The Sentinel Amsterdam vol. 5 #2

vol. 5 #2 – 29 November 2011

The Sentinel Amsterdam

Integrity, heart, humour

FEATURE

THE PERFECT DRUG TRAVEL

PARIS LIFESTYLES OPINION REVIEW TECHNOLOGY FILM CARTOON SPORT CLASSIFIEDS

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS

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In this issue FEATURE

P. 04 TRIPPING DAYS

The Perfect Drug

P. 14 TECHNOLOGY

48°N 2°E

TechBit: Sio-Bytes

‘Betty considers herself a hedonist’

TRENDS

P. 20

Comin Soon

P. 26 SPORT

Man Repellent

P. 30 MORE:

The Gold Room

‘My feeling is that clothes for women are a mind thing’

SPOTTED P. 22 Where is this in Amsterdam?

FILM REVIEW Room 2C CARTOON

P. 23 P. 23

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COLOPHON The Sentinel Amsterdam e-mail: sentinelpost@gmail.com website: www.thesentinel.eu The Sentinel Amsterdam does not intentionally include unaccredited photos/illustrations that are subject to copyright. If you consider your copyright to have been infringed, please contact us at sentinelpost@gmail.com.

Editors – Gary Rudland & Denson Pierre Design, realisation and form – Andrei Barburas & No-Office.nl Webmaster – www.sio-bytes.tumblr.com Webhost – Amsterjammin.com

Contributors: Marta Parlotore, Sharmin de Vries, Simon Owusu, Dirkje Bakker-Pierre, David King & Colin Bentley

FEATURE

THE THE PERFECT PERFECT DRUG DRUG ‘There can be serious side-effects to living such a loosely cosmopolitan life’

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FEATURE

By Marta Parlatore

In the eyes of most who know her, Betty is considered quite a privileged girl. She works in the arts, travels constantly from one European capital to another and attends exclusive parties and events, where she meets gorgeously interesting people. Because of all this, Betty is admired, looked up to and even envied by the few friends with whom she manages to keep in touch. What they don’t know, however, is that there can be serious side-effects to living such a loosely cosmopolitan life, one of the toughest of which is solitude. Shiny, but nonetheless painful.

‘Attitude applies to all sorts of things, from Vietnamese cuisine and pink champagne to watching Strange Days for the fiftieth time and sex’ You see, Betty considers herself a hedonist, which means she nurtures true feelings towards all things that bring her physical, intellectual or spiritual pleasure. To put it simply, if there’s something she likes a lot, she has a horribly hard time saying no to it and she doesn’t feel guilty.

This attitude applies to all sorts of thing, from Vietnamese cuisine and pink champagne to watching Strange Days for the fiftieth time and sex. But these are all vices in which she indulges on special occasions only, or whenever she

can afford it. For the everyday satisfaction of her decadent needs, for years now, Betty has been a dedicated and passionate smoker of Pot. Weed, Grass, Bud, Shit, Herb.

Betty cannot avoid confessing that, when she first arrived in Amsterdam, the idea of being free to roam legally through all the coffeeshops she saw fit to provided her with an additional, and not secondary, adrenaline kick.

For the first time, she saw there was a community of people, gourmets of the Herb, who shared her fascination with that certain plant and its recreational usage, and she felt part of it. No more meeting up in dark alleys with fishy-looking teenagers who sell you toxic shit. Now she could talk normally about the merchandise on sale, like she would about tulips or cheese, and she found this extremely civilised.

‘No more meeting up in dark alleys with fishy-looking teenagers’ Coffeeshops are very intimate places. You can walk in, buy the bud of your choice, sit down at a table with a mango juice and no-one is surprised if you sit there for an hour, or three, on your own, simply staring into space.

No-one looks at you weirdly for not talking to anyone, or not doing anything specific. Coffeeshops are comfortable spaces because they allow you to enjoy, in public, being in a perceptively distorted state. They are nudist beaches for the mind. And Betty embraced this lifestyle with such enthusiasm she soon forgot that every pleasure has a heart of danger. She didn’t notice herself sliding behind an invisible glass wall dividing her from reality. She didn’t notice starting to live as if underwater.

FEATURE

‘Every pleasure has a heart of danger’

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FEATURE

‘Simple things became extraordinary; the emptiness of her house provided her with more than enough thrills’

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FEATURE

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FEATURE

Suddenly, she found that not having anyone around was actually extremely soothing. Like a child, she subconsciously cured her loneliness by creating imaginary friends. She took to going to the movies with her girl White Widow, enjoying afternoons in the park with Silver Pearl, evenings watching porn with Purple Shiva, bicycle rides with First Lady and sexual moments with Amnesia. Whenever her best friend Mary Jane was around, music sounded deeper, the flavours of food exploded in her mouth like fireworks and bad movies were turned into exceptional fun. Simple things became extraordinary; the emptiness of her house provided her with more than enough thrills she needed to feel alive, entertained and whole. The little bags of dry green buds were, in fact, doses of happiness she could achieve without having to do anything more than buying and smoking them.

“Your eyes look at me but it’s as if you aren’t there,” The One tells her while sitting at their breakfast table where, in the chirping morning light, she sips on black coffee and a joint of Diesel. Betty hides her mouth behind the mug, “You always said you didn’t mind that I smoke”. He puts down his koffie verkeerd and turns to the window, “I didn’t say I mind,” he looks at her. “I just miss you.”

Betty finishes her coffee and steps under the shower. She lets the hot jets hit her face and fill her open mouth. Since she met The One, her grass consumption had decreased dramatically and effortlessly. Meeting him had been an event comparable to riding through that moment when the light at the end of the tunnel becomes the surrounding reality and the tight black hole is over, past, done with.

That moment when, out of the blue, deep blindness becomes sunshine, space, landscapes and horizon. Thanks

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to The One, each one of Betty’s days was a fairytale feast of sensuality and heartbeats. She did not need any alternative states of mind or imaginary friends to feel her days were not pointless and void. She no longer needed any medication to sedate the lack of love or attention. Still, Mary Jane was a girl with attitude and she would not be dumped just like that. She fought as fiercely as she could, tempting Betty with memories of the freedom and wildness of her maiden life.

Betty wraps herself in a bathrobe and stands in front of the mirror realising her bare everyday dimension has now become way more mind-blowing than anything she ever swallowed or smoked. Mary Jane had been a precious companion to her for years, but it was time to move on.

Toxic friendships tend to leave a nostalgic mark in the memory, but they always come to a point when they become a prison and there is nothing left to do but let them go. Betty picks up the toothbrush and bends over the basin. He is right, she thinks. When you have love, reality is better than drugs. And only a fool would let it go by without wanting to experience it as intensely, presently and consciously as possible.

‘She fought as fiercely as she could, tempting Betty with memories’

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TRAVEL

Paris, je meurs pour vous

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TRAVEL

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‘Americans often deem Paris the most romantic city in the world’

‘They are said to have enhanced French life over the past two hundred years’

By Sharmin De Vries

When in Paris, you may wish to take in the vibrant gastronomic scenery of quaint bakeries, infamous macaroons and lots of red wine. You certainly cannot miss the omnipresent Louvre with its modern, somewhat beastly looking pyramid amidst all the beautiful ancient architecture. Americans often deem Paris the most romantic city in the world. Others may criticise the Parisians for their snobbery and reluctance to speak English, although on this trip, I found both to be less apparent. Paris is not that far away from Amsterdam and yet feels like it’s a completely different world, where decadence is something to be celebrated and not frowned upon, as is so often the case in the Netherlands. However, while you are soaking up the ‘jois de vivre’ don’t forget one of the most prominent and historic gems this city houses. It is where some of the world’s greatest icons have found their final resting place. I am talking of the infamous Parisian cemetery Père Lachaise.

Père Lachaise is the largest cemetery in Paris city centre and has built up a reputation for being the most popular cemetery in the world. People from all over flock to it to pay tribute to one or more of the many icons buried here.

Although not all are French, they are said to have enhanced French life over the past two hundred years. Père Lachaise is also the site of three World War I memorials.

Among those buried here are prominent figures such as Dutch painter Karel Appel, French philosopher JeanFrançois Lyotard, French singer Edith Piaf, two members of the notorious Rothschild family and The Doors front man, Jim Morrison.

On my most recent weekend sojourn to the French capital with a friend, we had decided that we should pay tribute

to one of our musical heroes, Jim Morrison, and that this ‘tribute’ should be memorable, if not to him, at least to us.

I imagine many a visitor has tried to make their visit to Jim’s grave a memorable experience, trying to emulate the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in which he was embroiled on that tiny square that houses his gravestone. That same rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle caused his premature death, at the tender age of 27, instantly propelling his status and providing him with membership of the high-profile ‘forever 27 club’, which also includes Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and, more recently, Amy Winehouse.

Somehow, we had convinced ourselves that our little tribute would be original and completely befitting. Now, I cannot possibly prove that it was original, but befitting it certainly was. Before entering Père Lachaise we went to a nearby off license and bought a fine-quality whisky, a bottle of Chivas Regal, which is supposed to be strong and smooth, much like Jim we imagined. I’m not a whisky connoisseur at all. In fact, I cannot stand the stuff, so I went with the knowledge of my friend who felt we should honour the LA Woman crooner with good quality. As we approached his grave, hardly taking in all the other prominent residents of Père Lachaise, we discreetly moved over to the side of his gravestone so as to not arouse too much suspicion. We then opened the bottle and poured, or sprinkled, the whisky over the gravestone. Onlookers appeared bemused but smiled in a ‘two thumbs up’ manner, while a nearby camera crew quickly turned their camera towards us to take in this bizarre ritual. Unfortunately, the guard, who came on the scene faster than the speed of light, was less amused. My French is pretty appalling, but his tone of voice spoke volumes. In no uncertain terms, he accused us of being disrespectful. Au contraire, I think Jim would have highly appreciated the gesture. Needless to say, with fits of laughter coming on, we thought it best not to argue with him, which, with our dire French, would have been pointless anyway. So we fled the scene. Hopefully this story will not put you off visiting Père Lachaise. Next time you’re in Paris having a pain au chocolat for breakfast and visiting the Montmartre or the Sacré-Cœur, don’t forget to pay tribute to some of the world’s most iconic figures, and do it in style.

TRAVEL

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‘We had decided that we should pay tribute to one of our musical heroes’

TRAVEL

‘We went to a nearby off license and bought a fine-quality whisky, a bottle of Chivas Regal, which is supposed to be strong and smooth’

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WIN

a trip for two (4* hotel) to Warsaw click here to go to the website >>

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TECHNOLOGY

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TECHNOLOGY

Coming soon in TechBit: Sio-Bytes

By Simon Owusu

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SPOTTED

Where is this in Amsterdam?

By David King

Answer to: sentinelpost@gmail.com

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FILM REVIEW

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Room 2c film By dpmotions

Carnival of souls (1962) Some movies you never forget because they are so cerebral and carried by such sharp, imaginative cinematography.

This film is one to make you dust off your collection of classic black-and-white movie gems and view them all again and again. It will not help you sleep comfortably however, as the hook is compellingly eerie.

Cartoon

By Colin Bentley Avram, one of the customers is complaining that the fish doesn’t taste as good as last week.

That’s very strange, it’s the same fish!

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TRENDS

26 ultimate man repellant: Eskimo boot by Sigerson Morrison, combined with a Dali moustache necklace

some suggestions for man-repeller outfits: if you’re a beginner remember to start with at least one very outspoken piece like glittery pants or artsy shoes and to look for wildly unexpected combinations.

SPOTTED TRENDS

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the lesbian shirt

‘It has nothing to do with looking pretty, but with what is fashionable at the time’

Man Repellent

By Dirkje Bakker-Pierre

All these years I have been wondering why…

Why is it that the most fashionable, in-style, trendy and ‘now’ looks are often not appreciated, or are actually disliked with a vengeance, by most men I know.

I once owned some liver-coloured harem trousers, made of silk. Really gorgeous, really comfy, ultra-hip and, inevitably, really hated.

I own lots of great, loose-fitting, wavy, flowing dresses, that drape around your body in various kinds of very interesting shapes. They are really fashionable, modern and ready to wear to any upscale fashion event. Again, not liked at all.

I have some black overalls but, apparently, these are for mineworkers and farmers. Fair enough. It would be different if it were a cat suit.

Another favourite is the ‘lesbian’ shirt. In other words, my much-loved lumberjack shirts, which I think look great on me. But the fact that they have been dubbed lesbian says it all.

For years I have wondered why fashion designers and stylists create fashion and style that is utterly unattractive to men but very attractive to women. Straight silhouettes, wide and flowing layered gowns, A-line dresses… Why?

My feeling is that that clothes for women are a mind thing; something that has nothing to do with attractiveness but more with creativity and aesthetics. It has nothing to do with the female body shape. It’s the shapes and colours of the garments themselves that excite us.

In a few years time, we may laugh out loud about the clothes we wear today. We don’t mind if we look ridiculous on huge wedges that make you think of clown’s shoes and tent-like garments that reveal no shape at all. It has nothing to do with looking pretty, but with what is fashionable at the time and how we relate to it. It has to do with expression, style and individuality.

Anyway, it has been clear to me for a very long time that this isn’t something that can be explained to the opposite sex. It is something for just us girls to understand and it is great to be able to tell you that now there is a place we can go if we want to be in our own female world of fashion and wear just what we like, independent of the tastes of men.

Man Repeller is a fashion blog that is all about those clothes and styles that we all knew about but never really understood. They are man-repellent clothes. There you have it and so what? Another great new fashion phenomenon understood, labelled and yes, to just have fun with. http://www.manrepeller.com

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SPORT

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The Gold Room

By Denson Pierre

Assuming that the current leader of the FFG-CL retains that position between now (15 November) and this issue’s publication, Simon Owusu will find himself in a familiar situation. For the latest table, see http://thesentinel.eu/ffg/Latest-FFG.htm.

Simon belongs to the school of fantasy managers who prefer to gamble a large portion of the transfers available to them in the first third of the season, in the hope that the advantage they invariably achieve, at this level, will sustain itself through to May. From an administrator’s point of view, this is a high-risk strategy and one that has only ever worked once before in this game’s relatively long history. Once is enough, however, and this time around Simon has selected very wisely. He may even pull it off again, if player fitness levels hold. It is fitting, therefore, that the first challenger to be profiled is: September Eleven GK: Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion) 1.5m – Maybe still the most natural of the young, English, top-level keepers but, in all seriousness, his inclusion here must solely be due to price and historical Watford FC affiliations.

Rating 8.25 DEF: Leighton Baines (Everton) 5.0m – Another sensational season last time around should have seen his agent pressing for a transfer to a team already playing Champions League football, or one with credible ambitions to do so. He can even outscore attacking midfielders and may figure as a key man in this game. But will he and his team be in desperate battle against relegation come March? Rating 8.75 DEF: Fabrizio Coloccini (Newcastle United) 2.0m – Most things in fantasy football that appear unlikely are just that. Fabrizio had a flying start to the season and reigned as top-scoring defender for weeks. It’s all change now as teams have started picking-off Newcastle United.

At this price he will be difficult to replace when the field bunches in the New Year. Rating 8.5 DEF: Jose Enrique (Liverpool) 2.0m – Appears to have moved from the stability and measured improvement at

Newcastle United to the erratic project at Liverpool. Not a world beater. Rating 8.25 DEF: Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea) 4.0m – Seems to have benefitted this season from tips in the Portuguese language. Chelsea still have to decide how much attacking they wish to do. If it is a lot then he will keep his first-team place ahead of better defenders at the club. Rating 8.5 MID: Juan Mata (Chelsea) 3.5m – Came in late and has been impressive. He will continue to have a highly influential season, as he is on a mission to be part of the Spanish starting XI at the Euros, ahead of David Silva. Rating 9.10 MID: Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City) 2.0m – Another decent find, based on performances in the UK’s lower leagues, having climbed through the ranks of Irish football. Full of promise but may understandably save himself in the second half of the season, now that Eire will be competing at the Euros. Rating 8.0 MID: David Silva (Manchester City) 5.5m – The most talked about luxury player at Manchester City so far this season. Performances have been tailing-off of late and he fluffed his lines against a defensive England in the recent international match. Rating 9.0 FWD: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 5.5m – One of the very best in the world. Now a risky acquisition in this game, as his groin injury is recurring. If it leads to surgery, he will be out for at least six weeks. Rating 9.15 FWD: Robin van Persie (Arsenal) 7.5m – The betting is that he will stay fit for more than 85% of the season and maybe return a scoring record like those we were used to in the time of Henry and Van Nistelrooy. Hot tip for player of the season, especially given that performances are coming when the world seems intent on knocking his club team as being this time only average. Rating 9.15 FWD: Danny Graham (Swansea City) 1.5m – A talented budget buy. At this price, all of the 10 (or so) goals and other points he will gain this season should feel like pure bonuses. Rating 8.50 Ratings total (maximum 110) = 95.15 Forecast final position: Top 3

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Robin van Persie - Arsenal

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