Guiliani IS the source of all things evil.

Very true, Katelyn.

That said, human trafficking for prostitution is happening in King County - they find it out every year or so.

As opposed to Amsterdam, of course.

I remember reading about a nail salon/human trafficking ring bust fairly recently, up in Kenmore... I haven't been able to look at my mom's acrylic nails the same way since!!

From the article:

"When Rudy Giuliani started to clean up Times Square in the mid-'90s, some people were warning that no one would ever again want to come to New York City. But as far as I know, it has had record tourist numbers each year since." Perhaps Giuliani, who this week dropped out of the U.S. presidential race, should run for office in the Netherlands.

I read your first paragraph and thought you were previewing an upcoming movie Natasha was going to costar in with Richard Gere. That got me thinking, 'Pretty Woman 3 - Amsterdam', what a terrific movie that would make.

Natasha... wasn't she on America's Next Top Model? I loved her ... looooved her.

I'll never forget seeing signs for halal shoarma in Amsterdam's red light district. There's just something so tolerantly Dutch about being able to pick up a hooker then avoiding the violation of religious dietary rules at the fast food joint next door afterwards.

@7: yes! And then go score some hash.

@4:
I think he'll have a hard time beating queen Beatrix...

My guess is that some real estate people have run out of cosy neighborhoods to develop in the center of Amsterdam and decided that they would try to clean up the red light district. Another step forward in the gentrification of the city... but perhaps we'll get rid of most of the obnoxious, drunk, loud, low-brow Brits that are the scourge of the tourist business there.

Agreed. There are few things in the world more obnoxious than a drunk Brit.

'Asscher said "When Rudy Giuliani started to clean up Times Square in the mid-'90s, some people were warning that no one would ever again want to come to New York City. But as far as I know, it has had record tourist numbers each year since." Perhaps Giuliani, who this week dropped out of the U.S. presidential race, should run for office in the Netherlands.'

You were right Adrian.

Did you throw it in her butt?

It's a sad day when Germany will have a better red light district than the Netherlands.

WTF. Poor Natasha will never make such good money again. She should head to Hamberg or Frankfurt.

Hm. The Amsterdamians are the ones who are smart enough to know that making prostitution illegal doesn't make it go away, it just makes it less safe (for everyone). I'm surprised they'd be thinking of outlawing it.

as long as they keep the pot, i'm cool.

and the halal restaurants next to the whores? tells you a lot about who's patronizing them.

@15 - read the article yo, they're outlawing mushrooms and are going to scale back pot, too.

Original Monique, here in Hamburg they're not trying to get rid of the actual prostitutes but the red-light district is definitely getting cleaned up. You're not even supposed to drink beer on the street there now any more!

@17: Total schlechts.

Guliani swapped the hookers for tourists. I'd say he made a bad deal.