A cross for a kiss

This morning, I accompanied an American journalist to the Linnaeusstraat, where Theo van Gogh was murdered. It turned out that several tv crews were filming an artist who was busy creating three objects. The crosses represent the symbol of Amsterdam: three red crosses which are vertically positioned above one another. The color purple, according to the artist, signified the 'poisonousness' and the anger surrounding the murder. Several cyclists looked rather angry indeed because they now had to make a three foot detour using the sidewalk.

Pouring out the liquid styrofoam.

Watching paint foam dry.

After that, they were taken away by the artist, who will use them to debate the Van Gogh murder at VMBO (vocational) schools.

(Go here if you don't get the caption. It seemed appropriate, in a way.)

16:45

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Blogger asking for crossed fingers

For those of you who've just read the item about the Van Gogh crosses: no pun intended. Really.

This wasteland is where, hopefully, my future penthouse will be.
Although it's already certain the penthouse itself will be built, whether I'll get it is another matter. There is so much demand for good housing in Amsterdam that the number of applicants exceeds the number of new appartments.
So they will have a lottery.
If you like this blog, and have some divine favors left, please don't hesitate to use them now on my behalf.
(Otherwise, there may never be a housewarming party at the 11th floor, which means I can't invite you either.)

15:55

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Gruesome picture from ethnically torn Amsterdam West

Did you see that one autumn leaf charging at that poor little broken twig?
(This picture was taking about 200 metres from my house, again with my P900. SonyEricsson had better start paying me.)

15:49

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Secretary of immigration doesn't mince her words

The headline reads: 'Muslims should stop whining.' It's a reference to remarks secretary Rita Verdonk of Immigration made about the way she feels Muslim organizations are victimising themselves. I took this picture at Schiphol Airport (I don't have a subscription to this newspaper, the populist Telegraaf, myself) because it rather drew my attention. A slightly more nuanced version of Mrs Verdonk's words can be found here.

(Yes, this picture is also rather old - it dates from November 15 - and I'm still not done clearing out my P900.)

15:32

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Pictures of the Van Gogh wake

Yes, I know, that was nearly three weeks ago, on November 2nd. I finally cleared out all the folders of my SE P900 smartphone and found some pics I took at the 'noise wake' that was held in honor of Van Gogh, the night after his murder.


Just before the wake started. The striped van in the middle is a police vehicle. There was quite a lot of riot police as well, but they were customarily kept out of sight as to not provoke deliberate trouble makers.



Feel free to do your own 'head' count...



...especially since there were quite a few people standing behind me as well.

15:25

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