The Junk Drawer

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Someone was trying to scam me on Facebook. Nice to see they are still operating.

Intensive Community Assistance And Development Program

Intensive Community Assistance And Development Program. 73 likes · 1 talking about this. Community Organization

www.facebook.com

They used my brother in law's name and started a new account with it and asked for a friend request. Since I never talk to him on Facebook I did not remember accepting a request from him and did for the 'new' him.


david.XXXXXX.2024 · Facebook
You're friends on Facebook
You are now connected on Messenger
David XXXXXX

You sent
Hi.

David XXXXXX
How are you doing?



You sent
Good.

David XXXXXX
I was just wondering if you have heard about the ongoing intensive community development service?


You sent
no

David XXXXXX

I'm talking about the ongoing program Helping disabled, retired, old unemployed and youths. I got some funds from them last week, i thought you have heard about it ?
You sent
no

David XXXXXX

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093461407514


Federal government grant

David XXXXXX
You can also apply for the program.

That's the agent info. Click on the link and send them a message now that you want to apply for the ongoing ICDS

You sent
What is the program called?

David XXXXXX
Intensive community development service

You sent
I am having a hard time finding the government web page on the program.


David XXXXXX

Click on the link I sent to you then click on the messenge icon to talk to the agent, she'll help you with all the informations

You sent
Don't you have any paperwork on the program? They would have a letterhead with the check you got.

David XXXXXX
I do, hold on

You sent
Just making diner, I'll be back in a while.


You sent
I'm back


David XXXXXX
ICDS



That's the form I got from the agent

You sent
What do you suggest I use as a business?
David XXXXXX

Your former job if you don't have a business

You sent
Did you find your staple gun? I need to finish those speaker grills for your loving wife.

You sent
OK, that might work. (former job)

David XXXXXX

Did you text the agent?

You sent
Not yet, I am eating in front of the screen.

David XXXXXX
OK.

You sent
Did you find the stapler?

David XXXXXX
Not yet.

You sent
Darn. I bought some staples but they do not fit in mibne

David XXXXXX
I'll let you know as soon as possible.

You sent
Heck, I'll just walk over in a couple of minutes.

David XXXXXX
OK

You sent
Does your doorbel work yet?

David XXXXXX
Yes it does.


You can text the agent now before it get too late I pray

you got qualified and still keep me posted on what ever the agent says and make sure that when you receive your money from her pay off all your old bills and save the rest like i did cause i think is part of life time opportunity don't miss use it...congrats to you

You sent
Heck, I'll throw a party.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The real 'David' would draw blood if he used a staple gun, mostly useless as a brother in law. The loving wife thing? Ha ha ha...

 

[OldMedUser]

Someone was trying to scam me on Facebook. Nice to see they are still operating.

Intensive Community Assistance And Development Program

Intensive Community Assistance And Development Program. 73 likes · 1 talking about this. Community Organization

www.facebook.com

They used my brother in law's name and started a new account with it and asked for a friend request. Since I never talk to him on Facebook I did not remember accepting a request from him and did for the 'new' him.


david.XXXXXX.2024 · Facebook
You're friends on Facebook
You are now connected on Messenger
David XXXXXX

You sent
Hi.

David XXXXXX
How are you doing?



You sent
Good.

David XXXXXX
I was just wondering if you have heard about the ongoing intensive community development service?


You sent
no

David XXXXXX

I'm talking about the ongoing program Helping disabled, retired, old unemployed and youths. I got some funds from them last week, i thought you have heard about it ?
You sent
no

David XXXXXX

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093461407514


Federal government grant
David XXXXXX
You can also apply for the program.

That's the agent info. Click on the link and send them a message now that you want to apply for the ongoing ICDS

You sent
What is the program called?

David XXXXXX
Intensive community development service

You sent
I am having a hard time finding the government web page on the program.


David XXXXXX

Click on the link I sent to you then click on the messenge icon to talk to the agent, she'll help you with all the informations

You sent
Don't you have any paperwork on the program? They would have a letterhead with the check you got.

David XXXXXX
I do, hold on

You sent
Just making diner, I'll be back in a while.


You sent
I'm back


David XXXXXX
ICDS

View attachment 5376261

That's the form I got from the agent

You sent
What do you suggest I use as a business?
David XXXXXX

Your former job if you don't have a business

You sent
Did you find your staple gun? I need to finish those speaker grills for your loving wife.

You sent
OK, that might work. (former job)

David XXXXXX

Did you text the agent?

You sent
Not yet, I am eating in front of the screen.

David XXXXXX
OK.

You sent
Did you find the stapler?

David XXXXXX
Not yet.

You sent
Darn. I bought some staples but they do not fit in mibne

David XXXXXX
I'll let you know as soon as possible.

You sent
Heck, I'll just walk over in a couple of minutes.

David XXXXXX
OK

You sent
Does your doorbel work yet?

David XXXXXX
Yes it does.


You can text the agent now before it get too late I pray

you got qualified and still keep me posted on what ever the agent says and make sure that when you receive your money from her pay off all your old bills and save the rest like i did cause i think is part of life time opportunity don't miss use it...congrats to you

You sent
Heck, I'll throw a party.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The real 'David' would draw blood if he used a staple gun, mostly useless as a brother in law. The loving wife thing? Ha ha ha...

I just had the same type of scam attempted on me yesterday. Got a friend request from an old buddy who I forgot is already on my friend's list but I'd forgot so allowed it.. Asked how I was doing so said not bad, U? Said he was really happy in life and asked if I'd got the notification from PCH.

I replied PCH? He sends a long reply that it was a grant from Publisher's Clearing House and he go $250,000 that was a gift he didn't have to pay back. Some program for low income, elderly etc etc.

What made me suspicious right away was the straightforward and polite way he gave me the news about his windfall. The Tom T. I know would have been all, I got a quarter mill f'n free for f's sake man! Idon't even have to pay shit back ever for f's sake! Half the words would be misspelled as well for sure.

I googled StartPaged 'GBH facebook scam' and got pages. Then I checked out the profile and he had 7 friends and we both had them in common and each of the 2 in common were the same name as the guy scamming me. Got the wife to check out my buddy's FB on her iPad and the real Tom T. had 557 friends of which we had 7 in common. I knew at least 50 of the people on his list so knew I was getting scammed. Reported that shit to FB then sent a message to Tom to let him know what was going on. Got a thumbs up so he knows now.

I don't need no lousy quarter mill anyways. That 5.7 mill from the Nigerian Prince should be hitting my bank account any day now! lol

 

[Sativied]

Where does this fall on the idiot-imbecile scale... the absolute and complete moronic anti-immigration sentiment and its effects in the real world.

I mentioned ASML a few times in this thread, in regards to US and EU pressuring NL to stop selling their printers to China. Printers needed to make the most advanced chips. Everything from your smartphone to generative AI, it would not exist in its current form without ASML. Taiwan.... would be China already. Fuck cheese, windmills, Max Verstappen and the color orange. ASML is the dutch national pride. A spin-off of Philips, largest company of NL, one of largest in Europe. Revenue roughly the same as our nation's anual budget... It's also a strategic asset in geopolitics.

Currently, for the first 5 years, expats, that is foreign workers, aka immigrants, don't have to pay taxes on the first 30% of their income, for 5 years. If that sounds like some unfair advantage, check out the housing costs and cost of living, not to mention cost relocating. Given the huge housing shortage, that tax break is somehow considered an unfair advantage on the housing market (in Amsterdam they complain the americans and others and others steal their precious inner city homes...) and with the anti-immigrant party having won the elections on promises to curb immigration, this is the result:

Dutch government tries to stop ASML from moving out

The Netherlands is increasingly tightening its anti-migrant position. That could push out its largest company, ASML, because of its high dependence on foreign talent.

www.euronews.com

It's strange, back in the day white people destroyed entire forests to create ships to go to Africa and Asia to collect brown people to work for them cheaply, now they walk all this way and suddenly people are like no, you're stealing our jobs and our houses.

We're still sorta in between previous and next government so the previous one (team Rutte) is trying to prevent it but it looks bad. Macron as well as the Germans are ready to pay billions to ASML to come over or create a division. They'll build roads and entire cities if needed.

 

[Fogdog]

Where does this fall on the idiot-imbecile scale... the absolute and complete moronic anti-immigration sentiment and its effects in the real world.

I mentioned ASML a few times in this thread, in regards to US and EU pressuring NL to stop selling their printers to China. Printers needed to make the most advanced chips. Everything from your smartphone to generative AI, it would not exist in its current form without ASML. Taiwan.... would be China already. Fuck cheese, windmills, Max Verstappen and the color orange. ASML is the dutch national pride. A spin-off of Philips, largest company of NL, one of largest in Europe. Revenue roughly the same as our nation's anual budget... It's also a strategic asset in geopolitics.

Currently, for the first 5 years, expats, that is foreign workers, aka immigrants, don't have to pay taxes on the first 30% of their income, for 5 years. If that sounds like some unfair advantage, check out the housing costs and cost of living, not to mention cost relocating. Given the huge housing shortage, that tax break is somehow considered an unfair advantage on the housing market (in Amsterdam they complain the americans and others and others steal their precious inner city homes...) and with the anti-immigrant party having won the elections on promises to curb immigration, this is the result:

Dutch government tries to stop ASML from moving out

The Netherlands is increasingly tightening its anti-migrant position. That could push out its largest company, ASML, because of its high dependence on foreign talent.

www.euronews.com

It's strange, back in the day white people destroyed entire forests to create ships to go to Africa and Asia to collect brown people to work for them cheaply, now they walk all this way and suddenly people are like no, you're stealing our jobs and our houses.

We're still sorta in between previous and next government so the previous one (team Rutte) is trying to prevent it but it looks bad. Macron as well as the Germans are ready to pay billions to ASML to come over or create a division. They'll build roads and entire cities if needed.

Citing a line from this paper,

"Right‐wing populist parties (RWPPs) view immigration as a threat to national identity and cultural and political cohesion."

Missing from that statement is any reference to economic well being. If NL's right wingers are anything like those in the US, they have had it pretty good for a long time. The median family income of Trump voters is almost double the US median family income. Maybe they forgot that "national identity and cultural and political cohesion" doesn't put food on the table or pay the bills. Maybe they forgot what it takes to succeed.

 

[CCGNZ]

Where does this fall on the idiot-imbecile scale... the absolute and complete moronic anti-immigration sentiment and its effects in the real world.

I mentioned ASML a few times in this thread, in regards to US and EU pressuring NL to stop selling their printers to China. Printers needed to make the most advanced chips. Everything from your smartphone to generative AI, it would not exist in its current form without ASML. Taiwan.... would be China already. Fuck cheese, windmills, Max Verstappen and the color orange. ASML is the dutch national pride. A spin-off of Philips, largest company of NL, one of largest in Europe. Revenue roughly the same as our nation's anual budget... It's also a strategic asset in geopolitics.

Currently, for the first 5 years, expats, that is foreign workers, aka immigrants, don't have to pay taxes on the first 30% of their income, for 5 years. If that sounds like some unfair advantage, check out the housing costs and cost of living, not to mention cost relocating. Given the huge housing shortage, that tax break is somehow considered an unfair advantage on the housing market (in Amsterdam they complain the americans and others and others steal their precious inner city homes...) and with the anti-immigrant party having won the elections on promises to curb immigration, this is the result:

Dutch government tries to stop ASML from moving out

The Netherlands is increasingly tightening its anti-migrant position. That could push out its largest company, ASML, because of its high dependence on foreign talent.

www.euronews.com

It's strange, back in the day white people destroyed entire forests to create ships to go to Africa and Asia to collect brown people to work for them cheaply, now they walk all this way and suddenly people are like no, you're stealing our jobs and our houses.

We're still sorta in between previous and next government so the previous one (team Rutte) is trying to prevent it but it looks bad. Macron as well as the Germans are ready to pay billions to ASML to come over or create a division. They'll build roads and entire cities if needed.

Does the same feeling pervade accepting new citizens/immigrants possessing world class football talent?

 

[cannabineer]

Citing a line from this paper,

"Right‐wing populist parties (RWPPs) view immigration as a threat to national identity and cultural and political cohesion."

Missing from that statement is any reference to economic well being. If NL's right wingers are anything like those in the US, they have had it pretty good for a long time. The median family income of Trump voters is almost double the US median family income. Maybe they forgot that "national identity and cultural and political cohesion" doesn't put food on the table or pay the bills. Maybe they forgot what it takes to succeed.

If we posit that the objective of RWPPs is overthrow, I see this as an unspoken admission that these actors are deliberately enabling injury to the economy. A financially strained voting public is more easily led to internalize the propaganda, then take it to the ballot box.

The German lesson of ninety-one years ago applies.

 

[Sativied]

Does the same feeling pervade accepting new citizens/immigrants possessing world class football talent?

No, whether it’s soccer or running marathons, that’s instant “we/us” status and “please sign this poster for my kid”.

 

[Fogdog]

If we posit that the objective of RWPPs is overthrow, I see this as an unspoken admission that these actors are deliberately enabling injury to the economy. A financially strained voting public is more easily led to internalize the propaganda, then take it to the ballot box.

The German lesson of ninety-one years ago applies.

There are a few similarities to the German lesson in 1933, mostly that a populist political party called up hatred of minority groups and convinced a large voting bloc that they threatened their culture and wellbeing. Trump even uses the exact same language and emotional appeals in his speeches as that other man. Maybe the same thing is happening in some EU countries too.

What I don't see is the same economic distress that was going on in Germany at the time. Trump and certain right wing populists in Europe talk as if the sky is falling but Europe's and the US's economies are pretty strong and have been for nearly forty years. As you point out, there doesn't seem to be any concern for what right wing authoritarian policies do to a country's economy among western populist politicians. Just looking at the issue that Sativied posted about, I'm wondering how well the economic risk to NL is understood by the base of the political party that seems to be driving ASML away. If they are farmers, do they care? Maybe they should, if they want their children to have a good life or maybe they think that farming is the way toward prosperity. Which brings me to the question of what the base of the US populist political party is thinking when they support cutting funding to schools. Do they think that by ending immigration into this country, agricultural worker's wages and conditions will improve enough so that their kids can prosper when they can barely add and subtract?

 

[hanimmal]

There are a few similarities to the German lesson in 1933, mostly that a populist political party called up hatred of minority groups and convinced a large voting bloc that they threatened their culture and wellbeing. Trump even uses the exact same language and emotional appeals in his speeches as that other man. Maybe the same thing is happening in some EU countries too.

What I don't see is the same economic distress that was going on in Germany at the time. Trump and certain right wing populists in Europe talk as if the sky is falling but Europe's and the US's economies are pretty strong and have been for nearly forty years. As you point out, there doesn't seem to be any concern for what right wing authoritarian policies do to a country's economy among western populist politicians. Just looking at the issue that Sativied posted about, I'm wondering how well the economic risk to NL is understood by the base of the political party that seems to be driving ASML away. If they are farmers, do they care? Maybe they should, if they want their children to have a good life or maybe they think that farming is the way toward prosperity. Which brings me to the question of what the base of the US populist political party is thinking when they support cutting funding to schools. Do they think that by ending immigration into this country, agricultural worker's wages and conditions will improve enough so that their kids can prosper when they can barely add and subtract?

Well outside of the manufacturable outrages like property values causing issues with new entrances into homeownership and high gas prices (thanks to foreign investment buying up our real estate and gas bag nations jacking up prices at the pump during our elections) everything here is going pretty well.

I forgot where I was going with this.

 

[cannabineer]

There are a few similarities to the German lesson in 1933, mostly that a populist political party called up hatred of minority groups and convinced a large voting bloc that they threatened their culture and wellbeing. Trump even uses the exact same language and emotional appeals in his speeches as that other man. Maybe the same thing is happening in some EU countries too.

What I don't see is the same economic distress that was going on in Germany at the time. Trump and certain right wing populists in Europe talk as if the sky is falling but Europe's and the US's economies are pretty strong and have been for nearly forty years. As you point out, there doesn't seem to be any concern for what right wing authoritarian policies do to a country's economy among western populist politicians. Just looking at the issue that Sativied posted about, I'm wondering how well the economic risk to NL is understood by the base of the political party that seems to be driving ASML away. If they are farmers, do they care? Maybe they should, if they want their children to have a good life or maybe they think that farming is the way toward prosperity. Which brings me to the question of what the base of the US populist political party is thinking when they support cutting funding to schools. Do they think that by ending immigration into this country, agricultural worker's wages and conditions will improve enough so that their kids can prosper when they can barely add and subtract?

Your last point is sound and rather concerning.
As for strong economies, I have a speculation about that, more sentiment than reasoned conclusion at this point.

It hinges on a perceived and fairly recent disconnect between corporate and popular welfare. Employers are producing goods and services at a vigorous rate, but wages and especially benefits are contracted in real terms. So the economy of US or NL is doing well, but the profits are going to the labor force to a lower proportion than say at the turn of the century.

Here and elsewhere the cost of living, notably renting or buying a place to live, has gone up more than real wages. Used cars are priced substantially higher than they were twenty years ago. So (from my limited perspective in meep meep country) I see people struggling while the cost of a Big Mac meal has gone to $12.

The leading example of this is the robust performance of the major stock market indices. The folks making bank on this are the executive class who benefit from the current neoliberal policies.

Mind you, all this is a synthesis of my observations and insufficiently checked against news and analyses.

 

[Sativied]

Citing a line from this paper,

"Right‐wing populist parties (RWPPs) view immigration as a threat to national identity and cultural and political cohesion."

Missing from that statement is any reference to economic well being. If NL's right wingers are anything like those in the US, they have had it pretty good for a long time. The median family income of Trump voters is almost double the US median family income. Maybe they forgot that "national identity and cultural and political cohesion" doesn't put food on the table or pay the bills. Maybe they forgot what it takes to succeed.

Trump and Wilders (our far-right blondie who won the elections) can trade anti-immigration lines and they’ll both still sound the same. “Close the borders, a (muslim-) tsunami of immigrants, criminals and rapists, start using live ammo during riots…“ Wilders has been at it for decades though.

It’s a very similar situation, especially given that right-wingers includes big and small corp (nearly 20% of the workforce is at least partly self-employment) and the not-at-all-poor farmers and the christians who insist Jesus was white. And also the deplorables. I don’t think it’s double here but aside from a small minority people still have it ‘pretty good’. Average financial wealth per citizen is 50% higher than in Belgium, which ranks second in EU... So it’s all relative anyway.

People buying Lays and Heinz at premium rates, 3 or more different streaming service subscriptions, the latest pocket super computers and a tablet for themselves and every kid old enough to hold one up, a seemingly endless amount of jobs available, 15bucks minimum wage, practically free healthcare, practically free education for their kids, government pension… those people whine how things used to be better. Still get free money, a house and health insurance if you’re poor, just like the immigrants. It’s been said current generations unlike previous don’t have it better than their parents... lol right…

“As part-time champions of Europe, the Dutch work an average of 29 hours per week — the lowest of any industrialized nation, according to the OECD. (The average American, by comparison, works roughly 43 hours per week.)”

But yeah, that’s what Wilders is all about, “national identity and cultural cohesion”. sounds like a basis for repopulation theory. Our national identity, if anything, is multiculti. It’s not like some white shithole in the east where they get upset over a sudden influx of poc, it’s like New York saying we need to protect our identity and rents from increasing further by blaming immigrants.

The legit grievance is the housing crisis, it’s extreme, but it’s not caused by immigrants, neither refugees or expats. I have a conspiracy theory where a few thousand rich families in NL, the elite, the 1% that owns 27% of the wealth, who heavily invested (in the neo-liberal sense @cannabineer) in real estate, don’t want the housing crisis solved. “Housemilkers”… that needs no explanation. That high average wealth comes from home ownership and ever increasing value of real estate, it’s partly a bubble.

Over a quarter of homes in NL are social housing, for rent, former government service, privatized in the 90s to encourage market forces. The new private owners figured out not building new homes increases value of their current assets. It still requires a waiting list, anywhere from a few years up to 16 years or longer depending on the region/city. Immigrants who received status are given priority (housing is a right). So people see a home, often large and renewed isolated with solar panels, floor heatimg and heatpumps, in their neighborhood or town being given to ‘foreigners’ instead of their adult kids or themselves. That stings for some. A 100k Ukrainians exacerbated the shortage in already one of the most densely populated EU nations. But then, who’s going to build those homes if not immigrants and foreign workers… ah yes, bricklaying robots:



This issue is why Rutte’s cabinet fell last year. Pretty much over nothing. He couldn’t get the coalition, in particular some christians, to agree with a new immigration law that would restrict family reunification migrants from also getting more family over. An issue that in reality happens so rarely it’s a complete non-issue. It’s also why a new cabinet hasn’t been formed yet, disagreement over immigration.

If you read @cannabineer’s posts on neo-liberalism, that‘s what happened. Rutte is a self-proclaimed Reagan and Tatcher fan when it comes to economics. It made the rich richer and resulted in downsizing of social services and the welfare state. But yeah, they still got it pretty good and it’s definitely not going to get better with far-right at the wheel. What we need is a swing back to left, not further right.

 

[OldMedUser]

Back in the day when most immigration to north america were white people from European countries it was a lot easier tho even the Irish had a rough time of it when they first showed up in quantity.

Now that most European countries are doing well that source has dried up but immigrants are still needed in large quantities in both Canada and the US to power the constant growth required to keep our capitalistic societies prospering.

Immigrants have always proven to be an asset to both our countries regardless of race and both countries need to vastly improve immigration policies and turnover times. Allowing those waiting for approval while here to work and contribute to society would help.

Here in Canada immigration is being blamed by many for the housing crisis but we made a mess of that ourselves. My lower middle class parents could afford to own property, build a modest summer cabin and sock away savings when I was growing up. Now even solid middle class people struggle to do the same while those in lower earning brackets have given up on home ownership or even starting a family.

We need to place the blame where it belongs. On past and present governments who sold their souls to corporate greed concentrating wealth in the hands of a few at the cost of the many.

I'm going to leave it there or I'll be ranting for pages.

 

[cannabineer]

Trump and Wilders (our far-right blondie who won the elections) can trade anti-immigration lines and they’ll both still sound the same. “Close the borders, a (muslim-) tsunami of immigrants, criminals and rapists, start using live ammo during riots…“ Wilders has been at it for decades though.

It’s a very similar situation, especially given that right-wingers includes big and small corp (nearly 20% of the workforce is at least partly self-employment) and the not-at-all-poor farmers and the christians who insist Jesus was white. And also the deplorables. I don’t think it’s double here but aside from a small minority people still have it ‘pretty good’. Average financial wealth per citizen is 50% higher than in Belgium, which ranks second in EU... So it’s all relative anyway.

People buying Lays and Heinz at premium rates, 3 or more different streaming service subscriptions, the latest pocket super computers and a tablet for themselves and every kid old enough to hold one up, a seemingly endless amount of jobs available, 15bucks minimum wage, practically free healthcare, practically free education for their kids, government pension… those people whine how things used to be better. Still get free money, a house and health insurance if you’re poor, just like the immigrants. It’s been said current generations unlike previous don’t have it better than their parents... lol right…

“As part-time champions of Europe, the Dutch work an average of 29 hours per week — the lowest of any industrialized nation, according to the OECD. (The average American, by comparison, works roughly 43 hours per week.)”

But yeah, that’s what Wilders is all about, “national identity and cultural cohesion”. sounds like a basis for repopulation theory. Our national identity, if anything, is multiculti. It’s not like some white shithole in the east where they get upset over a sudden influx of poc, it’s like New York saying we need to protect our identity and rents from increasing further by blaming immigrants.

The legit grievance is the housing crisis, it’s extreme, but it’s not caused by immigrants, neither refugees or expats. I have a conspiracy theory where a few thousand rich families in NL, the elite, the 1% that owns 27% of the wealth, who heavily invested (in the neo-liberal sense @cannabineer) in real estate, don’t want the housing crisis solved. “Housemilkers”… that needs no explanation. That high average wealth comes from home ownership and ever increasing value of real estate, it’s partly a bubble.

Over a quarter of homes in NL are social housing, for rent, former government service, privatized in the 90s to encourage market forces. The new private owners figured out not building new homes increases value of their current assets. It still requires a waiting list, anywhere from a few years up to 16 years or longer depending on the region/city. Immigrants who received status are given priority (housing is a right). So people see a home, often large and renewed isolated with solar panels, floor heatimg and heatpumps, in their neighborhood or town being given to ‘foreigners’ instead of their adult kids or themselves. That stings for some. A 100k Ukrainians exacerbated the shortage in already one of the most densely populated EU nations. But then, who’s going to build those homes if not immigrants and foreign workers… ah yes, bricklaying robots:

View attachment 5376970

This issue is why Rutte’s cabinet fell last year. Pretty much over nothing. He couldn’t get the coalition, in particular some christians, to agree with a new immigration law that would restrict family reunification migrants from also getting more family over. An issue that in reality happens so rarely it’s a complete non-issue. It’s also why a new cabinet hasn’t been formed yet, disagreement over immigration.

If you read @cannabineer’s posts on neo-liberalism, that‘s what happened. Rutte is a self-proclaimed Reagan and Tatcher fan when it comes to economics. It made the rich richer and resulted in downsizing of social services and the welfare state. But yeah, they still got it pretty good and it’s definitely not going to get better with far-right at the wheel. What we need is a swing back to left, not further right.

That robot is not doing a good job.

 

[Sativied]

Just looking at the issue that Sativied posted about, I'm wondering how well the economic risk to NL is understood by the base of the political party that seems to be driving ASML away.

Indirectly there are hundreds of other companies and tens of thousands of people making a good living providing services and supplies to ASML. Most of the base definitely doesn’t understand how much they too indirectly profit from international trade. What cannabineer said applies here too, but it’s only relatively here, the rich got richer, but even the small percentage below poverty threshold isn’t like poor poor. They supposedly have a problem with so much money going to address climate change, but don’t realize who effectively pays for it and who reaps the benefits. Floorheating… not just in the livingroom, pretty much everywhere.

It largely remains unclear what exactly the far-right voters want aside from not left again, what type of society they envision is better than what we got. And for who…

What I don't see is the same economic distress that was going on in Germany at the time.

Now imagine how popular far-right and impopular immigrants would, or god forbid will, be if something like that happens. Another pandemic, ww3…

Here in Canada immigration is being blamed by many for the housing crisis but we made a mess of that ourselves.

I said before I find it straight up suspicious we have such similar problems. I noticed your housing prices are even more insane but aside from that it’s like a copied-and-pasted problem.

 

[cannabineer]

Indirectly there are hundreds of other companies and tens of thousands of people making a good living providing services and supplies to ASML. Most of the base definitely doesn’t understand how much they too indirectly profit from international trade. What cannabineer said applies here too, but it’s only relatively here, the rich got richer, but even the small percentage below poverty threshold isn’t like poor poor. They supposedly have a problem with so much money going to address climate change, but don’t realize who effectively pays for it and who reaps the benefits. Floorheating… not just in the livingroom, pretty much everywhere.

It largely remains unclear what exactly the far-right voters want aside from not left again, what type of society they envision is better than what we got. And for who…


Now imagine how popular far-right and impopular immigrants would, or god forbid will, be if something like that happens. Another pandemic, ww3…


I said before I find it straight up suspicious we have such similar problems. I noticed your housing prices are even more insane but aside from that it’s like a copied-and-pasted problem.

I would think the average Dutch voter would be very aware of climate change. Yours is one of the nations to whom it is a more immediate and existential threat than most.

 

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EU Parliament sues Commission over release of frozen funds to Hungary

The European Parliament has made good on its threat and will file a lawsuit against the European Commission over the release of €10.2 billion in frozen funds to Hungary. #EuropeNews

www.euronews.com

Democratically elected government body sues non-democratically selected (though approved by parliament) executive government. Commission is accountable to parliament.

Commission let themselves be blackmailed by Orban (he argues it's the other way around, but money in exchange for a more liberal democracy is what they signed up for. Take it or leave already.) Parliament isn't having it.

So Orban still might not get anything in return for holding up support for Ukraine either.

 

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In Hoek van Holland, a 9-year-old boy killed several rabbits and guinea pigs at a petting farm. He had visited the farm before without issues but lost control this time. The incident, reported by RTV Rijnmond, occurred on a Monday. The boy strangled seven to nine rabbits and two guinea pigs. The farm's manager was shocked, noting the boy showed no emotion after the act. Although the police and the boy's parents were informed, he cannot be prosecuted due to his age and will soon enter a care program.

There's good news too: "Not all animals on the farm were killed. The boy reportedly said he couldn't catch them all."

 

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Asked whether he preferred wine or Belgium beer, Obama quipped 'vodka'.



Obama at a techno festival in Belgium... Or so that's what my brain made of what my eyes read.

In my defense, the rave festival in Israel where the massacre on Oct 7th happened was also called SuperNova festival and the Belgian use of language can be confusing. Turns out... it was a technology summit/expo:

Obama at Belgian technology festival: “Trump is leading us to the abyss"

www.vrt.be

 

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A personal note, just because it was really weird. I got a call from a woman saying I have an appointment tomorrow at 1:00. She told me the doctor's name but English not being her first language I could not understand her. No point asking again, it will just sound the same, just go see what it says on my calendar in my email program. Nothing. Now what, phone all my Dr's until I find the one? Then thought, could I find out the number that just phoned me? Seems I can, *69 or something. Got the number, googled it, got a medical building across town. So not me, should phone them and let them know. Phoned and they give the different numbers for the 30 odd different doctors. Now what? Had it repeat the different doctors and part way through I just selected a number and I'll ask the person if there was some way I can track down the right doctor. Talked to the woman and explained the situation, guess what? It was the woman that told me I had an appointment tomorrow? What are the chances (well, 1 in 30 I would guess) of me picking the right doctor.

I would go out and pick up a lottery ticket now but I think I used up the limited amount of luck I have.

 

[Sativied]

An AI robot is spotting sick tulips to slow the spread of disease through Dutch bulb fields

An artificial intelligence robot is a new high-tech weapon in the battle to root out disease from Dutch tulip fields as they erupt into a riot of springtime color.

apnews.com

Back in the less technologically advanced days, before everyone became either a youtuber or a life coach or an onlyfans model (actually that last one I see temporarily as a positive development, independent women...), that tulip inspection job was actually not a terrible job. Many predicted robots will take over jobs from humans, but so far I see a lot of jobs being done by robots for which there are no longer people available. Labor that requires putting away the smartphone.

Crawling tulip and potato fields, harvesting out of the soil by hand, was most of my summer holiday as a teenager. Farm towns allowed tents on their local soccer club's fields temporarily. Work 3-4 weeks, meet new people girls, then spend it all in a week. For some kids, it was how they afforded the books and other tuition costs. Others worked all summer vacation to buy their first car. Nowadays... stupid ass kid whine about whatever the fuck social media tells them is important. Spoiled snowflakes they are.

I oppose free government/tax-payer sponsored access (to universities and colleges) as long as anyone student can easily get a job to pay for it all. Restaurants and bars are going out of business cause students are too spoiled to serve my beer for 15 bucks an hour. That's like 4 times what I got digging up tulip bulbs and there's hasn't been 300% inflation since... except on the price of beer! In a social democracy with lazy spoiled kids, neo-liberal capitalism suddenly doesn't look that bad anymore.

Things sure have changed. There's autonomous drones flying in greenhouses hunting and killing moths, robots scanning and harvesting tomatoes and bell peppers at the ideal time, asparagus-harvesting robots that can look in the ground. Most of them don't reduce the costs, it's more often than not not about replacing expensive humans, but about surviving.

If you really wanted to make good money fast, milk cows. Hard work, horrible hours, but good pay. Nowadays...

Weeeee....

Best summer job I had was watering plants in a greenhouse. Hot summer days, shorts and t-shirt, and just my thumb to control the water coming from the hose. That job too, no longer exists.