 November 2K9 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 30/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx My Love Mobile phone cam shot of my bike parked against a 'XXX' lamp pole. Some contrast&saturation added. I am in love...with my bike and the best city in the world. Even though I am completely overworked and stressed out at the moment and I sometimes want to hit people in the street with my bike, because every little space and tiny, narrow street in Amsterdam is filled&overcrowded with bikes and tourists, I still totally heart Bikey and Adamski, there's nothing better than to glide through town with some good music on my headphones, watching the lights and the beautiful buildings&babes float by, while looking for puddles to shoot some wicked reflections :)) 
Bike Terror Billions of bikes parked on the Dam in Amsterdam, shot with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. I've added some contrast&saturation. When I was in the city this weekend, I've noticed this display of the occasional mindless 'I don't give a F**k' attitude that lots of the locals have when it comes to parking their bike...if you have ever been to the best city in the world you'll know that the area is meant for people to stand around and have their picture taken, not for us to leave our steel horse there, blocking off the whole square. If there was a fire in the 'Bijenkorf', a big department-store to the left of the monument, everybody inside would have to burn and die, as the firefighters would not be able to crush all those bikes with their trucks, tststs....have a good start into the new week :)) 
Wicked Videos More wicked reflection videos, enjoy :)) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 29/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Last Chance! Today is your last chance to see my wicked reflections printed in real life, check the details below, exhibition ends at 17:00! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx !!Last Day!! On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
AmsterS@m November Sale It's also the last day of the November Sale, from the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
Public Disturbance Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a poster advertising Lingerie, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing besides some minor fiddling with the contrast, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. The good folks of Hunkemoller did it again, they put big posters all over the best city in the world advertising their enticing lingerie, causing millions of accidents, cars crashing into each other, bikers biking off bridges into the freezing cold canals and pedestrians bumping into each other with their stuffed shopping-bags, all distracted by the 
It's a good thing that we have this right-wing-religious nutcase government that wants to outlaw such ungodly abuse of the female body, soon the women in these advertisements will have to wear long dresses that go down to the ankle and hopefully headscarfs too...I know who I'm going to vote for in the next elections, safety first ;-D 
Wicked Videos I went to the city center yesterday and shot some new wicked reflection videos, have a look :))
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday 28/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Smokey Puddle Unedited mobile phone cam shot of the 'Smokey' Coffeeshop sign at the Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Amsterdam, as you might know, is the world capital of 'Smokey' people, a fact that has given the best city in the world a somewhat skewed reputation, because we are also the world capital of bikes, babes, beer, bars and other wicked things that start with a 'B' :D 
Now that I think about it, it's pretty much a win-win situation, one of these things will very likely appeal to about 95% of the world population, so chances are that you will eventually want to come and hang out with us, leaving your hard-earned $$$ here in the process, making Amsterdam not just the best, but hopefully also the richest city in the world as well, hahaha. Thank you, come again :D 
Prime Puddle Unedited mobile phone cam shot of the sign of the 'Prime' club at the Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. The 'Prime' is a 'hip&trendy' club, or at least that's what they say about themselves, I can't vouch for that as I've never been inside, but I sure like the way their sign looks in a puddle :)) 
The Rembrandtplein is a notorious area of Amsterdam, in the weekends it's flooded with drunk people, pretty girls and billions of cops keeping them in check...I've been there on a few occasions at night and always had the feeling that riots might break out every moment, so I usually just quickly moved to nicer, safer parts of the best city in the world to search for pleasure&fun, the 2 principles this great city is build on...have a nice weekend :)) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx !!Last Week!! On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
AmsterS@m November Sale Just 1 day left, from the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 27/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Madretsma Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a worried looking dude on the Damrak, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. That guy seems really worried and I feel a lot like he looks lately, down&out, I really need a break from all the work, wind, wickedness and everything else that starts with a 'W' (except women, they're always a good thing to have in your life ;), I must have some 'W'acation soon or I'll hit somebody with my bike, haha. Luckily I'll have some serious time off around Christmas, so wish me luck that I'll manage to hang in there until then, you don't want to see me coming your way on my bike when I'm having one of those horrible days again, that seem to pile up on top of each other lately...pheeew, it was good that we talked about it, I feel much better already :) 
Big Brother Is Watching You! From the end of this year on, the US security folks will be able to access the bank accounts of all European citizens to see if we're terrorists, transfering money to somebody we should not transfer money to...those are some wicked Mofos!!! Of course it's no problem if the CIA financially supports evil people, I mean, that's just what they do... Image 'borrowed' from http://dinahlord.typepad.com!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 26/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Seconds From Disaster... Unedited mobile phone cam shot of 2 bikers, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. See that lady on the bike trying to figure out why there's a guy sitting next to a puddle? See the guy in the background approaching her from behind with a determined look on his face? Can you imagine what happens next? If not, let me tell you...the lady stops to ask me why I'm hunched over a wet spot, the guy keeps biking, keeping the determined look on his face and hits the lady because he's too determined to realized she's making an emergency stop, the bikes crash and blow-up in a Hollywood-movie-style giant explosion, they both get flung up high in the air, come crashing down in my puddle and cause a huge floodwave that buries the better part of downtown Amsterdam underneath it, thousands drown and die a horrible death, and it's all my fault!!! 
Of course that never happened, the lady just happily biked by, probably telling her husband and kids after she got home that finally she saw a real Amster 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx !!Last Week!! On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m November Sale Just 3 days left, from the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 25/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SHARP Unedited mobile phone cam shot of 2 bald guys on a Scooter looking at me, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. These dudes look like Skinheads, but considering they are on a scooter, they might be SHARPs, Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice, or some Ska-loving Rude Boys, or maybe not :) 
One thing is for sure though, they're bald and they're obviously lazy or they would be on their bikes and not on a scooter, hehe...I used to have this oooold Vespa from the late 60s that never really worked properly, I bought it from a friend without an engine, got a motor from somebody else and build it in, unfortunately I was working on the lovely old thing with a friend one day, while emptying a crate of beer (not a good idea!), and I pulled out a cable that was essential to making it work and impossible to get back into it's original location...I even brought the scooter to a repair shop and they couldn't fix it, so I carried it upstairs into my living room where it stayed for a couple of years as decoration until I moved several times, getting less and less interested in carrying it up&down the stairs with all my other shizzle and eventually it was stolen from a friends garage where I stored it...that's life, who knows if I was such a dedicated bike-rider today if I'd ever managed to make that baby roll :D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://theinvisibleagent.wordpress.com! This Is The End... The end of the Art exhibition featuring my wicked reflections to be exact, it ends coming Sunday, don't miss this last chance to see my photos printed and in real life, details below :)) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx !!Last Week!! On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m November Sale Ends Also coming to an end this week is the special November Sale, from the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tuesday 24/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Red White Blue Unedited mobile phone cam shot of buildings close to the Rembrandtplein in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Almost no editing, just a touch of added contrast, no other magic tricks, no Photoshop :) 
This shot contains all the colors that make up the Dutch national flag, Red, White and Blue. It may not be the prettiest flag in the world and it can easily be mistaken for the French Tricolore, but still I like it, I always see a bunch of happy cows in front of my inner eye, peacefully grazing somewhere in the vast, flat countryside that makes up a major part of this lovely country, I see the beautiful girls cruising through the best city in the world on their funky bikes and I see the Dutch national soccer team supported by the best fans in the world, playing like kings, only to always get kicked out of every important tournament in the least likely moment, often undeserved and under tragic circumstances...welcome to Holland, one of the best countries in the world :))) 
Mobile Home UUnedited mobile phone cam shot of buildings, reflected on a car in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Cars can be useful in some situations (I have not encountered such a situation in manymany years, but maybe somebody else has :) and for many car-owners they are a little home away from home, they keep their favorite music in there and sometimes even food, drinks and other items that make it bearable to spend considerable periods of time trapped in small metal cages, that more and more often just stand still in the giant waiting line we call modern traffic (killing the planet with their thirst for natural resources), while trying to get from A to B as quickly as possible, usually achieving the opposite while doing so...needless to say that I outbike any car in the city of Amsterdam because Bikey can go through any street, in any direction and if I don't pay attention, through any color of traffic-light, so the idea of paying thousands of euros each year to put a slowly moving steel box around myself completely eludes me, but maybe I'm too simple to get it, haha ;-D 
To my fellow Amsterdammers who think that they depend on a car, think again, often you'll go to places where you could easily go with the Public Transport System (*shudder*, OK, not the best idea I've had today ;), walk or bike to, in less time and for a fraction of the cost, training your leg muscles, making you more attractive and fit and saving the planet while doing so...have a good start into the new week! 
P.s. If you're tired of my whining about cars and you're considering to sell it and exchange it for a plane, watch this movie first, haha ;-P 2Pac&Sade
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 22/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wicked Videos Yesterday I shot some wicked puddle movies with my mobile phone, as usual they're on my YouTube page :)) Smile You're In Amsterdam Of course I also took tons of puddle photos too, to compliment the wicked videos :)) 
Get On My Horse! This shizzle cracks me up :D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.rockclimbing.com! Days With My Father This website is one of the most beautiful, sad things ever, keep your hankies close when you visit it... 
Image 'borrowed' from http://zacheven-esh.com! GrooveShark Here's some free music from 'The Hype Machine' and 'Grooveshark'! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://meansofproduction.wordpress.com!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday 21/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Best Bike In The World Unedited mobile phone cam shot of my bike, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Bikey is the best, she's not only fun to ride, she also always looks good in pictures. We've been through a lot since we know each other and we biked thousands of kilometers together, most of the time as good friends, but sometimes she got a good kicking for not obeying my orders and having her own mind, bikes are a bit like (steel) horses (not that you should kick horses, that's wrong, hehe!) :) 
We've been partners in crime for almost three years now and I vividly remember the day I bought her and took her out of the stable for the very first time, a glorious event that we both remember fondly. Below is a selection of some of my favorite pictures of Bikey...have a wonderful weekend :)) 
AmsterS@m November Sale Extended! From the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
Smoking 2.0 Smoking is good for you, but these days it's hard to find a place where you can still exercise that lovely hobby without getting in trouble with those militant Non-smokers, and since it's Winter now, here's a perfect Christmas present for your smokey friends and loved ones, the 'Smoking Mittens' :D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.suck.uk.com! Free Classic Movies If you scroll down this page, you'll find a post about a wickedcool free HD Movie site where you can watch the latest movies online, for free, but if you're more of a classic film lover, here's just the right place for you, Classic Cinema Online, enjoy! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.iwalku2.com! Oh no! "We appreciate your concern and support in trial run period of HDMT.NET. Due that our servers fail to offer services caused by too many visitors. We have to close HDMT.NET for now...". That sucks! Damn you, Interwebs ;-D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://zonbie.videosift.com! I guess I'll have to slap them with a Fatwa, hahaha :D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.flickr.com!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 20/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thank God It's Friday! Unedited shot of bikers reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam, taken with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. We made it! After a loooong, tiring, stressful week with lots of wind, rain and other horrible things (at least for me, I hope yours was MUCH better than mine :), we've finally reached the gate towards a better world, the weekend-world...AND it's almost Christmas, so I guess everything's gonna be alright, but first lets celebrate those 2 magic days of rest and relaxation that are ahead of us, yay :D 
Thank God It's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://garcya.us! Thank God It's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://behindthedecks.wordpress.com! Thank God It's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://fasteddie.wordpress.com! Thank God It's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://granitegrok.com! Thank God It's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.guardian.co.uk!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 19/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Children Are (Not) The Future Unedited shot of 3 ladies reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam, taken with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. They say 'Children are our future', but what will the future look like if mankind keeps breeding at the current rate?! I've had a discussion with a friend this week about the motives that cause people to have children (besides our biological urges to spread our seeds as far as possible across the planet :), considering the massive overpopulation on Earth and the many problems this creates... 
My personal opinion is that making more children seems a pretty selfish, illogical thing in these modern times, there are enough people living in misery and poverty, undernourished and unloved, so why make new ones, while my friend (a woman :) talked about adding more little ones to her 1-kid family, unimpressed by my logic-based ranting, and in the end we had to agree to disagree, clearly this is not a topic that is fact-based but rather a very emotional issue...to upset her a bit, I even said that I have this theory that most folks who do have kids try to subconsciously live their own life through them and correct the mistakes they've made during their own growing-up phase...she didn't fall for it though, women are still smarter than men and see right through us, hahaha ;-D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com! Anyway, my point is, don't have kids, unless you reallyreallyreally have to and even then you should do what Brad&Angelina do, adopt somebody who's already there and don't insist on creating your own model, it's killing the planet and creates lots of extra issues that we don't need on top of those we're facing already from our crusade against Mother Nature :) 
Image 'borrowed' from http://kissfendi.com! AmsterS@m November Sale Reminder From the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, there are some wicked new shirts and jackets and stuff, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 18/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx We Come In Peace! Unedited mobile phone cam shot of tourist ladies in front of the Munt tower, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. The Munt is one of my favorite buildings in Amsterdam, I've taken already plenty of puddle pictures of it. The area is usually stuffed with tourists that come to the best city in the world to hang out with us and try some of the pleasures that we offer in such an inoffensive, playful way that most of these visitors have a hard time understanding why they are outlawed in their own countries...and so do I, it does not seem to make much sense to claim that if you forbid something, it will disappear, this has never worked and as we all know drug-(ab)use, prostitution and wild-style bicycle-riding are things that most humans crave, if you tell them not to do it, of course they'll feel compelled to give it a try anyway :) 
Luckily for us Amsterdam people, these things (usually) do not cause the tourists to freak out and burn down the Hotels they're staying in, or to lose their minds and go on Killing-sprees, as it is often claimed by those politicians and lawmakers that try to treat the majority of mankind like stoopid children...to tell somebody who's grown-up and manages to hold down a job and/or run a family, that he/she can not use certain extremely useful, allround-purpose plants because they're EVIL and that they can't have the occasional (paid for) encounter with the opposite sex simply does not work, it makes these things just a whole lot more attractive and desirable...but who am I to judge a system that rules most of this planet, haha. Seriously, who do they think they are, your parents?! Hope not, lol! 
"Don't let them fool ya', or even try to school ya" Bob Marley 'Could you be loved' 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tuesday 17/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Stargazer Unedited mobile phone cam shot of buildings and a dude, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing except for a tiny bit of added contrast, no other tricks, no Photoshop :) 
"Sittin in my car, watch the stars and smoke I came a long way but still I got so far to go" Tupac Amaru Shakur, 'Krazy' I've spend some time last night and in the early morning gazing at the stars, waiting for the Leonids Meteor shower that is passing Earth today and tomorrow, but I didn't see anything besides the 'regular' stars above the best city in the world. I kept hearing those 2Pac lyrics in my head while sipping coffee, smoking and hanging out on my balcony, feeling a bit excited (because I might see the Meteor shower), a bit sad (because I didn't see it) and in general rather happy (because it's almost weekend now) ;-))) 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.meteorblog.com! The dude in the shot on top also looks a bit excited, a bit sad and he seems to be looking at the 'stars' too (OK, they're just leaves in the puddle, but look a bit 'star'ish' :), reminding me that we can't just always be happy and smiling, as much as we want to. Yesterday was one of those days for me, I was so stressed&tired that I had serious problems biking home through the chilling wind blowing into my face...it felt more like a Wednesday than a Monday. Luckily it's already Tuesday now and the smile is slowly re-appearing on my face, I've promised myself not to get overwhelmed by stoopid things happening to me, I'd much rather think about the krazy, puddle-loving Billionaire that I'm prone to bump into any day now, who'll buy me out of my Day-job and who'll make me take wicked reflections with my mobile phone all the time to pleasure him, myself and you, the viewer on the Interwebs, a destiny that I'll gladly except&embrace and that I am already seriously&impatiently looking forward to, yay ;-D 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.meteorblog.com!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 16/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Back II The Future Unedited mobile phone cam shot of buildings and a tourist lady, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. This is another shot of the Spui, it's taken in the same area&puddle as the one from yesterday. The buildings are in front of the Begijnhof, a relict from the Middle Ages that looks pretty much the same it did hundreds of years ago, except for the junkies, pimps and whores that make the area insecure lately, causing the poor old ladies living there to remember why they've chosen to stay in a secluded backyard that is separated from these modern times in the first place...I can't decide what I find more disturbing, the idea that some people want to pretend that it is still 1389 or that some nasty Evil-doers picked them as the victims for their daily dose of terror and intimidation...oh what a wicked world :)) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 15/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday S@m Unedited mobile phone cam shot of buildings and bikes, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Yesterday it was the last time that I was at the 'ABC Treehouse' for the AMS * NYC * AMS exhibition as the 'Artist in Residency'. The exhibition will continue until the 29th of this month, so you can still go and check out my wicked reflections in real life, but I won't be there to offer you some free coffee or cookies :) 
This picture is taken at the beginning of the Voetboogstraat where the Treehouse is located. Have a relaxed, joyful Sunday, I need to recover from that massive Double-Birthday party that I went to after spending the day hanging out at the gallery, the plan was to just quickly pop in&out to say Hi to the birthday folks, but I ended up drinking and smoking with the fun crowd until late at night...I'm staying on the couch today to regain some strength to face the fresh week starting tomorrow. One of the reasons why I hung around much longer than I had planned was the superdelicious food that my friends from the new and cool ArchiChef service created for this special occasion, check them out if you're planning to build a house or having a party/dinner/special event with some seriously good chow :-P 
Too Good To Be True I found this movie site called 'HDMT' where you can watch the latest films, for free, in high quality, and now I'm wondering how that can be...but I'll enjoy it while it lasts anyway :) 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.cbc.ca! This is what is says on their support page: "Is HDMT.net legal to offer streaming service? HDMT.net offers streaming service for all movie and tv shows fans around the world. All videos on HDMT.net source from Internet. We respect copyrights of producers and advocate all friends here to budget legitimate DVDs to support your favorite movies and tv shows and persons who make efforts on these products." 
Image 'borrowed' from http://uhohdisco.com!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday 14/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Meet AmsterS@m Today Unedited shot of Me&Mobie, reflected on the side window of a car. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Today, for the very last time, I will be back in the 'ABC Treehouse', running the Art exhibition as the 'Artist in Residency', come and spend some quality time with me and my friends, it's fun, it's free and there's plenty of lekker coffee, more info, including a link to Google Maps below :D 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 13/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday The 13th Unedited shot of a biker and buildings in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle, taken with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop :) 
And another picture taken with a real cam...but don't worry, I won't abandon Mobie, I've just had the chance to shoot a couple of my wicked reflections with the Pana lately and I even remembered to charge the battery before going out (something I usually forget and always end up using my phone anyway, haha), in general I feel much more comfortable using the mobile though, it's just easier to reach into those little corners where the wet spots often hide when they see me coming on Bikey :D
Thank God It's Friday! But be careful, it's Friday the 13th ;-P 
Meet The S@mster Last chance, this time for real, I will be back in the 'ABC Treehouse' again, running the Art exhibition as the 'Artist in Residency' this Saturday, the 14th of November, one more&last time, come and hang out with me and my friends, it's always fun and there's free coffee, details below :D 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX AmsterS@m November Sale Reminder From the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, there are some wicked new shirts and jackets and stuff, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 12/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Eye Want Candy! Unedited shot of a biker and buildings in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle, taken with my Panasonic DMC-FZ8. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. 
I just totally love that white'ish building in the background, it's pretty and it's got a little round tower, every time I bike by, I imagine sitting up there, watching over and guarding the best city in the world...but if I should see rain clouds coming our way, I'd run down the billions of stairs and hunch over the puddles with my mobile phone (even though this is one of my few pictures taken with my 'real cam' :), taking my world-famous (at least in Holland...OK, in Amsterdam, haha) wicked reflections to tease your eyes with :) 
The title refers to the Candy-hungry kids that roamed the streets of Amsterdam/Holland/Europe/The World yesterday in search of willing victims that would give them sweet stuff in exchange for waving their little lanterns at them and singing them a song to celebrate St. Martin's Day :) 
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will be back in the 'ABC Treehouse' again, running the Art exhibition as the 'Artist in Residency' this Saturday, the 14th of November, come and hang out with me and my friends, it's always fun and there's free coffee, details below :D 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 11/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Reading Is Sexy Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a biker at the Spui in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. The Spui is one of my favorite spots in the best city in the world, there are lots of book stores and regular art markets and it's always fun to hang around there and see what's going on. My personal favorite is the 'ABC', the American Book Center, that is closely affiliated with the 'ABC Treehouse', where you can still see some of my puddle pictures until the end of this month. If you are in the area, go and get yourself a nice book, it helps you to develop brain power and it's good for you :)) 
AmsterS@m November Sale From the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, there are some wicked new shirts and jackets and stuff, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 10/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sweet Lord Jesus Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a biking lady smiling at me in front of the Mozes en Aäronkerk in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I really like the Mozes en Aäronkerk, I've taken several shots of it reflected in puddles in the past years and I still haven't saturated my need to take more pictures of it. But that's what you get when you put the Sweet Lord Jesus on top of a building, it makes people come back over and over again, lol ;-) 
AmsterS@m In The Treehouse - The Movie I shot a movie last Sunday of the ABC Treehouse exhibition, check it out :) AmsterS@m November Sale From the 9th until the 29th of November you get 15% discount on any product you buy in the AmsterS@m Shop, there are some wicked new shirts and jackets and stuff, simply use the vouchercode 'Novembersale' when you're checking out! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 09/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mocking The S@mster Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a tourist lady laughing at/about me, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Yesterday was my last day as the 'Artist in Residency' at the ABC Treehouse exhibition (going until the 29th of this month) and on my way to the gallery I biked by this puddle, hopped off Bikey, took a shot, and realized afterwards that I've caught this lady with her 'real' cam laughing at/about me...she probably felt really sorry to see me aiming my mobile phone at a wet spot, trying to take a picture...little did she know that she'd end up on the Interwebs, caught out mocking this wicked Reflectah, hahaha. She probably took a shot of me taking a shot of her, but we'll never know for sure, unless she's on Flickr too and posts her version of the whole situation ;-D 
Have a good start into the new week, I am off today, recovering from a heavy weekend that included a serious drinking binge on Friday, a busybusybusy but funfunfun Saturday at the Museumnacht with free drinks and lots of hard work (I was an honorary guest and a Host for visitors at the same time, a wicked combination!) and a Sunday at the ABC Treehouse showing off my printed and framed wicked reflections to confused yet sympathizing folks that managed to find the gallery at its hidden, secret location in the Voetboogstraat. 
Oh yeah, during the Museumnacht, while outside for a smoke, I bumped into Ahmed Marcouch, a local politician, and his team of Flyer-boys and shot him as well for the local news site 'AT5', the picture is here...please be aware that the mistakes in the describing text are from AT5, not me, hopefully they have corrected them by the time you'll read this :) 
Falling Down Do you remember what happened 20 years ago today?! No? Here's a little hint ;-)) 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.automotivetraveler.com/!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 08/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx N8 - The Museumnacht Photos of the N8 Museumnacht last night. It was so much fun, there were over 4000 people hanging out, watching the photos of the Stadsarchief group members on big screens, enjoying the vibe, the music, the drinks&food and the special atmosphere of a night in a Museum. Today I'm in the 'ABC Treehouse' again as the 'Artist in Residency' from 13:00 - 18:00, come and hang out with me! ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam. 
N8 - The Video I've shot a video as well last night, enjoy :)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Saturday 07/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx History In The Making Unedited mobile phone cam shot of the Stadsarchief, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. No editing besides some added contrast&darkness, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. If you are looking for me today, you'll find me in the building you see in this picture, Google Maps link below. The photos you can see there tonight will be stored in the city archive for eternity and become part of a permanent image collection illustrating the History of the best city in the world, it's official, AmsterS@m is Amsterdam and vice versa! 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Today, Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Tomorrow, Sunday November 8th I'm in the Treehouse again as the 'Artist in Residency'! On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
Make Ze Party UUnedited mobile phone cam shot of a Sexshop, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam in the dark. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. This is the last one of my 'dirrrty' night shots, I promise! I could not resist posting it even though I'm bit afraid to alienate those viewers with strong religious feelings or a prude view on life, but then again nobody should be afraid of some booty or boobage, they're a nice part of life and appreciated by many...it's just the reality in the best city in the world that wherever you turn, you're looking at things that are either illegal or hidden in the dark corners of society in the most countries in this lovely, wicked world, not sure why though :)) 
Enjoy being part of this great Universe and do whatever you like (unless that includes harming others around you!), it's a short ride and you should take your chances and not be afraid to be the Director of your own movie called life, it's all about you, not those bitter haters and biters, just because their soul is shriveled up and they don't dare having a great time that doesn't mean that you can't have one :) 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Friday 06/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Dirty Dozen Unedited mobile phone cam shot of the Red Light District, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam in the dark. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Because yesterday's dirrrty night reflection was so popular, here's another view of the same street, a bit further away from the Sexshop. Once you enter that area, there is one Pornstore next to the other, mixed up with lots of Coffeeshops (yes, those Coffeeshops :) and Snack Bars, basically it nicely represents life boiled down to the essentials, Sex, Drugs and greasy food, lol ;-P 
I hope that you're not too upset about these 'sexy' shots, it's not my intention to irritate you or even make you cry, but I like showing you the rough reality as we experience it every day in the best city in the world...a wonderful place, you gotta love it :)) Thank God it's Friday!!! 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thursday 05/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m The Smut-Puddler Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a Sexshop, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam in the dark. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Yesterday on my way home it was already dark in the best city in the world and it was raining, so what's a wicked Reflectah to do but trying to capture the 'Dirrrtyness' of his beloved hometown? So that's what I did and I think I succeeded, this picture contains many items that you would not leave laying around when your parents come to visit you, but still it looks clean'ish enough to show on Flickr without risking having my account deleted...I hope, hahaha ;-D 
Have you ever been to the Amsterdam Red Light District? I think it's a charming place where commercial 'Sexy Times' meets Disney Land, you'll often see whole families with their kids wandering through the narrow streets, their eyes popping out of their heads because they've never seen such a wicked, yet safe, cozy and harmless place before. And that's the way it should be, who said that Sleaziness needs to be dangerous?! 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wednesday 04/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m World Domination Unedited mobile phone cam shot of leafs in a puddle and the reflection of a biker and buildings in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. We are going strong at full speed towards another wicked weekend, fasten your seatbelts or hang on to your bike handles, so the remaining week/work days won't buckle you out of your seat while you await those magic days that are already so close! And don't forget, this weekend you have two chances to meet me in person, Saturday at the Museumnacht and Sunday, for the last time, at the ABC Treehouse, more details below...don't miss these historic chances, you know your children and grandchildren will ask you one day "Dad/Mum/Grandpa/Grandma, when you had the possibility to meet that mysterious AmsterS@m dude in real life before he became rich&famous with his wicked mobile phone cam reflection shots, why didn't you go???", and we don't want that to happen, now do we?! ;-P 
Keep in mind, there is a wicked 'AmsterS@m World Domination Plan' in full swing and before you know it you will be AmsterS@milated and it's always good to stand on the winning side of such a Megalomaniac thing, I will try to fondly remember all of you early supporters once I sit in my golden, Diamond-studded Villa on my own tropical Island, that will be floating in the IJsselmeer for obvious reasons, even when I own this planet, I will still want to stay close to the best city in the world...or maybe I'll move Amsterdam to the Caribbeans with me, mhuahahaha ;-D 
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
Biker Madness I've uploaded another one of my wicked videos to YouTube last night, watch me on another mad bike ride through the best city in the world :))
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tuesday 03/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Morning Glory Unedited mobile phone cam shot of leafs in a puddle and the reflection of a biker and people outside the Magna Plaza, in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I usually don't like it when my phone cam focuses on the things outside the puddle instead of the actual reflection, but I do like this one, probably because the things inside the water are still visible and at the same time the Fall'ish vibe of the leafs adds a nice touch of color. As always, the people walking by my puddle were torn between assuming I'm a Madman that is doing unspeakable things to the wet spot, wondering if they should call the police (but then realized that the cops in the best city in the world mostly limit their work to molesting bikers without lights and it was broad(ish) daylight, hehe ;) and just pretending that they can't see this wicked Reflectah&his mobile hunching next to the water and leaving me alone, I mean this is Amsterdam after all and it takes a lot to freak people out :)) 
I wish I had all day to spot some nice places for my wicked reflections, right after taking this one I had to hop back on Bikey and hurry to work or risk coming late and having to explain to my boss that I missed the exquisite pleasure of Monday morning work just so that I could find puddles and play with them, lol ;-P 
Wicked Videos I've found a new wicked hobby, biking through the best city in the world in the dark with a camera, check out my latest videos :)))
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Monday 02/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Bye Bye Summer Unedited mobile phone cam shot of a leaf in a puddle and the reflection of a biker and trees, in Amsterdam. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I still can't believe that the Summer is over and that it's almost Christmas! Just a few more weeks and everybody will scramble to the Shoppingstreets go snap up presents for their loved ones, there will be lovely colorful lights everywhere and on every streetcorner you can buy the traditional snacks, the delicious, greasy Oliebollen and Appelflap...actually, that all sounds pretty enticing and now I'm hungry and really looking forward to it, lol :)) 
I'm a big fan of Christmas, even though it's a megacommercial event that seems to have lost touch with it's actual roots, the birth of a little Jewish boy that was willing to be nailed to a cross and die a slow, painful death to make up for the imperfections of his fellow men. Luckily the only people willing to die a slow, painful death these days is us smokers and we don't even require a cross, hahaha ;-D 
Have a good start into the new week, almost weekend! And don't forget, Saturday you can meet me in the Stadsarchief and Sunday at the ABC Treehouse, find more information, including links to Google Maps, below! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX On October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sunday 01/11/2009 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AmsterS@m's B@d H@ir D@y Unedited mobile phone cam picture of my shadow standing under a tree. I've added a bit of contrast, no other edition, no Photoshop. Yikes, I'm having another one of those B@d H@ir D@ys and my head looks like a crow's nest! Just kidding, I don't have any hair (if you don't count my back, mhuahahaha ;), so I don't have these days that can sometimes occur and leave you with an awkward feeling. 
I've taken a similar shot in the last 2 years,one of them even made it into the top 10 in the in the 'Wired' photo contest, yay. Have a nice (hair) day, enjoy your Sunday. Below are the previous versions of this shot. 
AmsterS@m The Wicked Reflectah Unedited mobile phone cam picture of me&mobie, reflected on the side of a car. No editing, no tricks, no Photoshop. This is a classic 'AmsterS@m' self-reflection shot, before I got heavily involved in puddle reflections, I used to take a lot of these kind of pictures. It's a very simple concept, find a shiny surface, stand in front of it and shoot, still I'm always amazed and surprised by the wicked effects you can create without any editing or using 'magic' software like Photoshop. I am not really that fat or short, I bike 20 kilometers every day and often get compliments for my lovely legs, lol ;-D 
Those Burning Eyes Unedited mobile phone cam shot of my shadow. Just a bit of contrast added to bring out my pwetty eyes a bit better, lol. I love going for walks and often I come across simple scenes that remind me just how terrific and well organized life on this planet is. We often forget that every little thing around us is a miracle of natural engineering, nothing is coincidence and everything is marvelous, mysterious and magnificent, once you start thinking about it! Humans always think that they are the big Kahuna's on Earth and the crown of Evolution/Creation/Whatever you believe in, but even the tiniest flower growing somewhere (that we often step on carelessly and without an eye for the beauty of life) is so well composed and perfectly assembled, that we could not recreate is, no matter how hard we try! 
We surely are good at producing consumer goods that often just serve to address our boredom while in the process destroying the planet we so depend on, just think about the poor people in China and other global Sweatshop countries that have to suffer from horrible pollution and changing genetic structures in their bodies, only so that we can buy cheap things made out of poisonous plastic that we'll throw out after a short time, to rot away in some landfill for the next 2 million years! Image 'borrowed' from http://opusminus.spaces.live.com/! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.theage.com.au! Are we really that stoopid?! Unfortunately yes! Unfortunately we are also so powerful, ready, able and willing to burn down the house we're living in, as long as it's filled with shiny, glittery things that give us short-term satisfaction only to be abandoned as soon as we see the next shiny, glittery thing for a couple of bucks in a shop window. Luckily I believe in the good in people, otherwise I'd have to keep those pretty yellow eyes of mine closed most of the time to avoid seeing this madness. Stop and think before you consume, you could save the planet simply by not buying all those things you don't need :)) 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.popgadget.net! Thank you for making this planet a better place for the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees...and of course us humans! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk! AmsterS@m Superstar Currently I am speeding up my World Domination Plan by infiltrating all the Art places in the best city in the world with my puddle photos, my latest coup is that on Saturday November 7th you can see lots of my wicked reflections on a BIG screen during the Museumnacht at the Stadsarchief at the Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam, from 19:00 - 02:00!
And lets not forget that on October the 4th a new Art exhibition started at the 'ABC Treehouse' in Amsterdam, featuring 10 of my wicked puddle reflections. The theme is "AMS * NYC * AMS an artistic look at a 400 year affair". Exhibition and Special Events, 4 October – 29 November 2009. At the ABC Treehouse, Voetboogstraat 11, 1012XK Amsterdam (the link goes to Google Maps). Public viewing hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Time 13h00 to 18h00. Free admission. 
Resistance is futile, you will be AmsterS@milated, lol ;-P
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