The Net is Dead

Marco van Hylckama Vlieg on web technology, design, life and everything

Commentary

Join the discussion! Leave a comment through the comment form below!

• At 28 January '06 - 10:23 Bram wrote:

  

  Although I fully resent everything which has happened, I feel there’s something missing in this story, which apparently no one seems to know. Why did she get arrested and put in jail if all papers and stuff were in order?
  What was the reason? It seems like there isn’t any legit one? Not from this story. If this is true then the judge will let her go and justice will be done (hopefully, if the ‘system’ works).
  If there actually is a legit reason to put her in jail, then I would like to know what it is so we can have a real discussion about this reason, this procedure.

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 10:31 Marco wrote:

  

  Throwing someone in jail is the common procedure before deporting someone here. It’s not the same jail in which they hold criminals but it’s still the same thing: a jail in which you’re locked up in a cell.
  
  This story is an example of what happens all the time. Not all of them reach the news but this kind of rubbish happens a lot. It’s what you get when you place procedures above people.

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 11:14 Bram wrote:

  

  I know this happens all the time and I know she was put in jail to be deported. But why?
  From the story posted here I understand she had all the papers needed to stay for a couple of months here in the Netherlands?
  What did she so wrong in the first place?
  
  The fact that she’s thrown in jail doesn’t really make me angry. If it happened without a plausible reason, then it’s time to get upset and pissed of!
  It’s not for nothing that people get thrown in jail when they are being deported. Those procedures you’re talking about are there for a reason.
  
  What I’m trying to say is, that the info needed for a real discussion is missing. The only reaction I can give on this post is that it is sad what has happened :(

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 11:18 Marco wrote:

  

  If there’d be ‘solid reasons’ for this, the authorities would be the first to let the press know about it now wouldn’t they? I’m guessing it’s some procedure that screwed up along the way. And since we’re putting procedures above people here this is the result.
  
  If I compare this case to for example hate preaching imam’s who can hardly be kicked out of the country or wannabe terrorists who can’t be kept in jail for whatever screwed up reason I think something is seriously wrong in this country.

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 11:26 Bram wrote:

  

  Good point! I guess the fact that a judge has to be called upon to decide whether Taida will be removed out of Holland (I hate the word ‘deported’ ...) says more then enough.
  It’s indeed probably some stupid tiny screwup. It still keeps me puzzled, maybe we can start a campaign to bribe the judge?

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 11:29 Nathan Smith wrote:

  

  I can relate. My wife is going through this on a smaller level. She’s Russian, and was in the United States for college and grad school. Now that she’s graduated, her student visa is expired, and she can’t work. How ironic is that, to have a masters degree and not be eligible for employment? We’re hoping and praying that her green card comes soon. What can I say, governments can be stupid sometimes.

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 12:33 Marco wrote:

  

  That sucks Nathan!
  
  Does the fact that she’s your WIFE not make any difference? I’m baffled…

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 12:50 stefan wrote:

  

  I join you in bowing my head. Unbelievable.

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 17:44 Jesse wrote:

  

  I agree with Bram: “Although I fully resent everything which has happened, I feel there’s something missing in this story, which apparently no one seems to know. “
  
  I think its just shinnanigans, poor girl :(

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 19:52 DavroN wrote:

  

  I have the same sht,
  My friend After the public school in New York,
  got in to the private school,
  Everything is going well, but I hope he won’t get the hell out of here soon, because his mother’s documents are “not good”.
  
  fuck that!!
  
  Nathan, you know, Russia has something similar, Illegal workers and students, who escaped from even worse situations are sent back home.
  
  even though Russia is A BIG ASS country
  
  nobody cares!?

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 23:18 Margarida wrote:

  

  We must absolutely go on asking why this happened.

  
  

• At 28 January '06 - 23:30 Marco wrote:

  

  As soon as any news comes out on why this happened I’ll definitely edit this entry and add the news! For now there’s only these facts available.

  
  

• At 29 January '06 - 01:52 Tobias wrote:

  

  This ‘situation’ is unfortunately not ‘one of a kind’, it happens quite frequently here in the Netherlands.
  
  But I would like to add another dimension to this discussion, namely an economic perspective (which does not imply I don’t care about the humane side of it). For me it’s hard to understand why a government (and via taxes the people) invests in people by giving them an education (any idea how much an education ‘costs’ these days?) and after that just sends them ‘away’. I just don’t understand this. These well educated and completely integrated people can really make a difference once they start working. Yeah, I know, f*cking procedures.
  
  I to bow my head in shame and hope one day the authorities get the insight people like all those who left a comment here, Nathan’s wife and Taida have.

  
  

• At 29 January '06 - 01:57 Ronald wrote:

  

  Marco, I can understand your concern about the position the Netherlands is taking in the case of illegal (!) inhabitants of the Netherlands. The story is – as many stories – the view of one side, and in this case this is the side of the classmates of Taida. I didn’t expect it from you to just take over this one-sided view, it would have been better to gain more information about this story before naming the Dutch government selfish.
  I think you should remember that one of the reasons a government exsists is the creation and guardance of rules for society. As one rule is that every inhabitant of the Netherlands should have a permit to stay here, it is the duty of the government to act according this rule. Years have passed that people could stay here without having the permits necessary for that, that’s wrong. We should have act earlier. But that doesn’t change that these people are here illegal – something they chose for themselves. When you or I do some that’s illegal, it’s obvious that we get punished. The argument that you’re speeding for 5 years on the same road doesn’t take away that you should pay when you suddenly get a fine.
  My point: rules are there to keep, and remember that a story from someone is always one-sided. The complete story can give you a complete other conclusion than defining current society as selfish.

  
  

• At 29 January '06 - 02:33 Marco wrote:

  

  @Ronald> An educated guess results in the assumption that some rules were probably broken and/or followed incorrectly. I’ll correct myself if the news will turn out to reveal something else (like she being a criminal or something else dramatically unexpected) But let’s assume some rules weren’t followed correctly. The ‘rules are rules!’-mentality which has taken over our society is exactly what I’m talking about here. Please do correct me if I’m wrong but you seem to be one of the ‘rules are rules!’ sayers as well when I read your comment.
  
  That’s all fine with me but it’s exactly this mentality that I consider heartless. Rules are great and I agree a strict policy is probably necessary but when we start following rules blindly without ever looking at what kind of case we’re actually confronted with we’re really on a road to hell as far as our society is concerned. It takes a heart to be able to make exceptions where appropriate no matter how strict the rules may be.
  
  Note that this is my personal opinion which is why I wrote it down on this blog. I don’t feel good about being part of a heartless society. If anyone else does: good for you!

  
  

• At 29 January '06 - 03:24 Cor wrote:

  

  I agree with Marco to be ashamed living in this country lately. It´s pretty clear the Netherlands have changed since the beginning of this century, with people mistakingly thinking the right of free speech means you can be openly racist. Didn´t we use to think that people are intrinsically good? Nowadays foreigners are always treated criminals and some times worse.
  
  Yes, there are facts missing from this story, but this is no way to treat a human being. She didn’t kill anyone did she? We don’t put tax evaders in jail… (not before they had a decent trial anyway)
  
  Rules are indeed here to benefit society and need to be followed. But not mindlessly. When these rules are wrong, isn’t it our duty to stand up and question these rules?
  
  We have changed into a country of cold hearted people. Governed by so-called liberals removing our civils rights bit by bit, mostly the rights foreign people. A government I did not choose…

  
  

• At 29 January '06 - 06:31 Verbal Jam wrote:

  Just like Marco I’m very angry about this. It’s not a discussion about the rules, it’s a discussion about the way these rules are administered.
  The purpose of the rules is to prevent foreigners to stay in the Netherlands illegally, that is: people who don’t really need asylum. That way there is more room for people that really do need asylum.
  Taida was a fugitive from Kosovo since 1999. In the opinion of the authorities it was safe enough to go back now.
  BUT: no purpose is served by sending back someone who is just 4 months away from her final exam. No purpose is served by putting an 18 year old girl in a prison, just to make sure she does leave the country.
  When you act like this as a government, the word ‘deportation’ surely does apply!

  
  

• At 30 January '06 - 00:40 PSZ wrote:

  So Marco, When are you leaving The Netherlands and where are you heading ?

  
  

• At 30 January '06 - 01:06 Marco wrote:

  

  PSZ> Before my forties. At least that’s the plan. I don’t feel like getting old in this country. Where? It will depend on the opportunities available.

  
  

• At 30 January '06 - 22:43 Edmund Yeo wrote:

  

  Damn, it is pretty horrible to see something like this happen. Can’t remember that much about Holland, went there when I was 8, and that’s 14 years ago.

  
  

• At 31 January '06 - 01:31 Layla wrote:

  Thank you for this post Marco. I want to add my t wo cents here. To me it seems that ever since the new coalition things have been going downhill in the Netherlands. Our ministers care only about regulations, trying to save what isnt even lost. I understand the strict immigrant-policy. But what pisses me off is that they ‘throw out’ families that have lived here for more than a few years. Families that are building up a life. They let them in years ago, now they have a responsibility towards them.
  
  Im moving elsewhere too before I reach 25.
  (Which is 4 more years…)

  
  

• At 31 January '06 - 05:39 Seven wrote:

  

  A Canadian family who are friends of mine experienced something similar last year here in the United States. They had been living in south Florida for 4 years.
  
  Every year they had to physically leave the country and return to apply for a new annual work visa. They would either drive to Mexico (because it is easier to get a new visa at the border crossing there) or they would take a boat to the Bahama Islands turn around and come back.
  
  Last year they went back to Canada to visit a sick relative. But they were not allowed back into the United States because of an error on the Visa that was made by U.S. Customs agent in Florida the year before. They were told that if they were caught in the U.S. they would face 5 years in prison.
  Everything they owned was here in the U.S. but they could not come back. So they mailed me a key to their apartment and I drove over 3k miles (round trip) to pack their belongings and have them shipped to Canada.
  It is amazing how backwards our countries laws can be, because it is very easy to find illegal immigrants working here. Yet they treat those who try to play by the rules as criminals without any hesitation.
  All in the name of ‘Homeland Security’ of course.

  
  

• At 31 January '06 - 12:50 GRID8400 wrote:

  

  biggest problem I believe is that they don’t see you as a person anymore, and you are just a number. So they apply the rules on you as a case / or number. Its again, a sad case.. and i bow my head with you marco…

  
  

• At 31 January '06 - 15:26 geert wrote:

  It has the looks of some ‘ambtenaar’ covering its ass by applying the letter of the law and not its spirit…
  
  This evening there was an item on dutch radio 3FM. There is a [url=http://www.bincweb.nl/taida/]petition[/url]
  you can sign (it’s in dutch, but you just need to fill out your name and city)

  
  

• At 31 January '06 - 16:12 Seven wrote:

  

  I also think they (the govt) fear setting any type of precedence in the sense that someone who really does deserve extradition, could fight it on the grounds that you allowed another person to stay in similar circumstances. In other words they would be opening the system up to abuse, and making the laws useless when needed most.
  But this way of thinking, where everything is black and white ultimately hurts the innocent such as Taida. There must be a better way.

  
  

• At 03 February '06 - 03:54 stefan wrote:

  

  there is hope.
  
  according to “this article”:http://www.nu.nl/news/667444/11/Ta�da_mag_voorlopig_in_Nederland_blijven.html taida can stay in the netherlands.

  
  

• At 03 February '06 - 03:58 Marco wrote:

  

  @stefan> guess you didn’t notice the update I placed below the posting

  
  

• At 03 February '06 - 05:20 stefan wrote:

  

  ok, now I start doubting myself… which was first, my comment or your update

  
  

• At 03 February '06 - 07:28 Marco wrote:

  

  Unfortunately I had to update it again after finding out what’s really going on. The judge decided she’s allowed to await a decision in freedom. The IND might still kick her out of the country next week…. fingers crossed!

  
  

• At 05 February '06 - 04:14 Gabrichidze wrote:

  

  Bram, which century do you live in? In 21 century Western World(not only in Holland but also in USA and many other places) government does not need a legitimate reason to put someone behind the bars. If some government data base says that Bram should be detained you will be detained without any explanation from the government and it will be a long and hard work to get you out.
  Only reason why this story made it into the news and some politicians began to move fat ass around is because this time a white christian girl was screwed. Would she be a Fatima or Zefira from some North African or middle eastern country no one, excluding may be her classmates will be ever bothered and most likely she would rot in jail until getting deported..
  It is Anna Frank story over and over.

  
  

• At 05 February '06 - 04:35 gabrichidze wrote:

  

  “wannabe terrorists who can’t be kept in jail for whatever screwed up reason “
  
  Wannabe terrorists are BORN n this country. Plus their “terrorism” is as questionable as the guilt of this young woman. I live in Amsterdam Bos en lommer(no, I am not Muslim, Islamist, tuk or moroccan) and given the fact that some of those alleged terrorists lived in the neighborhood there are many questions people want to ask about governments role here.
  This is apart from so called “Seveke affair”: I mean article of Dutch political activist and human rights watchdog Lotus Seveke from Nijmegen published in solid HRC newspaper. Seveke claimed that Dutch security agency, AIVD acctully supplied the local migrant youngsters with weapons and grenades, enjineered the “Al Qaeda“cells in the country and then attacked hem for propaganda reasons.He backed his claims with some solid facts. Court hearing was set to discuss the issue but few days after the publication Seveke was shot by lone gunman and case was closed.
  Back to “wannabe terrorist”-they can’t be put behind the bars because courts ruled that in many cases government has as much rights to detain them as they had in this girls case. Some 17 or 18 year olds have been arrested simply for making some crazy joke in the school or simply because their behavior seem suspicious to overzealous government security agency; NO EVIDENCE whatsoever was found that many of this Amsterdammers of North African(Moroccan)origin had ever planned any attack or had any weapons or ammo in eire disposal.

  
  

• At 12 February '06 - 06:45 rachel wrote:

  

  The young girl should be allowed to study in the States. I am British by birth, but had the privelage of having been educated in the States. I think she should have that privelage.
  
  She will be able to represent her birthplace and make a cultural exchange. She may even do something spectacular with that education.

  
  

• At 12 February '06 - 07:44 momento mori wrote:

  Well the only thing I think about is that holland has legalized the marijuana, weed etc :) :)

  
  

• At 12 February '06 - 15:34 Mikhail wrote:

  Well, say thanks to Mewr. Verdonk (I hope I’ve spelled her lastname correctly). All business (80%) in Nederland is based on foreign relationships.. She successfully attempts to push them out off this country. I think she is going to return you guys to cows and kaas… Dutch parliament adopts just any thought of her without even thinking how far it might take. Go ahead en tot stracks!

  
  

• At 12 February '06 - 15:52 DavroN wrote:

  

  Probably govt. members smoke some weed while they make decisions ?
  Or probably crack?

  
  

• At 14 February '06 - 23:49 Freda wrote:

  

  I empathise with this issue. Due to new EU laws, it has become next to impossible for me to get a job in England because I am a foreigner (malaysian). In order for an employer to hire me, it must be shown that out of the entire EU, I am the only one suitable or available for the job. Now I’d like to think that i’m special…but I know I’m not that special. It’s also extremely time consuming and troublesome for an employer to go through the process of obtaining a work permit for a foreigner, enough to make it not worth their while to go through this process.
  Now, it’s not like I’m desperate to work in England, however, I’d like to think I could at least be given the option. My degree is from England (I paid full fees to obtain my degree…a whopping 21 thousand pounds in total on fees alone) I have lived in england accumalatively for over 8 years, my father has worked in england for over 5 (paying taxes) and my brother is a permanent resident there. England is a second home. But as soon as my degree was over, and my student visa expired, I had no right to be in the country.
  I understand that a line must be drawn somewhere to protect own citizens (all countries do it) but this kind of exclusion…does that not amount to discrimination??

  
  

• At 16 February '06 - 16:54 Christian Montoya wrote:

  

  Marco, this sounds like so many stories I’ve heard here in the U.S.
  
  “It is amazing how backwards our countries laws can be, because it is very easy to find illegal immigrants working here. Yet they treat those who try to play by the rules as criminals without any hesitation.”
  
  This is exactly the problem. Illegal immigrants who don’t follow the rules and hide from the authorities never get deported, because they never get caught, whereas immigrants who try to be good citizens by following the rules and earning their resident status have to go through Hell and high water just to be deported in the end. Especially after years of being a contributing member of society!

  
  

• At 16 February '06 - 17:07 DavroN wrote:

  

  How do you stop reply notifications?

  
  

• At 17 February '06 - 20:01 Tracie wrote:

  

  I thought things like this only happened the the gettos here in the States.

  
  

• At 05 March '06 - 14:50 khali wrote:

  

  hi i want to study in netherland

  
  

• At 13 March '06 - 10:43 MooFan wrote:

  

  I am one of the user from PCDVD. My name is MooFan, the name might sound a little strange, its because I am from Taiwan.
  
  Anyways. You ask, here is the answer.
  
  Apparently, there was a reporter at Taiwan report the news on Yahoo Taiwan. And some one from the PCDVD forum thought it would be interesting to post this news at the area what we called Area78. It’s a gossip area which located in a pretty popular Computer Tech forum at Taiwan, PCDVD (currently owner is Mr. Iceman.) so, you get many visits. People always interest to see the “whole truth” , especially “men”. If you know what I mean (Blink Blink..).
  
  Anyways, I hope this answer your question.
  
  Good luck,
  God bless.

  
  

• At 13 March '06 - 10:44 HammerAthlon wrote:

  To Author:
  Perhaps I can give you a answer about your “small update”. The story of Taida had been just published as a news in Taiwan yesterday. Someone posted the link of the news to one of the most popular forum in Taiwan, and that is http://forum.pcdvd.com.tw/.. Tens of thousands of members and visitors visit PCDVD forum everyday, and when people see an interesting topic, they’ll check it out. This can explain why this entry gets so much attention from people from http://forum.pcdvd.com.tw/..
  The news in Taiwan reported that thousands of men wanna propose to Taida, and this is also the topic of most of the media, and made so much people attracted by the topic.
  After a short glance of your comment, I do wish she can still stay in your country, and have a happy life.
  
  ps: actually there’s another explanation to your question, but due to my poor english, i can hardly speek it out. I can only tell you, we have a special phenomenon here in Taiwan, and that’s call “Good People Gang”.... That’s all, and wish you and Taida good luck.

  
  

• At 14 March '06 - 06:10 Marco wrote:

  

  Thanks a lot for the information!

  
  

• At 17 March '06 - 11:17 Martijn Schot wrote:

  A friend of mine is a Kroatian girl at the age of 19. The last 8 years she has lived in The Netherlands and speaks fluent dutch… this year she finished her havo and started this year at college. She is very clever and always friendly to people. Her future is still uncertain as there are so many procedures they have to go trough to know if they can stay or has to leave. Her father is now married and therefor can stay in the Netherlands but because she was over 18 when they married she could still be separated from her family. I can’t understand the policy’s of the last dutch goverments and how the (mis)treat people .
  I think it is terrible they keep people in fear for over EIGHT years. She is fully intergrated.. I didn’t know she was foreign until spending about 2 days of eight hours with her.When i heard this story about Taida (which is also terrible) i could not stop thinkin of her.

  
  

• At 14 April '06 - 08:23 DecendentOfDutchKillers wrote:

  The Dutch are a germanic race that are worse than Nazi’s. The difference is that they are scheming, deceiving, hypocrytical, back-stabbing, spinless, cold blooded scum, and that the worst of them weren’t eradicated in the last world war.

  
  

• At 14 April '06 - 08:30 DecendentOfDutchKillers wrote:

  Only the dutch can be so vile as to execute innocent family pets based on race:
  http://www.americanstafford.nl/
  And as is typical of the burocratic Dutch, having an ‘official’ piece of paper that states your pet belongs to a recognized dog race is the only thing that stands between life and execution.
  The vile dutch are truly worse than nazi’s. The allies should have left this ungrateful lot to their fate under the reign of the germans in WW2.

  
  

• At 21 October '07 - 04:35 Piet wrote:

  

  It’s good to do it this way. Holland is for dutchpeople only

  
  

• At 21 October '07 - 15:56 Marco wrote:

  

  @Piet, people like you and the political parties they vote for are the main reason I dislike the Netherlands and don’t feel like living there (anymore).

  
  

• At 13 February '08 - 04:01 NicElina wrote:

  

  It is sad to see how the “system“is failing, especially with the new rules and how longgg the procedures take due to there beurocratical procedures and wat more now with the new rules conected to each city gemeente which is a whole disorganizational skill, conclusion a mess. Some people claim the rules, rules should be followed when sadly enough there is just too many and people seem to be misinformed with them. I had to go through a lot of people and documents to actually make sure if the rules is correct, hey i should get a diploma for studying the rules applied to me, is defenetly a whole lot of study! I always get sick when i have to wait for some paper procedure, i have gone through many tortures because of this. I am from Nicaragua and have a Dutch Stepfather which my mother married. Luckely we found on time the law that applied that if u were above 18 u could be sended back to your country because u are labeled under as “independent” so we entered the country when i was 17 just in time! When i came to holland i was quite exited i am now 22 but when i see how things really work here..uff i want to leave more and more. AT the moment i am just studying and wil move again…somehow i stil feel like an outsider not matter how hard i try to adapt. And tel me how would foreign people and in fact people who were born Dutch but from a different background fully integrate if everytime they are being descriminated due to their background. I get upset how families who have lived here for years are being torned apart. Dutch man are finding difficult to bring their loved ones which happen to be foreign in this country,seems like love is not to be out there!
  I agree perhaps is not good to live unlegally in a country but the Dutch goverment is leaving people stay for 8-10 years fully of hope and we are talking about people having had children already fully adapted and then sending away- kicking them back to their lands, that is just crazy. If people want to kick people out better do it from the begining but not let them wait for years and years when they already have fully adapted and build up a live! Rules are Rules i agree but when u get many people complaining about them and they are not truely working i gues there is something defenetly wrong with them.
  
  A Sinceropinion writer

  
  

• At 11 June '08 - 13:17 ivz wrote:

  

  It’s quite simple the goverment will be always above you , no matter what you vote for or whatever.Simply people with more power and money will control you get use to it or fight against it the choice is yours.By the way i agree what the author of the post say , really the western countries are quite “ cold “ as with bulgarian nationality i had such feelings many times , just for the western europeans we are second hand people , something like slaves.

  
  

• At 22 July '08 - 12:48 nnnnnnnnn wrote:

  the dutch reeeeally suck at everything! They are mentally ill-structured people! So whatever they do just sucks!

  
  

• At 29 July '08 - 11:09 John wrote:

  

  I bought two cars in NL. One in 1990 (for myself) another one in 1998 (for myself; I’m not a reseller) from local Dutch dealers. Both times they sold me problem cars with LEAKING PETROL TANKS!!! While driving to my home country (LT) I had been under danger of exploding all the time without knowing it. Never buy cars in NL. I find German people very friendly, go buy from Germans instead.

  
  

• At 24 August '08 - 07:24 yousuckbitch wrote:

  

  FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING DUTCH FAGGOT, GO HAVE UNDERAGED SEX, GO SMOKE WEED DUTCH = DOUCHE ONLY THE NEHTERLANDS IN THE EU SUCK ALL OTHER COUNTRIES DONTIN THE WHOL EWESTERN WORLD ONLY THE NETHERLANDS THEIR SO STUPID AND DUMB NOW FUCK YOU GO SIT ON A DICK. HAHA GO CALL US WHAT EVER YOU WANT, WE DONT CARE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHHA.

  
  

• At 26 May '09 - 07:47 Lynn wrote:

  I absolutely get your point.
  I’m from Holland myself and I’ve heard of similar stories.
  But you have to look at the big picture.
  The Netherlands suck because of this?
  So, the Netherlands have NEVER done anything good?
  We don’t deport EVERYBODY, and you know that!
  I am not rascist, so if anybody wants to tell me that, please don’t bother.
  It’s fantastic how almost everybody seems to hate the Netherlands, But I am proud of being Dutch.

  
  

• At 08 September '09 - 09:55 aaa wrote:

  I agree with lynn in most aspects. The netherlands have failures sometimes, but i guess we’re not the only country.

  
  

• At 09 September '09 - 14:33 Dude wrote:

  When I visited Nederland the people smoked crack all day long and thery wouldn’t allow me togo to the city until late afternoon after 6 hours of me listening to their repeated bullshit and smoke crack with them. If I don’t smoke they’d get upset with me. There was no food, I bought them food, the food they had they ate it but did not give any to me. Then they took some of my stuff and kept it. I thought they werre a decent family. Then I needed a car so they got me a car all rusted in bad shape for an astronomical amount I refused, they got upset, I had to leave them as there was no more need to stay with them. I went and bought a car to drive around Europe from a Dutch dealer. The car had gasoline tank leaking from rust and I almost died because it exploded on the road. The dealer ripped me off and kept some extra money. I stayd in hotels, but once I had a good experience and those people were not rich but a decent family and they were nie to me, but most Dutch people were kind of greedy and cheap. I never thought that Nederland is attractve country. Even their buildings remind me of a prison buildings. I like Belgium, Germany much more. Why Dutch are so strange. Their country smells a lot of animal manure, must have a lot of agriculture, but why all that strong smell of manure? Even Schiphole airport smells like a horse or cow manure. I’m not joking, this is my honest experiences in NL.

  
  

• At 22 January '10 - 09:54 WorseThanIndia wrote:

  

  Sorry about bumping an old thread.
  
  I have been working in the Netherlands for an International organisation since last 4 years. I was posted in India before that. Moved from US, my home country.I thought there cannot be a worse place than India and was looking forward to the day I can leave the country.So when I was offered a position in the Hague, I jumped on. Little did I realize that the Netherlands was worse than India. The Dutch people are rude and racist. The food is tasteless, so is the weather and the city.The language is awful.I am getting my employment terminated in March and will be returning to the US. I will never ever return to this country. Netherlands is the “asshole of the world”. All this country has to offer – pot and sex.

  
  

• At 18 March '10 - 06:23 Robijn wrote:

  

  Holland fucking sucks dick.
  
  Houses are way too expensive. A 750 Square feet (70M2) in Amsterdam/Den Haag costs like 180.000 Euro’s. With that kind of money you buy a damned house with a pool in the US.
  
  Ugly landscape. Ugly nature. This is why most people get depressed. If you find grass, it’s either full of dogshit or there are already people lying on it.
  
  Highway speeds suck. They change the maximum speed frequently from 90 to 60 then 80 and after 5 kilometers, 100 KM.
  
  All cities are the same. If you live in Amsterdam and want to go to a different city for variety ? Forget it.
  
  Annoying TV program’s. The only shows you have in Holland are talk shows. Shows like Big Brother and girls that want to suck you dry (after 11PM)
  
  People have no fantasy. They only think about work and that’s it. They never think big.
  
  The country has shitty small cars like the Ford Ka, Suzuki Alto.
  
  Stress lifestyle.
  
  Drivers license is too expensive.
  
  Gas is too expensive.
  
  Many people think you are a foreigner if you have dark hair/eyes.
  
  Dutch people don’t know the difference between Race/Nationality.
  
  The school system sucks. Why in the world do we need 3 levels in High School itself.
  
  And a lot more which I can’t think of right now.

  
  

• At 29 March '10 - 16:54 Kareltje wrote:

  

  to All negative ppl,
  
  You don’t have to stay here, you are free to leave.
  You don’t have to come here, you can stay away.
  Holland have to have something, why are so much foreigners here?
  If it here so bad why do they come here daily by thousends?
  Try to go illegal to another country and see what happens to you.
  Maybe Africa or the Middle East is something for you but don’t have a bible in your suitcase you might end up in jail for it.

  
  

• At 04 April '10 - 06:46 Gregory wrote:

  

  I’m sorry to hear about Taida’s story. It sounds all too familiar, coming from the United States. There are countless immigrants in the United States who have stories similar to hers. I wouldn’t call it exclusively a Western problem, though. Rather than focusing your anger and efforts on contempt for a certain part of the world (there are Western nations that are more sensible with their immigration policies and procedures. The Netherlands used to be one of those nations), focus on the issue at hand. We have to handle this problem one case at a time until our respective governments are forced to revise their policies and procedures regarding immigration. I realize that this post is now over four years old, so I wonder whether any resolution has been agreed upon for Taida’s situation.

  
  

One or more comments are waiting for approval by me.

Got something to add to this?

Feel free to leave a comment on this site. You can use Textile and Emoticons. Your email address is only used to show a gravatar. Please stay on-topic and use common decency. Spammers will be shot in front of a live studio audience.

If you plan on posting code, use pastebin please and post a URL to the code. The comment processing doesn't deal very well with code. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Human comment spammers: don't bother posting your crap here. Comments are moderated and I won't let any of your shit through.

Trackbacks

• Earlier musings
• JSFiddle: All sorts of awesome! (1)
• Screamager a HTML5 application (1)
• Realistic LCD display effect with pure CSS (1)
• Node.js shortened URL decoder (6)
• Stereoscopic 3D television - Some thoughts (8)
• Mass Effect - The best Space Opera of all time (4)
• Yup, Yet another JQuery Accordion Plugin (151)
• Week In Links: a WordPress plugin for link digest posts (1)
• Technorati: What happened to you? (6)
• Some random thoughts about the iPad (2)
• Bookalicio.us version 2.0: an attempt to design the prettiest book blog on the net (4)
• Me, version 2.0. Released! (13)
• PreDevCamp SF Bay Area at Palm HQ - a videoblog (7)
• Me, version 2.0, almost done (2)
• Why I choose the Palm Pre to be my next mobile phone (8)

• Tumblr
• Photo
• Age of Reason: A Bag of Nails
• Feed me!
• Photo
• Belgian firefighters soak police in protest
• Photo
• The stakes are high in Mass Effect 3. (via @Unggoy_Murderer)
• "In the neo-evangelical world of cheap prosperity and cheap family values, the name of Jesus gets..."
• evilteabagger: Scott gave me my new room piece today (he’s...
• Epic.
• Don’t allow man friend here to let your dog out. Hah! The dawgs...
• "One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the..."
• Photo
• Puglet is off to school! Go get ‘em little guy!...
• visit me on Tumblr

• Tag Universe
• ajax apple blog bloggers blogging blogosphere blogs blogspam browser browsers clock comment_spam css design dutch firefox flickr google hype internet islam javascript mac mint pagerank performance photography php php5 pivot pivot-blacklist pivot_blacklist powerbook programming prototype rails referrer+spam referrer_spam rss spam spammer spammers taggerati tags technorati template trackback typo usa variable virb web+2 web_2 weblog weblogs website wordpress xhtml xsl yui (all)