New Amsterdam

It is not the end of an era, but a scaling back. Amsterdam has decided that the businesses for which it is best known have brought with them criminal activity. We're not talking about rampant art thievery at the numerous famous galleries. Nor does it have to do with criminal business activities related to international commerce, even though the country ran the first legal piracy ring under the guise of the Dutch East India Company. And it has very little to do with tulips or dikes, in some sense.

Amsterdam to close many brothels, marijuana cafes

The city is targeting businesses that 'generate criminality,' including gambling parlors, and the so-called 'coffee shops' where marijuana is sold openly. Also targeted are peep shows, massage parlors and souvenir shops used by drug dealers for money-laundering.

In related news, Disneyland will be shutting down many of its more popular rides citing that such activities account for the majority of injuries that occur on the property. They want their guests to experience the magic of Disney is a safe environment.

Back to the aforementioned story... All this comes shortly after the city banned the sale of psychedelic mushrooms. What are the tourists left with?

"It'll be a place with 200 windows (for prostitutes) and 30 coffee shops, which you can't find anywhere else in the world - very exciting, but also with cultural attractions," he said. "And you won't have to be embarrassed to say you came."

I don't think anyone has ever been embarrassed to say that. Many people go there expressly to do that. And to smoke pot, of course.

Here is Nevada's big chance. All they have to do is legalize pot, maybe mushrooms, and they can take over as the center of the sex crazed drug fiend universe. Gamblers still welcome.