A reported increase in anti-Semitism and harassment in Amsterdam has Dutch authorities considering an unusual solution: using "decoy Jews" to fight hate crimes. Police officers would go undercover in yarmulkes, roaming the streets in Semitic-drag to suss out haters and harassers.

Tourism boards are finally getting that Facebook is a great way to promote themselves. Sydney offered up a trip down under as a Facebook contest, and even Auschwitz has its own page for promotional purposes. Amsterdam has thrown its clogs 'n' tulips 'n' hash in the ring, offering up a cool contest to win a trip to the stoner city; the catch is you really have to give something up. You enter your information and snap a photo of something you're willing to trade for the free trip to Amsterdam (which includes airfare, a three-night stay at the Lloyd Hotel (breakfast included), topped off with one free dinner). Whatever you're trading in for the trip will be gifted to the Lloyd Hotel and showcased in their lobby.

One of the better parts about Amsterdam, besides the legal sticky icky, the legal red light district, and the bunches of babes on bikes, are the "beer bikes" that tour people around the city. These booze-filled bikes o' fun are under some scrutiny by the government due to two recent, drunken, crashes. Beerbiking tours generally seat about 20 people, including a sober driver. A two-hour tour on the weekend costs about $34 per person, beer included. There's even a special version of the beerbike that includes karaoke. The city is considering putting the brakes on these beer mobiles, but it isn't clear what they mean to do.

2009 marks the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's setting foot in what we now like to call "Manhattan." Hailing from Amsterdam, Hudson tried to dub the city "New Amsterdam," and though the moniker did not stick, NYC is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Dutch founding and subsequent influence on New York. Some of the celebration highlights include "Amsterdam/New Amsterdam: The Worlds of Henry Hudson," exhibiting at the Museum of the City of New York, starting April 4, which will explore Hudson's trip with artifacts like the maps and sextants that steered him there.

Diesel XXX -- not be confused with that unfortunate chrome-domed actor and his unfortunate secret agent movie -- is segueing from industrial clothing brand to international party starter, with a 24-hour global shindig on October 11. The intercontinental soiree will begin in Tokyo and successively stumble to Beijing, Dubai, Athens, Amsterdam, Milan, Zurich, Munich, Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Oslo, Helsinki, London, and Sao Paulo. No New York unfortunately, except for the 5,000-person grand finale we've been granted along Brooklyn's scenic waterfront, hosted by that Mistress of Seduction, Joey Arias, and featuring performances from M.I.A., N.E.R.D, and Hot Chip.

Following the failure of his artwork to sell, Damien Hirst's battered ego gets a lift: His diamond skull is getting picked up by the Amsterdam-based Rijksmuseum for a traveling exhibition. Titled "For the Love of God," the diamond skull will be accompanied by a collection of 17th-century paintings from the museum, handpicked by Hirst -- the overlying theme being the fear of death through the ages. Expected to boost the value of the piece's purportedly initial $100 million price tag through its exposure at more renowned venues, the exhibition will run from November through mid-December.