discrete approach,” says Zuijdendorp. Seriously interested parties are welcome to call Raymond Amesz for a driving experience, which consists of a comprehensive test taking a day. Come learn the E-or S-Class and experience for yourself the unique quality of the MercedesBenz of your choice. If your chauffer wants to drive, he is of course welcome. You can directly contact Raymond Amesz by telephone at number +31 06 22 46 35 90 or by e-mail: raymond.amesz @ sternauto.nl. info@sternauto.nl www.sternauto.nl 26280809__T12______1 26 SEPTEMBER 2009 12 FORMULA ONE UPDATE After a fourth consecutive poor result from Brit Jenson Button at the recent European Grand Prix, the Formula One World Championship hangs in the balance. Championship leader Button finished seventh on the streets of Valencia and now holds an 18-point lead over his Brawn team-mate - and Valencia victor - Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. Button has been incredibly fortunate as his main rivals - Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel - have not consistently seized the opportunities to garner extra Championship points when ha has faltered. In the past, we’ve seen the World Championship play out as a two-team dogfight between traditional powerhouses. But 2009 is a different era and the relative performances of several teams are very close and unpredictable with McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Williams, Brawn, Renault, and Toyota regularly in the points and even on the podium. This has made for one of the most exciting seasons as – apart from Button’s early season dominance - every race has taken on an unpredictable nature. Reliability has been a strong factor for the Brawn team whereas Red Bull - most significantly Vettel – has had several problems and may well have to take a grid drop in the closing stages of the season. The Valencia victory will be a huge boost to the veteran Brazilian Barrichello; he is right back in contention for the Championship. Had he not won, Barrichello would surely have been duty bound to offer his support to team-mate Button for the remainder of the year. Instead he is something of an enemy from within. Of the six remaining races the three most important will be Belgium, Italy and Japan. The most difficult track of the entire season – Belgium’s Spa – finds out even the most accomplished of drivers with treacherous corners such as the La Source hairpin and the high-speed Eau-Rouge chicane claiming many a victim. The High-speed straight lines of Italy’s Monza presents a unique environment whereby corner speed plays no part and some temas may be found-out for poor aerodynamics. Vettel has proved to be something of a Monza Master in recent times, winning there last year and finishing on the podium consistently. The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka is one of the driver’s favourite circuits, but a Pacific rainstorm could wreak havoc. NIEUWE RENAULT LAGUNA COUPÉ SUCCES KUN JE OOK ANDERS LATEN ZIEN 4 Wielbesturing (GT- en Initiale-uitvoering) • Standaard uitgevoerd met lederen bekleding • 17" Lichtmetalen wielen • Bi-Xenon verlichting • Geïntegreerd navigatie- en communicatiesysteem • U rijdt al een Renault Laguna Coupé vanaf € 37.800,-. Leasen kan vanaf € 799,- per maand (48 mnd/20.000 km per jaar). Arend Auto Amsterdam Zuid-Oost, Burg. Stramanweg 110, 1101 AA Amsterdam, Telefoon 020-5619611 Volendam, Chr. van Abkoudestraat 2, 1132 AC Volendam, Telefoon 0299-365551 Zaandam, Pieter Ghijsenlaan 5, 1506 PW Zaandam, telefoon 075-6504532 Renault Laguna Coupé vanaf € 37.800,- incl. BTW, BPM en energielabel. Excl. verwijderingsbijdrage, leges en kosten rijklaar maken. Leaseprijs vanaf € 799,-/mnd via Renault Business Finance. Full Operational Lease excl. BTW, brandstof, vervangend vervoer o.b.v. 48 mnd/20.000 km/jr. (prijs per 1/10 2008, wijzigingen voorbehouden). Min. /max. verbr.: 5,9-10,0 l/100 km, resp. 16,9-10,0 km/l, CO2: resp. 155-238 g/km. Op elke Renault Laguna een fabrieksgarantie van 3 jr. /150.000 km (hetgeen als eerste bereikt wordt. De eerste 24 maanden geldt er geen kilometerbeperking). 12 jr. plaatwerkgarantie. Getoond model kan afwijken van standaarduitvoering. Prijs- en specificatiewijzigingen voorbehouden. Voor meer informatie en/of een dealer bij u in de buurt, bel gratis 0800-0303 of kijk op www.renault.nl. 26 Employment by Language Blue Lynx Employment by Language for International Professionals English, bi-lingual & multi-lingual employment solutions. Specialists in Recruitment, Executive Search, Contracting and Temping throughout the Netherlands. A Dutch market leader for over 20 years; employing a select group of 30 international and local permanent staff whose mission is recruitment excellence for our clients and candidates. Our expertise extends to all disciplines of industry including: Finance, Accountancy, HR, Sales, Marketing, Logistics, Technical, IT, Engineering and all other Of ce Support Staff. For a broader perspective of Blue Lynx and hundreds of employment opportunities please visit our website www.bluelynx.com WTC Schiphol Airport Schiphol Boulevard 251 1118 BH Luchthaven Schiphol Tel: +31 (0)20 406 9180 amsterdam@bluelynx.com Statenplein 19 2582 EZ The Hague Tel. +31 (0)70 311 7822 thehague@bluelynx.com www.bluelynx.com 26 26280809__T14______1 SEPTEMBER 2009 14 FEATURE Homeless in Holland: A thing of the past? Thanks to a nationwide commitment to fighting homelessness, fewer people are living on the streets of the Netherlands. But can the country feassibly get all homeless off the street and into a home? Photo: RNW Feature By Laura Owings “To find a safe and quiet place to sleep, you have to start looking before sundown,” Walter explains. A tall, gaunt Dutchman, wearing a small gold cross and a ready smile, he candidly describes how hard it is to live on the street. “People think parks are free, a good place to stay, but they’re a hassle,” he says. With gay ‘cruisers’ in abundance and a frequent police presence, what may seem like the most obvious place to catch a night’s rest is actually far from it. Walter and his partner Ed are two of Amsterdam’s Homeless Tour guides. In an attempt to earn a living by sharing their hard-learned experiences on the streets, the two hold little back in making the realities of homelessness in the Netherlands known. But, Walter and Ed are lucky. After having spent upwards of 20 years on the streets, they are now living in their own homes. Subsidized by the local government, they have been given the opportunity to get back on their feet and start life again. It may seem like a dream come true for these gentlemen, but across the Netherlands, the number of people living on the streets is steadily decreasing, so much so that street homelessness – like what Walter and Ed describe now – may soon be a thing of the past. In a first of its kind announcement, Rotterdam city officials on 6 August declared that by year’s end, the last of its homeless population will be off the streets. Hailing the efforts of a 2006 commitment to ending homelessness, the city has been able to place 2,700 of an original 2,900 homeless people under a roof. The remaining 200, making up some of the more difficult and problematic cases of homelessness, will be placed in homes or institutionalised care by the end of the year, according to the city. Being the second biggest city in the Netherlands, and home to Europe’s largest sea port, Rotterdam’s claims sound nothing short of utopian. Indeed, there are a number of critics who question whether Rotterdam is being reasonable in their portrayal of it’s homeless population. Others have voiced outrage that city taxpayers are footing the bill for homeless “vacation homes.” Still, Rotterdam’s success in combating homelessness is a shining example of a concerted nationwide effort to reduce the number of people living on the street. “Now, there is a central direction – toward the client and the community. A central direction of the government too, to provide funding,” says Peter Zuidam, spokesperson for the Centre for Services (CVD) in Rotterdam. “Potentially you can see it (success) in all the big cities.” Action Plan The total number of homeless people in the Netherlands stands at between 30,000 and 50,000 people per year, according to figures from the European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless (FEANTSA). In 2006, the Dutch government teamed up with local homeless outreach programs and organisations to come up with a comprehensive approach to the problem. Coined the Action Plan for Social Relief, 43 local authorities throughout the country are designated to develop and execute policies for the homeless in their respective regions, boosted by national funding. Most importantly, these regions are to follow the example of the four major Dutch cities – Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht – where the stra- tegy to find homeless people shelter has been coupled with social activation and participation. That means that in addition to counselling services, measures include education and training programs, volunteer work, day jobs, and if possible, paid employment. “The most successful aspect of that plan is it it’s individualized. Everyone has their own file and own action plan,” says Zuidam Pooled at the Central Health Department, each homeless person has a specific file containing information on their care. The documents ensure that the system is controlled and that city services are allocated to their own homeless population. “Homeless people can’t go to another service provider,” Zuidam says. “It is not possible to travel around the country being homeless.” In Rotterdam, those who are registered in the city, have family or received previous care are committed to the city and thus eligible for the city’s support. If they come to a shelter, they will be given a bed and assigned a social worker whose job it is to determine what the city can do to get the person back on their feet. Limits to success According to The Salvation Army, who was involved with government negotiations to draft the Action Plan, Rotterdam’s success is a result of a unified effort from all organisations involved. However, there are limitations. “The Rotterdam government will only care for people of Rotterdam. Persons from Eastern Europe, other parts of the Netherlands, they have to get care from where they belong,” says Geert Kraaijveld, Manager of the Salvation Army centre in Rotterdam. “It’s not so simple, you can’t just give them tickets for the train, ‘Have a good journey!’” Because of this loophole, Kraaijveld says there are doubts that Rotterdam’s end-of-year goals will be achieved. The shelter and refugee organisation at Pauluskerk in Rotterdam is also critical. “We find it amazing what the city does, but I believe that there are many more than 200 homeless people around who do not come from Rotterdam who will not be offered help,” says a church spokesperson. “Many people are off the boat, for instance.” Another element the city has seemingly overlooked is the never-ending cycle of homelessness. “There are always 26240409__T16______1 FEATURE people becoming homeless or addicts at this moment. We help one person in Rotterdam and it’s possible for another person to become homeless in another part of town,” says Kraaijveld. Smaller numbers, bigger problems Regardless of disagreements about the official number of homeless people in Rotterdam, it can be agreed that the city’s homeless population is indeed reduced. The next stage of the program will be to tackle the remaining 200 people without shelter. “The problem with the 200 people without care is their problems are bigger and more complicated than the other 2,700,” says Kraaijveld. Often suffering from severe mental or physical disabilities, drug addiction or alcohol abuse, these individuals usually refuse medical or social care, regardless of their need. “These people don’t want to get a place where they can sleep. You have to talk them into it. Sometimes you have to do that day by day, week by week, month by month – until they go,” Kraaijveld says. If that fails, eighty individuals from this troubled group may be sent to a special care institution in Hummelo as part of a Time Out programme. Designed to offer intensive support, the Time Out program works to stabilize the person’s situation so they can focus on housing, medical care, work, income and budget. The program, however, has been met with opposition by Leefbaar Rotterdam. Party member Dries Mosch has balked at the nearly 5,000 euros per person the Time Out programmes costs. Likening the facility to a five-star hotel, Mosch insists taxpayers should not be charged for “vacations for the homeless.” Rotterdam Alderwoman for Health, Welfare and Social Relief, Jantine Kriens (PvdA) however, says the programme’s costs are actually cheaper than what similar treatment would cost under the regular health care system. She goes on to add that, most importantly, the programme is more effective. “For our clients, 70 percent are in a better way than when they arrived,” says Hans Dingemanse, Regional Manager of Ontmoeting, a homeless assistance group in Rotterdam. According to him, individuals coming out of the programme are more open to accepting continued care, which was previously not the case. Opvang, a Dutch organisation overseeing national social organisations, there is reason to believe this ripple effect has already begun. They report a decline in the demand for night shelter houses for the first time in 100 years. Despite the achievements, Dutch Salvation Army Director, Lieutenant-Colonel Ine Voorham insists the battle has not yet been won. “I still cannot live with 50,000 people living on the streets.” SEPTEMBER 2009 15 Homeless give back Walking through Amsterdam with Walter and Ed, it is easy to understand Lieutenant-Colonel Voorham’s caution. As our trio takes a turn onto the Warmoestraat in the capital’s centre, we come face-to-face with a homeless man. Arms weighed down with plastic bags - surely the whole of his belongings - he somehow manages to lift a make-shift crack pipe to his mouth, and takes a hit. “It’s cleaner and safer now, but to say it’s better…” Ed trails off, gesturing to the man in question. Both Walter and Ed know the struggle of the homeless population, but they also know it is possible for things to turn around. For Ed, even though he has a home now, he still keeps in touch with his friends from the homeless community. “It’s an obligation, to help the home- less after you get off the street,” he says. With tours, Ed can reach the public as well, and maybe keep other people from making the mistakes he made. “My goal is telling people about my experiences,” he says. “Before I was homeless, I thought everything was about power, money. Now, I see the world in a different way. For that, I thank God for being homeless. It taught me don’t take advantage.” Dutch Homeless Cup in Rotterdam’s hands For anyone wandering past Amsterdam’s Dam Square earlier this month, the site of a full-fledged football field in Her Majesty’s backyard was little surprise. For the second year in a row, the country’s capital played host to the finals of the Dutch Homeless Cup where in a neck-to-neck qualifying match, eight teams of homeless football players fought for the winning spot – and a trip to the world finals in Italy. As reigning champions, Rotterdam came out victorious yet again, beating rival Eindhoven 5-4 in a hectic match. The team will next compete for the World Homeless Cup title in Italy starting 6 September. “Long time I have wandered the street and sat in a hopeless situation,” said Rotterdam player, Karst van der Wolf to reporters. “And now I’m Dutch champion!” While the competition was fiercely enjoyed by players and spectators alike, the Cup’s sponsor, Meer dan Voetbal hopes the event will raise awareness about homelessness in the Netherlands. “It’s not winning the cup that’s more important,” says the organisation’s director, Edu Jansing, “It’s the experience and getting a new motivation in life.” According to an evaluation done by Meer dan Voetball, nearly 90 percent of the competition’s contestants see it as a positive project saying sports can change their lives. “By learning football, players deal with responsibilities and operate as a team. Also, their condition is better. Football certainly contributes to solving personal problems and is a good step towards reintegration,” says Rotterdam coach, Tony Pires. The positive reactions from public and supporters go even further to promote the players’ future goals. “It’s a good thing that instead of seeing homeless people in front of the Albert Hein asking for money, they now see them doing sports – active in a positive way,” says Jansing. What’s more, Cup support from brand-giants like Nike and the Dutch National Football Association (KNVB) gives players a sense of professionalism, allowing them to feel they are being taken seriously despite their situation. Even Dutch research group TNO has supported the homeless games. In a study released this August, the organisation found that homeless reintegration following Cup participation increases from 43 to 48 percent, and players without a job fell from 56 percent to 39. TNO also found that playing football encouraged players to smoke and drink less, and even boosted the amount of time participants spent with family and non-homeless social contacts. However, Meer dan Voetbal’s primary aim has been to use sports to get homeless players a home and a job. To that end, the organisation has been somewhat less successful. “To get these people a job again and to get them housing, it’s not as easy as we thought,” admits Jansing. “I think we want to change, to reach our goals more effectively.” Thanks to continued support from sponsors and the local community, the organisation has the opportunity to make partnerships that may help players with reintegration. One such example involves cooperation with KNVB that could see players working with local football clubs. In the meantime, the focus is on Rotterdam as they attempt to take on Milan. “We hope to do better than last year’s team,” says Jansing, adding that the main goal of everyone involved won’t change even if they lose. “We want to show that homeless people are facing difficult problems in the world. The situation with homelessness is not solved yet, not even in Holland, a rich country.” Photos: ANP An EU example Despite even the most legitimate criticism, that Rotterdam has succeeded in getting 2,700 people off the streets is commendable. And, with the European Parliament making a call for an end to street homelessness by 2015, Rotterdam – and the Netherlands – is certainly ahead of the game. According to FEANTSA, the umbrella organisation that brings together nongovernmental organisations throughout the European Union that work with homeless people, the Netherlands’ ambitious goals and successes set an example EU-wide. “Homelessness is certainly a problem in all countries in the EU,” says FEANTSA Director, Frank Spinnewijn. “The only thing EU Parliament can do is encourage member states to be more ambitious – look at the Netherlands as an example.” Spinnenwijn says the most outstanding characteristics of the Dutch Action Plan are the active participation of local authorities, and the willingness to finance programs by the national government. “Solving the problem of homelessness requires the financial support of the governments,” says Spinnewijn. “That’s something the Netherlands understands very well.” As he sees it, the decrease in homelessness seen in Rotterdam could extend throughout the country through a sort of dynamic rivalry between big and little cities, where smaller cities will complain that bigger cities are getting more funding. “Cities have to prove that they need national attention and funding to map the problem of homelessness and that all contributes to solving the problem,” he says. Based on research from Federatie 26280809__T16______1 26 M A E S S TA U D T A D V O C AT E N Hofstraat 181, 5641 TD Eindhoven | P.O. Box 600, 5600 AP Eindhoven The Netherlands | T+31 (0)40 29099 55 | info@maes-staudt.nl | www.maes-staudt.nl Htel Serviced Apartments keeps on innovating! Htel Serviced Apartments not only provides apartments for its expats, but also builds a Htelcommunity! Part of this are some new facilities that make it more easy to connect with other guests or make a stay at Htel more comfortable. As well in Amsterdam as Amstelveen guests can make use of the present lounges. People can invite their own guests and use the lounge as a second ‘living room’ besides their own apartment. This is a perfect opportunity to meet other guests and expats and share experiences. lounge which Htel guests can use free of charge. and has different seating areas. A communal bar can be used, all set up to make a guests stay as comfortable as possible. Movie nights and other activities are organised on a regular basis. Besides the living room function, the lounge can be rented for private functions as a workshop, meeting or product presentation and can be booked by half a day or a day. wishes, from a walking dinner till a coffee/tea package. Here is stated as well that personal service is the most important factor connections (usage is included in the rate) to make it a comfortable business area. for businesswomen. This provides a feeling of security and meets the needs of various cultures. Not only are you able 360º Sky Lounge in Amsterdam The 360° Sky Lounge in Amsterdam Buitenveldert is attractively designed and features various seating areas create an even more enjoyable experience. The lounge presentations but naturally also to watch TV. The large communal kitchen is fully equipped and includes 2 ovens and 2 dishwashers. The lounge is surrounded by terraces the business district. Guests are welcome to spend time in the 360° Sky Lounge, or use it to entertain their business contacts at a very high level. Lucebert, Eugene Brand and special lady rooms Not only the new lounges are in use, but Htel Amstelveen also added two new apartment types to its portfolio. Besides the 45m² studio-apartments, Htel Amstelveen can also offer some new living/bedroom apartments of 90m² called Lucebert apartments. These stylish and comfortable decorated apartments offer more comfort for families or guests that prefer more space. Guests staying at the Lucebert apartments can also enjoy all the leisure facilities Amstelveen has to offer. Ideally for expats, freelancers, people working at home or space close to the entrance door and the amenities in the room are also adapted to women’s needs. A selection of articles will be placed in the apartment when checking in; relax with a chosen ‘chic lit’, eat some of the Dutch chocolate or pamper yourself with the provided wellness items. Guests can tell the reservations department when making a reservation whether they wish to be allocated In addition, all the apartments are cleaned every week and provided with clean linen and towels. Repairs, such as light bulb replacement, are carried out without delay. You can simply relax and enjoy your wonderful apartment. Htel Serviced Apartments Laan van de Helende Meesters 421 1186 AL Amstelveen sales@htel.nl New apartment types and Business Lounge in Amstelveen The apartment complex in Amstelveen has a communal now. The separate entrance makes it easy to differentiate private and business appointments. Both spaces have their Your home abroad 26 HOLLAND INTERMEDIAR FC - 026 The Amsterdam Times ADVERTORIAL LOWEST MORTGAGE INTEREST RATE AVAILABLE FOR EXPATS IN 53087-30058-2 HOLLAND. BUY NOW! WHY WAIT FOR PROPERTY PRICES TO RISE? The credit crunch and the financial crisis have left us all wondering whether to spend or save, invest or keep our cash under the mattress. Secondly we pride ourselves in getting the best deal ding/buying makelaar (real estate agent) we negotiate to ensure you don’t pay over the odds. I am looking forward to your call. “Andrew Berry director of Holland Intermediair (prowho has lived in Holland for a number of years and having both rented and bought my own property here I have a unique insight into the questions and concerns you may have when looking at the Dutch property market and living in Holland.” With over 30 years experience in the Anglo Dutch property market Holland Intermediair can help you make an informed and independent choice of house purchase. Dealing with an exclusive expat client base from all corners of the world Holland Intermediair is uniquely placed to advise clients when looking to buy in Holland. Quite simply we make buying in Holland as stress free as possible. We won’t sell you a house we’ll - - Firstly we are pleased to announce the cheapest deals available for expat mortgages. If you have a permanent home in Holland. Every aspect is covered from initial licitors), surveyors etc. Telephone Number: 070 3522521 E-mail address: info@holland-intermediair.com your options. There is no obligation on your part and English & Dutch Courses The BSN Language Centre is a dedicated department of The British School in The Netherlands, providing quality language courses for adults and children. Dutch and English courses at various levels are offered throughout the year. Providing a range of courses for 1,900 part time students every year, the BSN Language Centre provides a vital and welcome focus for many. With the youngest pupils being just 5 years old, and the oldest over eighty it is clear that the centre really does have something for everyone. Simply the best all-in-one guide to travel and life in Holland. 9th edition For expats by expats Passport to a full and enjoyable stay From bookshops, VVVs, ANWB Less 20% from: publisher@heresholland.com Choix du chef Registration & Information for language courses: languages@britishschool.nl - 070-3154080 www.britishschool.nl Restaurant Choix du Chef was part of the popular TV series ‘Mijn tent is top’ and there is not an untrue word in that. Stephan and Jacqueline use top class ingredients like the finest chicken, veal and ‘forgotten vegetables’. All fish is selected in season. Combining the most traditional qualities and high tech kitchen techniques the food is creative and surprising. Honest, Original and prepared with passion. Restaurant Choix du Chef Hooikade 4 2514 DH The Hague Tel +31 (0)70 - 363 06 58 www.choixduchef.nl 26280809__T18______1 26 PALLADIUM Willemspark: FC - 026 The Amsterdam Times Solid, Secure and Stylish 53123-30082-1 The Willemspark apartment complex is conveniently located a short distance from the centre of The Hague, surrounded by nineteenth century monuments reminiscent of the age of its namesake, King William II. Set in one of the city’s most desirable residential areas Willemspark combines first class comfort and architectural detail with beautifully landscaped grounds. Willemspark has recently been designated as an historic monument and, thanks to painstaking renovation and restoration, its rich history has been beautifully preserved. Every effort has been made to offer a level of style and luxury found only in the most elegant neighbourhoods of the great cities in Europe. The new layout has 66 apartments and one residence for the facility manager. Apartments vary in sizes from approximately 70 m2 to approximately 285 m2. We offer furnished and nonfurnished apartments. facilities; a fulltime facility manager, fully equipped gym, fences around the premises, sufficient private parking places. Furnished and non-furnished apartments The great variety of apartments makes it difficult to describe them individually. However, the high quality of the materials and the careful attention paid to the layout is characteristic of all the apartments. Most have two luxurious bathrooms. The stylish kitchens are fitted with every modern appliance and, along with the bathrooms, are fully tiled. Each apartment has a personal safe and an alarm system. Apartments can also be rented partly or fully furnished. and tradition, with the following key operating principles: - Global vision combines with a respect for the culture of each country - Focus on selected urban areas, each with a significant Group portfolio and service capability - Creation of long-term value for the Group, its partners, clients and the ultimate end-users of the real estate - Implementation of the best technical and managerial practices Palladium Nederland is the holding company for all Palladium Group assets in the Netherlands and headquartered in The Hague. Palladium Nederland is specialised in expat-apartments, retail units and offices in various stately buildings and monuments in the city centre of The Hague and the Hague area. Palladium Nederland believes that success can be achieved as a result of the most careful attention to even the smallest of details. We as Palladium Nederland want to create a good relationship with all of our tenants. We feel that when we know a tenant’s needs and wishes we can provide these or at least go for the next best thing. Since Palladium Nederland is known for its wide range of expatapartments. And we want to offer our clients a high range of services, it is also possible for tenants who move out of the Netherlands to stay within Palladium Group, as we operate in several countries. We try to provide a new apartment within the group at there new destination. This saves a lot of hassle for busy expats, since we are already aware of their wishes and specific needs. Short and Long-stay possibilities Prices for these apartments starts from € 950,- per month. Short-stay rental periods are possible upon request. The Palladium Group Luxurious modern living in a monument No two apartments on the same floor are alike, this provides a wide selection of character and size from one to four bedroom units. Willemspark contains three modern lifts and is equipped with facilities for the handicapped. Each apartment has a separate storage facility. The apartment complex has a broad range of The Palladium Group was founded in Northern Italy during the mid-19th century, when quality residential buildings were required to serve the urban growth generated by the industrial revolution. Today, Palladium is an international group, which develops and manages residential and mixed-use projects in major urban areas in Europe, including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom and The Netherlands, United States and Dubai, for its account and in partnership with private and institutional investors. Contact info: This strategy is founded on a dynamic balance between innovation Palladium Nederland +31(0)70-3507202 administration@palladium-group.nl www.palladium-group.nl LEIDSCHENDAM In a lovely nice and quiet green area located, a modern fully furnished family house with a large garden en lots of parking space on private ground. The house is located near several recreational facilities and the highways in the direction of The Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. € 4.600,- ARCHIPEL Situated in the popular and stately Archipel area, near restaurants, shops and exit roads, an impressive residence with garden and roofterrace, a perfect combination of luxury and classic details. € 3.950,- Stylish and elegantly furnished gorgeous town house at one of the most beautiful places of The Hague in the characteristic Duinoord. Conveniently situated, near the city centre, the Frederik Hendriklaan and the cosy Reinkenstraat. “Professional housing solutions with a personal touch’’ PR housing understands that starting a new position in a new city implies finding a new accommodation. However. Without the right knowledge regarding the great array of neighbourhoods of your new city, this endeavour cab be very time-consuming. As a local assistant, with all the necessary knowledge regarding the different facilities and assets different areas have to offer, we merely need to indentify those apartments in our extensive portfolio which match with your preferences and needs. We organize efficiently tours, which could start at your office or hotel or airport, throughout which we demonstrate all the selected accommodations. “Give us a call, our visit our website’’ PR Housing Amsterdam Keizersgracht 62 1015 CS Amsterdam T: +31 (0)20 520 74 20 I: www.prhousing.nl PR Housing The Hague Herengracht 40 2511 EJ The Hague T: +31 (0)70 36 37 370 I: www.prhousing.nl 26 ARTS & CULTURE SEPTEMBER 2009 19 The 29th Netherlands Film Festival opens with premiere of Tramontana Overview By Marzia Papagna This year, Utrecht is set to raise the curtain on the Netherland Film Festival’s 29th edition, presenting the best of new Dutch feature films, documentaries, short films and telefilms from 23 September to 2 October. In addition to its usual film repertoire, the Netherlands Film Festival features retrospectives and special programs offering audiences the chance to revisit films from Holland’s illustrious cinematic history. Daily talk shows, workshops, parties, exhibitions, seminars, lectures and master classes focussed on a wide range of industry topics will again make the festival the most complete and unique film experience for public and professionals alike. The Golden Calf Awards mark the culmination of the ten-day event. Covering seventeen categories, they are the most prestigious prizes awarded to Dutch filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers, actors and crew. For graduation film students from the Dutch Art Academies the festival offers an official student competition. The Holland Film Meeting (HFM) is the international heartbeat of the Netherlands Film Festival and provides a series of business-oriented events for the international and Dutch professionals in attendance. The HFM sidebar exists to foster greater co-operation between the Dutch and international production, sales and distribution industries and attracts the cream of Europe’s industry talent. One of the sidebar’s core elements is the Netherlands Production Platform during which producers from the Netherlands can discuss co-production activities on a range of projects with their international counterparts. Festival director Doreen Boonekamp has been at the helm of the festival since 2002. This year, she talks to The Holland Times about the Festival – past, present adn future. have its première. In addition Wouterse, who is well known for infusing his characters with a vigorous aura, will appear regularly on Matthijs van Nieuwkerk’s talk show, as well as attend screenings of his films while participating in various festival events. Tell me about the opening film Tramontana. Why did you choose it? Because it’s a beautiful and strong film! The film by Dutch director Ramon Gieling was shot entirely on location in the northern Spanish village of Cadaques, using a Dutch crew. Yohana Cobo, the actress who plays the leading roles, was awarded the Best Actress award at the 2006 Cannes Festival. Both her and her co-star Lluìs Soler will attend the première in Utrecht. The film tells the story of a scandalous love affair during Franco’s dictatorship. The mysterious Tramontana wind intervenes in the love story as a real character, like a malicious woman without whom life is pointless. The Netherlands Film Festival seems like an enormous undertaking. How do you look to maintain its success year on year? The festival is a great launching pad platform for films, so we choose to work closely with specific media partners sympathetic to film. More over when making the programme we also work together closely with other disciplines like the music of gaming industry to make interesting cross over programmes. That is actually why the festival developed so quickly over the last years, not by concentrating just on Utrecht itself, but by examining every promotion possibility and not being scared to exploit and explore a mixture of different platforms. And of course this major event could not exist without the support of the film professionals and the over 450 staff members and volunteers involved in the organization whose passion and ideas have greatly benefited both the festival and the Dutch industry as a whole.” The best of Dutch filmmaking is awarded the Golden Calf at the end of the Netherlands Film Festival’s 10-day run. Photo: NFF position of Dutch production we should work on raising the average number of visitors per Dutch film. But in essence, the first thing we must do is to continue to believe in our industry. We must continue to invest in talented filmmakers, and we must open up our industry to the co-production possibilities offered by the international marketplace. What can audiences expect from the Netherlands Film Festival? then vote for. In addition, a jury of film and internet professionals will judge all selected films and grant the winner the 2009 NOFF Jury Award. Both awards are valued at 2500 euros and are presented on the final day during Matthijs van Nieuwkerk’s talk show in the festival pavilion. And besides this at Festival TV we present online interviews, reviews, the daily talk shows as well as the Award Ceremony on the closing night of the festival. a special section. What will Jack Wouterse be overseeing this year? Jack is an extremely versatile and dynamic Dutch actor whose impressive oeuvre includes a wide variety of roles in Dutch films and TV productions. Furthermore, he was twice awarded the Grand Prize of Dutch cinema, the Golden Calf. During the ten days of the festival he will shoot a short film in collaboration with fellow actors Ton Kas and Peter Paul Muller. The work-in-progress will be shown daily during the festival and at the end of the event, the short film will What is the current state of Dutch cinema in international and domestic terms? Holland is a small country with a language that is difficult to export. This is reflected in the number of Dutch films seen outside of Dutch borders. Inevitability, we have a small cinema industry, although a production output of 24-28 features per year is actually very good when compared to the situation a decade ago. Our country boasts a lot of talented filmmakers who can regularly display their considerable talents within the international industry. At the Netherlands Film Festival we aim to stimulate knowledge and understanding of Dutch film and Dutch film culture, as well as its talent. Holland Film, which is situated in Amsterdam does a wonderful job promoting Dutch films abroad at the major international film festivals to the most important players within the international film industry. This promotion, conducted at home as well as abroad, works not only to expand the Dutch cinematic industry, but also to allow global professionals to work closely with the Dutch cinematic industry. In terms of Dutch box-office, over the past years there has been a significant growth within the market share of domestically-produced titles, so there is obviously a growing public for Dutch Film. In 2008 the market share was nearly 18%, which was higher than ever. On the other hand this market share is produced by one or two very successful Dutch films. In order to further strengthen the At all times the public is completely Each year the film festival asks involved. They can get to know more its Guest of the Year to supervise about a director, or about filmmaking, as well as about topics such as script writing through the various retrospectives and seminars. For example, the Dutch Angle programme highlights a series of films by innovative Dutch filmmakers such as Nanouk Leopold, Mijke de Jong, Simone van Dusseldorp, Eugenie Jansen, and Esther Rots, who have been selected for leading international festivals but which remain relatively unknown among domestic audiences. They will present their work during the festival and after the screenings they will discuss their films with the public and talk about filmmakers whom they are inspired by and their general their ideas on filmmaking. What’s more, the festival mornings are reserved for children – “Kid’s Cinema” in which classes of children aged from 6 to 12 go and see the latest and most exciting Dutch youth films. The children are encouraged to ask questions about these films and learn more about cinema in general - lighting, the film score and editing, all the time with professional actors and directors. This is what makes the experience so fascinating for them. At the same time Utrecht becomes both a meeting point and a cinema that is open to everyone, both public and professionals, and the festival goer experiences the special atmosphere that is always constructive, dynamic and entertaining. more info: www.filmfestival.nl What does the festival offer its online audience? The Netherlands Online Film Festival is a virtual festival for short films under 30 minutes that visitors can watch and Dutch actress Yohana Cobo looking decidely Spanish as she sizzles in Tramontana. Photo: NFF 26280809__T20______1 26 HORATIO HIGH END FINANCE Horatio Assurance Group is a young company with a reputable curriculum, consists of economists, chartered auditors, strategists and expert witnesses. Horatio offers specific expertise in the areas of ‘High End Finance’ and Strategy, including: • Reporting & Audit • Business valuation & Advisory • Strategy, Investment & Finance • Litigation Support HORATIO ASSURANCE GROUP B.V. World Trade Center Amsterdam Strawinskylaan 659 C-06 1077 XX Amsterdam T: 020 714 7100 F: 020 714 7101 E: info@assurance.nl www.assurance.nl Make the The Spinal Column Right Choice Four Ways to Avoid the Back Pain Epidemic When was the last time you or someone you know suffered an episode of back pain? Chances are it wasn’t that long ago. It might have forced you to miss work, take painkillers, anti-inflammatories or other medication, or just deal with the pain longer than you wanted to. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to do some simple things to try and prevent back pain from happening in the first place? Here are a few easy ones to get you started. In the new millennium, the health care pendulum has swung from treating symptoms toward prevention. It is a way of thinking that is analogous to going to the dentist for your six-month check-up or taking your car in for regularly scheduled maintenance - you avoid problems before they start, rather than waiting for something to happen and then “dealing with it.” By that time, your car may be in the junk yard and you may be relegated to long-term medication or even surgery. With all that said, how are you going to prevent back pain? Here are four things you can start doing today to reduce your risk of suffering back pain and its costly (physically, emotionally and financially) consequences: 1. Get Adjusted by Your Chiropractor Your muscles, bones and ligaments are stressed continuously by normal daily activities: driving, sitting at the computer, lifting your kids, doing exercise and countless other things. These little stresses add up over time and misalign the joints of your spine, arms and legs. The misalignments can then lead to muscle tightness, spasms, joint stiffness and pain. Although chiropractors commonly see patients who are in pain, getting spinal tune- ups when you are feeling “fine” will keep you feeling fine. Adjustments will put the bones and joints into healthier positions, which will also help muscle tone. Generally, if you get adjusted while you’re in pain, it will take longer to heal, whereas if you get regular or maintenance adjustments, you can avoid terrible episodes of pain before they even start. That’s because keeping the spinal and extremity joints in good alignment will help your nervous system and immune systems function at their best. Even when you think you are feeling good, chiropractors can make sure you stay that way. 2. Practice Proper Ergonomics Think safety: When you make your everyday activities safe to perform, it will help reduce the undue stress on your body. This includes having your computer work stations at home and at your office set up properly for your body. Generally speaking, the keyboard height should be the same height as when your arms are comfortably at your side with the elbows bent. The mouse should also be close to your dominant wrist while your arms are at your sides. Avoid poor posture: Whenever you sit, it is safest to sit on a full-back chair with plenty of support. Crossing the ankles is fine, but do not cross your legs. This puts tremendous pressure on the lower back, contributing to back pain. Also, if you are experiencing low back pain, it’s a good idea not to sit on the couch or sofa, since they are typically too soft and unsupportive for the low back. Lift properly: When lifting items, use the legs and the trunk of the body rather than the arms. Always bring objects closer to your abdomen or chest, as that is the center of gravity and support for most people. Try to avoid bending the back while you lift. Sleep well: The most supportive position for the body during sleep is on your back with a pillow under your knees. The next best position is on your side with a pillow between your knees and your head on a pillow that is thick enough to span the distance of your neck to the shoulders. A neck pillow that is too thin will kink the neck and could lead to neck and upper back pain down the road. 3. Exercise Regularly We all know how important it is to participate in some type of regular exercise. Some of you already do that. Whether it be walking, playing sports or going to the gym, make sure you set up a program that keeps you consistent. Exercise helps the human body in so many ways, but one of the most important aspects involves stretching and strengthening of your back muscles. Often these muscles are referred to as core muscles of the body because they are located very close to the spine. The core muscles help move and protect your spine when it is stressed or strained. By keeping them flexible and toned, you prevent pain and injuries from happening. When you are developing an exercise plan, talk to your doctor for ideas on what areas of the body you should specifically focus on to get maximum results, both in terms of overall fitness and protecting the back from injury. 4. Avoid Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits Stress. Emotional stress can cause muscle tension, which can lead to back pain (it also can lead to heart problems, chemical imbalances, an inability to sleep and a host of other bad things). It’s always hard to maintain balance in your life between work, family and play, but it goes a long way toward helping your emotional stress. Reducing stress can be as simple as scheduling some quiet time to be alone, doing yoga or meditation, taking a bath or just sitting and doing breathing exercises. Whatever activity you find relaxing or energizing, take time to do it. Down time allows you to unplug from the world and get grounded. It also allows your body to reset itself so you can deal with the next crisis or problem that’s sure to arise. Poor nutrition. Watching what you eat is another important factor to consider, because excess weight literally “weighs you down,” which can contribute to back pain. Quite simply, losing excess weight in a healthy manner will take pressure off your lower back and reduce stress on the vertebrae. It is truly amazing that our society is now making an active transition from listening to symptoms or pain to preventative health care. Now is the time for you to be able to take a more active role in deciding how your future health will play out. Armed with the tips discussed above, you can make changes now that will help your back and your overall well-being for years to come. The power of health is in your hands. In October the Spinal Column can be found online at www. TheHollandTimes.nl with informative article every month related to achieving and maintaining optimal health. Your questions are always welcome. You can reach me at info@chiropractienatuurlijk.nl, and for more information on chiropractic care please visit our website www.chiropractienatuurlijk.nl Yours in health, Dr. Shamim Khorsand, DC Our first class facilities, combined with a diverse British international curriculum, make the BSN a stimulating learning environment for every child. We welcome children aged 3-18 years and will soon be opening admissions for our new Day Care Centre for 0-3’s which will start in January 2010. We also now offer both A Levels and the IB Diploma Programme to students from 16-18 years. With 85 nationalities on our roll, we are experienced in helping children settle, whatever school system they come from, and provide dedicated English Language support for those who need it. To find out what British international education at the BSN has to offer contact our admissions team: Tel: 070 315 4077 Email: admissions@britishschool.nl www.britishschool.nl 310709__T22______1 6 26 PROFILE SEPTEMBER 2009 21 Natural, warm, human: The melody of life abroad from Atsuko Kohashi Expat Profile By Laura Owings In quiet, mellow waves, Atsuko Kohasi’s piano jazz creates a natural mood meant to conjure up thoughts of life on the Amstel. But Kohashi, who began a life abroad nearly fifteen years ago, never expected to be as inspired by Amsterdam as her latest album Amstel Delight suggests. Captured by the city, and the many opportunities within, Kohashi not only revived her career as a jazz musician in Amsterdam, but also began work as a translator. Aiming to share her international experiences with families in Japan, Kohashi translates children’s books into Japanese, the latest called 100 Procent Lena by Flemish author, Stefan Boone. Opening up to The Holland Times about the challenges and triumphs of building a family and a career while living abroad, Kohashi shows that a positive attitude is the most important thing to have in life – along with a little music. Where are you originally from? Yokohama, Japan. What do you do? I’m a jazz pianist, and also a translator. Atsuko Kohashi has spent nearly fifteen years living abroad. The experiences and people she has met along the way have influenced both her outlook and her jazz. because my feeling was a little blue for moving to Amsterdam. But soon after moving here, I became happy because How long have you been doing of the scenery, the people here – they’re that? As a jazz pianist, 30 years. I have very open-minded - and of course, always loved jazz ever since I was a teen- the Bimhuis. So, after I came here, I ager. I started to play jazz in the college changed the name. band and after I graduated, I played in various bands. Even after getting mar- What do you miss most about ried and having a baby, I never gave home? up my career as a jazz pianist. It was Food! I like tofu, sushi, and sashimi. hard at times, but I tried, by practicing, More than the fancy Japanese cooking, performing. I miss the ordinary homemade food so much. Compared New York, Amsterdam has very few Japanese restaurants here. What made you move to the NetAnd, of course, I miss my daughters. herlands? My husband. He works for a Japanese shipping company. So, we spent 7.5 years What do you enjoy most about in New York and then going back to Ja- living in Amsterdam? pan, staying there for 3 years and then Meeting the people here. Luckily, I he was transferred to Amsterdam. never thought it difficult to communicate with people because I have music. Of course, the first year living in AmsterHow has living abroad affected dam, I felt a little bit lonely and isolated. your career? During the 7 years in New York, I Walking on the street, I sometimes heard had the opportunity to meet jazz pianist, the music coming from the conservatory, Mr. Steve Kuhn. Now he is my spiritual or music coming from the shop – somementor. He always said, ‘never say never,’ times Billy Holiday, Charles Parker. I felt ‘don’t give up,’ things like this. He has like something connected with me, and inspired me and influenced my musi- through the music, I made a lot of friends cianship. Here in Amsterdam, I had a - not just musicians, but music lovers. great opportunity to meet and make recording with Dutch bassist Frans van How is your Dutch? der Hoeven. I think the life abroad gives Kliene beetje. When I first came here, us a broader point of view and we can I met a very friendly Dutch lady in a local also expand friends and networks which shop and she was kind enough to agree offers us chances we’ve never had before. to give me Dutch lessons. And we had a very nice time. She was not a teacher, How did you feel about moving to but to me, that’s something – making a friend and at the same time, studying Amsterdam? To be honest, I had a mixed feeling Dutch in a casual way. And she’s still when I first heard about our move to my friend. Amsterdam. After coming back to Tokyo from New York, I picked up my career You also translate Belgian books as a jazz pianist and started to perform into Japanese, how did you get inonce again. I was quite happy about that. volved in that? Just before coming to the Netherlands, I always wanted to introduce nice I made a recording with my old jazz children’s books for the next generations. friends and it was released right after I I found this book 100 Procent Lena , moved to Amsterdam. That was my first which is about a suicide of a young 16CD as a leader, released in Japan, and is years-old girl and how her family deals called Amstel Delight. with the incident. It really teaches us about the value of life and importance of family bond. I wanted to introduce Is that a coincidence? At first, I named it Amstel Blue, this book to Japanese society because in Japan, the suicide rate for young children is quite high. The author (Stefan Boonen) is Flemish, so the book is written in Dutch. I can’t read Dutch so well, but I have a good friend, Geert van Bremen, who is a translator who also writes the Dutch subtitles for Japanese movies. It was a wonderful experience to work with him on the translation. What was one of the best things about recording in the Netherlands? We recorded the CD in the studio Frans recommended, which is near my apartment. I never expected to go to a recording studio by bicycle. Never in Japan! Probably never in New York either. Cycling along the canal is very relaxing and I can be my natural self there. Such relaxed feeling stayed in our music too. that situation? Of course, the most important thing is having a good relationship with your partner – helping each other, supporting each other in the new environment. But it is also important to pursue what you like to do and meet new people and enjoy new discoveries through them. Try to enjoy your life abroad like studying abroad or an adventure in your life. Do you think you will settle down In New York, my husband and I went in the Netherlands, or keep travelto jazz clubs very often. And I learned ling? many things from the musicians in New York. They are very talented but also very modest and friendly, more than I expected. Here in Amsterdam, I think jazz is more like world music. Compared to American jazz, it has a more broad influence. Sometimes African or gypsy music or Spanish music – any kind of music combined with jazz. But, I believe music is music, so I don’t think jazz or is any different based on the country. Music is music, jazz is jazz. I like Amsterdam, I’d like to stay here as long as possible. But as you know, it’s not an easy decision, depending on the world economy or the family situation. That’s the most negative side for us as expats. How does the Dutch jazz scene compare to the scene in New York and Tokyo? What can we expect in the future with your jazz music? I’m visiting Japan in November for several concerts in Tokyo, playing in a duo. This time I’ll play with a Japanese bassist. This duo will have the same concept as Amstel Moments, but it’s going to be very different, because I wouldn’t have same feeling in Tokyo, the busiest city in the world. I look forward to having Tokyo Moments instead. It could be very thrilling! In addition to that, Japanese record company BounDEE and I have started to discuss about the next CD. Many expats are living in the Netherlands based on their partner’s occupation, like you. Do you have any advice for expats like you in What was it like working with native Dutchman and bassist, Frans van der Hoeven? I had a very good experience making Amstel Moments. Frans, I believe, is one of the best bassists in Europe, of course in the Netherlands. I’m so impressed not only by his beautiful sounds but also by his devotion and dedication to the music. Did you experience a language barrier? Music covers it. At times, I would try hard to explain something but in the end, we would agree that ‘we don’t need words.’ Music tells us, it just kind of happens. Where do you find inspiration in Amsterdam? The big sky, the space. In Tokyo, the view of the sky is limited by the skyscrapers. But here, I can really enjoy the great arch of the sky. And the buildings with very high ceilings. I really enjoy the feeling of freedom and space. Amstel Moments is available at CD shop Concerto on Utrechtsestraat in Amsterdam. 26280809__T22______1 26 SEPTEMBER 2009 22 REVIEWS Film Books Music Music by John Marriott Film Inglorious Basterds Carriers Night Train to Lisbon Pascal Mercier Elegy The Nice Woodstock40 (2–CD set) Assuming that Quentin Tarantino, Hollywood’s most feverish chatterbox, has friends who listen, it must have been great fun to hear him describe this film in a spirit of schoolboy delirium: “I’ve got, like, a gang of really vicious, Jewish Nazi-hunters, and hey, get this, they’re led by Brad Pitt! Pretty cool, huh? And each of them has to get 100 Nazi scalps - Woo!” Tarantino laces his latest filmic melange with his usual plethora of caricatures which include Hitler being burned alive in a Parisian cinema, two pretend British officers with, of course, cute, silly accents - and a real German officer with a penchant for, you guessed it, Spaghetti Western shoot-outs in a bar. And so Tinseltown’s favourite creative loony revs up to the max again, but often this time through telling, juicy, witty dialogue, during which, amazingly, he keeps the camera still, with even the action mayhem and single brutal moments hanging heavily on intelligent editing rather than acrobatic camera. One such splatter scene sees the so-called and much-feared Bear Jew going for a German’s skull with a baseball bat. What you might call Pulp Fact. Here, as elsewhere in the film, Tarantino’s clever writing and direction provokes both our laughter and fear. Christoph Waltz, as Col. Landa the ‘Jewhunter,’ is also exceptional at doing this. However, in a film teeming with ideas, references (Sergio Leone, Stanley Kubrick, 50s British war films) and characters, the plot is about as firm as the wobbliest blancmange, and it sometimes feels as if Pitt and his “basterds” have left the film for good. As before, more a film of giddy, memorable moments than a satisfying whole. Incidentally, does Pitt’s permanent, lopsided, inexplicable smirk indicate only Tarantino’s attitude to the entire enterprise? Tarantino must be jealous that he didn’t think of casting a fox to eat Nazis. What he would also have done here is have another corpse here - this time floating and decked out in severe protective clothing against a killer virus - spring to life as a zombie, as befits a powerhouse who loves to cram scenes. Yet, directors (and brothers) Alex and David Pastor, aware that they are now being let loose on a feature (they have only several shorts between them), wisely keep it simple, opting conservatively for a survivor genre picture, meaning that the audience knows precisely where it is. The Pastors do not overcomplicate directing for themselves, since episodic action is the order of the day and characterization is kept to a minimum, with actors being required to react rather than act. I mean, when a dirty, freaky-looking corpse (yes, another one) at the steeringwheel suddenly moves, what else can an actor do except gasp and shriek? Moreover, movieland is littered with the bodies of debut directors whose ambition dwarfed their talent. Nonetheless, the straightforward route can pick up ideas along the way. Unfortunately, the Pastors have virtually none. Aside from the fox, and an edgy scene where a desperate dad with an infected daughter threatens a defeated doctor through a plastic curtain, there is mainly the utterly obvious: as two resistible, chalk-and-cheese American brothers and their girlfriends take to the road so as to flee the virus, one brother embodies all-action, the other sensitivity, one girl is plucky, the other introspective...Oh yes, and the wee girl is godawfully cute, a witless attempt to engage our emotions when nothing has been included in the script to start the process. However, as a splashy murder leads to conflict leads to the plucky girl being chucked out of the car, the film is slickly paced and all four leads freak out convincingly. Having just finished reading this English paperback in a state of complete admiration, my faith has been restored that bestsellers do not always have to swim in schlock and sizzle. That this German novel – written by a professor of philosophy and fully loaded with introspection, intensity and ideas – has sold almost two million copies is another testament to its quality. And philosophy is where the novel is intellectually sustained, specifically in the self-analysis and harsh self-judgements of a dead, aristocratic Portuguese doctor, Amadeu Prado. All of this is contained in a little-read book which comes into the possession of an ageing, “museum-like” classics teacher in Bern, Raimund Gregorius. Combined with a mesmerizing Portuguese woman and his heightened awareness of mortality, the doctor’s thoughts completely upend his life, and the external journey of the title is the first major step on his own inner journey. His probing, existential quest is extended, complicated and given meaning by some of Prado’s associates, friends and family members, whom Gregorius tracks down in Lisbon. Never for a moment seeming like a translation from German, this superb novel is brimming with the liveliness of ideas about meaning, perception, self-awareness, language, family and more. None of them put a brake on the narrative, but all are expressed with a deep sensitivity and rich vocabulary as Mercier explores what makes us tick. Always compelling, sometimes moving, his ability to bind the world to Gregorius’ and Prado’s deepest selves never falters. Whether it is Gregorius, as a boy, climbing out of a classroom window, altering the hesitant friendship with Prado’s sister or scampering back to Bern for a taste of home, the author’s creativity and insistence on truth are never in doubt. Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger Director: Quentin Tarantino It was always unfair that prog rock bands like The Nice, ELP (to which Nice–member Keith Emerson gave birth) and King Crimson were never paid much attention by the pop press when punk came screeching into our lives. These three bands, and others, were broad-minded and enthusiastic enough to fuse the pulse of blues–rock with their knowledgeable use of classical and jazz. Naturally this was beyond the reach - and tiny mind - of the average, trend-addicted pop journalist who then deemed anything beyond a rackety, three-chord thrash was pretentious (if ever a word became meaningless in the mid-70s, it was this), that punk was, ahem, real. Well, it was real enough to last five minutes, with pretty much only the Sex Pistols, None of those bands will ever be mistaken for The Nice, whose Elegy - their biggest success, recorded live and released in 1971 after the band had split - has gained from being digitally remastered, with the intermittent muddiness of the original now gone. Unfortunately, nothing can be done to improve Lee Jackson’s ever-feeble vocals, which still sound as if they’re being sung into a pillow. Perhaps Emerson was trying to suffocate him. But there is only occasional ‘singing’ here, since The Nice was built around the full-on keyboards of Keith Emerson, who, though given to episodes of self-worship through showy indulgence, also had the wild confidence and real musical understanding to shake up Dylan’s ‘My Back Pages’ and charge at a spectacular reworking of ‘America’ from West Side Story. ( Leonard Bernstein was so appalled at Emerson burning the American flag on stage that he prevented ‘America’ being released in the States.) Furthermore, ‘Hang On To A Dream’ sounds like a steam locomotive whose rhythms have been altered by its jazz-loving driver. And Elegy has more energy than a dozen punk bands all playing at once. What a thought. Starring: Chris Pine, Piper Perabo, Emily VanCamp Directors: Alex, David Pastor How is it possible for a milestone band - like The Beatles - or event - like Woodstock - to both create and reflect the zeitgeist? It is just about possible to give an answer if you think about it. Hard. Certainly the organizers and participants of Woodstock knew that the unique late-60s sensibility would feed into their festival. That major popcultural event, a heady fusion of music, political awakening, social commitment, is now celebrated forty years later by this 2-CD set. If this selection leaves you panting for more, there is also a 6-CD masterblast. Excitement over Woodstock might make you believe that all the music was excellent. But, for example, Tim Hardin’s ‘Hang On To A Dream,’ despite the message tapping right into the mindset of the average hippy, is merely decent singer-songwriter stuff, while Arlo Guthrie (son of American folk pioneer Woody) trots out an utterly ordinary ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ in a state of relaxation or apathy, perhaps because he was getting a buzz from more than just the crowd. Far more energetically focused is the blistering blues wail of Janis Joplin on ‘Ball And Chain,’ and the distinct emotional quiver of Joan Baez on ‘Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man.’ Playing only their second gig (!) were Crosby, Stills & Nash, who slide easily to the top of their close-harmony range as they warm the audience with ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.’ Just as on the block were Santana, who, unknown to most, nonetheless deliver surge upon surge of their rhythmic Latin blues in ‘Soul Sacrifice.’ By contrast, Creedence Clearwater Revival released an astonishing three albums in 1969, and their compact country-pop is represented here by the fingerclicking but dark ‘Bad Moon Rising.’ But it is Jimi Hendrix with his deconstruction of ‘Star Spangled Banner’ - all imaginative, electrifying guitar distortion - who ends this admirable release on a killer creative high. Available at The American Book Center, Amsterdam and The Hague Available on Virgin Records Ltd. Available on Rhino All you can eat! Come and enjoy the freedom of ‘wokking’ With the choice of salad buffet, various kinds of soup, finger foods, warm/cold buffet, teppan-yaki (grill plate), wok buffet, meat and seafood, grilled saté, spring rolls, ice creams and fresh fruits. We organise catering for 15 people and up Air-conditioned room for 220 people Open daily from 16:00 to 22:30 hrs Prices 9.90 10.90 hollywok arnolduspark 10a 2132 CR hoofddorp t:023-565 11 88 f:023-565 01 30 i:www.hollywok.nl 26 SPORT SEPTEMBER 2009 23 Eredivisie season preview 09/10 Analysis By Rufus Richardson Basketball title to Amsterdam NIEUWEGEIN | The country title in Dutch men’s basketball is definitively in the hands of EclipseJet MG Amsterdam, announced the Board of the Dutch Basketball Association (NBB) on 12 August. An ongoing doping case around Amsterdam player Orien Greene made it unclear which team officially earned the team title from the past year. Team EiffelTowers from Den Bosch, the opponent of Amsterdam in the final play-offs, filed a complaint against Greene in the championship matches. Initially, the complaint was honoured but the NBB has decided that EclipseJet MG Amsterdam may remain champions. Football has arrived in the Netherlands a month ahead of schedule this season with the Eredivisie commencing in July in order to finish before next year’s World Cup in South Africa. Here The Holland Times previews and assesses the chances of all 18 teams. Ajax hasn’t won the Eredivisie since 2004, but things are belatedly looking good again for the Amsterdam juggernauts. New head Coach Martin Jol is a tough disciplinarian and he could be the one to guide the Amsterdam club back to its former glory. Ajax’s great strength lie in its attack with speedy playmaker Ismail Aissati and the always dangerous Luis Suarez and Miralem Sulejmani leading the line. But without doubt, Ajax’s key acquisition has been midfielder Demy de Zeeuw from AZ. De Zeeuw is exactly the type of player Ajax has yearned for during the past five years: a stable, holding midfielder with exceptional vision and sublime passing skills with which to feed the dangerous strikers. With de Zeeuw pulling the strings, Ajax is capable of winning the league title this season. PSV not only missed out on the Eredivisie title for the first time in four years last term, but they also failed to qualify for Champions League football. New head coach Fred Rutten has signed two experienced players in order to wrestle back the league title. With the recent signings of Dutch national Captain Andre Ooijer, and international representative Orlando Engelaar, PSV looks quite strong in midfield and up front. Highly-rated playmaker Ibrahim Afellay will once again be PSV’s absolute star player this year, while wingers Nordin Amrabat and Balazs Dzsudzsak will also play a major role. AZ beat traditional powerhouses PSV and Ajax to the title last term and will once again be contenders for the Eredivisie crown in 2009-10. However the Alkmaar side have lost legendary Coach Louis van Gaal and his departure could be the difference between AZ being a champion team or merely a good one. His replacement Ronald Koeman has not proven to be particularly tactically astute or successful in the past. The loss of Demy de Zeeuw will also have a significant impact; however their Champions League adventure could very well cost them the Eredivisie title. The majority of the AZ squad simply isn’t used to playing two matches a week and players’ match fitness could well be tested. Key players will once again be Moussa Dembele, Mounir El Hamdaoui and skipper Stijn table mid-table finish. It remains to be seen whether Groningen can repeat their successful runs of the last few seasons. They lost star player Marcus Berg to Hamburg and have not signed a high profile replacement yet. Vitesse Arnhem appear to have stabilised after a number of stormy seasons, but they probably will not be strong enough yet to compete for the Europa League places. They lost two of their biggest talents in the summer, but Brazilian midfielder Claudemir will be a man to Wessels to retire watch in Arnhem. AMERSFOORT | Tennis player Peter Relegation dogfight Sparta Rotterdam is renowned for their excellent youth academy and they have a number of promising youngsters in their squad this season. Rydell Poepon and Dele Adeleye have the potential to help Holland’s oldest football club achieve a relatively successful season. Willem II made a superb start last season and were never really involved in the battle against relegation. It remains to be seen whether star striker Frank Demouge can produce yet another stunning season. After years of battling relegation, ADO Den Haag could be ready to make the next step and target mid-table football. As always, the perpetual problem will be finding someone to score ADO’s goals. VVV Venlo dominated the Eerstedivisie last year and were rewarded with promotion to the top tier. Key player is Japanese playmaker Keisuke Honda, and head coach Jan van Dijk will be desperate to hold on to the creative midfielder. RKC are back in the Eredivisie after a two-year stint in the Eerstedivisie, but avoiding the drop won’t be an easy task for the Waalwijk side. Roda JC only just escaped relegation last season and things haven’t gotten any better since and relegation now beckons. Heracles will not be feeling too confident about the upcoming season. The Almelo side lost their two star players and the fight against relegation will prove to be a tough one. Wessels announced his retirement from professional tennis in August. The 31-yearold said he no longer has the motivation to compete after a difficult period of injury setbacks. Wessels turned professional in 1996 and was a recognised doubles specialist on the ATP Tour. He reached the third round of the U.S. Open, but his undoubted career highlight was his one-andonly singles tournament victory in 2000 at Newport, Rhode Island. The Dutchman achieved his highest ranking of 72 in 2005. Wessels was an important member of the Dutch Davis Cup team winning many important doubles matches. Real Madrid cuts Dutch MADRID | Highly rated Dutch international footballer Wesley Sneijder has been told he has no future at Spanish football club Real Madrid. Sneijder had maintained he would stay and fight for his place in the team despite Real spending more than 250 million euros on similar players during the summer. According to Spanish sports newspapers Marca, the 25-year-old midfielder will move to Italian club Internazionale before the end of September. Fellow Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart is also expected to depart Real Madrid in September. Schaars, however question marks remain over all three’s continued presence in Alkmaar. Twente have managed to qualify for the Champions League preliminaries in the past two seasons, however Steve McClaren will be without the likes of classy Dutch internationals Eljero Elia and Edson Braafheid this year, and elusive attacker Marko Arnautovic. The Enschede side secured the services of a number of decent replacements but Champions League qualification appears to be a bridge too far this time. Mid-table respectability Feyenoord are keen to bounce back after a couple of very disappointing seasons. Nevertheless, they just don’t seem strong enough to join the race for the title. New head coach Mario Been does have a number of exciting talents and the combination of hot prospects such as Georginio Wijnaldum and Leroy Fer with the experience of Roy Makaay and Giovanni van Bronckhorst should help Feyenoord secure a top-ten finish. NAC Breda will once again prove to be a solid team, but they could face a difficult season as they have lost the creativity of Nourdin Boukhari. Their raucous home supporters will always prove troublesome for visiting sides while Ghanaian hitman Matthew Amoah will once again provide plenty of goals. Utrecht has been under-performing for years, but they may finally turn the corner this season. Utrecht could be one of the biggest surprises of the upcoming campaign. Ricky van Wolfswinkel will be the man to watch for Utrecht, with last season’s best Eredivisie goalkeeper Michel Vorm also crucial. Heerenveen won their very first piece of silverware last season winning the KNVB Cup. The Friesland club have lost star player Danijel Pranjic to Bayern Munich, but this could be the breakthrough year for Brazilian attacker Paulo Henrique. NEC Nijmegen will be without head coach Mario Been this season after his departure to Feyenoord, but their future looks quite bright. They signed a number of highly-rated youngsters and have every reason to look forward to a respec- SEASON PREDICTIONS: Champions: Ajax Runners–up: AZ Relegated: RKC Waalwijk, Roda JC Big Improvers: Feyenoord, Utrecht On the Slide : Groningen, NAC Breda Coach of the Year: Mario Been (Feyenoord) Top Goalscorer: Luis Suarez (Ajax) Judoka Star fit for action HAARLEM | Dutch Judoka, Henk Grol left it till the last moment to announce his participation in the Judo World Championships in Rotterdam at the end of August. Grol was the winner of the bronze medal at last year’s Beijing Olympic Games in the 100 kilogram class, but sustained a fracture to the inside of his right knee just four weeks ago at a training camp in Germany. A fit Grol would be one of the favourites for the 100kg title in Rotterdam, but Dutch Coach Maarten Arens will still have final say if he actually competes. d’Olde Poort C A S H & C A R R Y T R A D E The English Ballet School Bronovo Hospital Together we care C E N T R E Enchanting live! Starts at attractive setting! d’Olde Poort characterized by a very wide and comprehensive range of products. From pottery to benches, from ashtrays to hourglasses, it is always available at one of the shelves. Traders from all over the country and beyond purchases in d’Olde Poort. Paediatric Outpatients’ Clinic Bronovo Of Amsterdam The Paediatric Outpatients’ Clinic of Bronovo Hospital offers special consultation hours for expat children from 0-18 years of age with all kinds of medical problems and also for check-ups. The frequent moves from one country to another can bring about its own specific problems. Especially the complicated issues concerning vaccinations in children often poses questions. Your general practitioner can refer you and your child to this expat clinic. The paediatricians of Bronovo Hospital give consultations on a daily basis. An appointment can be made at short notice. Trendy Plus Size Fashion Sizes from 42 (eu) 18 (uk) 12 (usa) Stylish class monday to friday from 7.30 until 17.00 hour saturday from 7.30 until 13.00 hour d’Old e P t Cash oo r & Riezenweg 22-24 Ulft Holland Telephone 0031-315 63 28 93 Since 1981 Ce ntre ol Ulft H In the old city centre of Rijswijk! Feel free to visit our website www.groots.nl Herenstraat 70 • 2282 BX Rijswijk (ZH) t (+31) 70 390 38 10 • e info@groots.nl a www.oldepoort.nl d’Olde Poort The wholesale of enterprising Europe Children from 3 years, teenagers, adults, beginners to professionals, RAD & IDTA examinations, teacher training course. Waverstraat 16, 1079 VL Amsterdam Tel. 020 6442431 pholden@zonnet.nl www.englishballetschool.com Bronovo Hospital Bronovolaan 5 2597 AX The Hague Phone: +31 (0)70 - 312 41 16 E-mail: informatie@bronovo.nl expat@bronovo.nl Internet: www.bronovo.nl Ca r ry la n e Trad d 26280809__T24______1 26