Just like the other guy who replied, I have to say that I'm afraid that the whole immigration policy picture painted in the parent post is quite accurate. All we can hope for is that with the coming elections, this government will be different and change its attitude to foreign people who want to live and work in the Netherlands.
Having said that, there a lot of western countries with these kind of strict or even stricter policies... there seems to be a general policy of only accepting intelligent, high paying people and families.
However, a lot of the students I've met visiting this university have had a good time over here. So... the Netherlands is a place worth visiting, if only because of its very relaxed attitude and its rich history. Just come quick before conservative right-wing and conservative christian political forces will change that!;-)
Having also worked part-time in IT during my student years, I'll be the last one to scream bloody murder if the printer's not working when I could've and should've finished something on time. Having said that, at my current job I stopped depending on them.
They are the ones that must configure my computer in order for me to have Internet access. Waited for a month, calling and emailing at least 5 times while waiting. Also, they are the ones that have to push the buttons in order for my account to have access to my space on the central storage server for backup purposes. Finally, I gave up waiting and configured the internet myself, fully aware that is was against company policy. Maybe they would actually swing by and then I'd have the opportunity to complain. Backup server? One word: DVD's. I burn my data and take it home.
On a related note. I know most IT-department are okay and they do their jobs well, but I have encountered two at which they were actually installing games and playing them. So much for professionalism.
I agree... it will be very expensive, however this website about the Darwin mission at ESA suggests that they're seriously assessing the possibility and they're aiming for a launch in 2015.
I graduated at the Optical Research Group of my university and while I was doing something completely different, a few people were working on nulling interferometry, a technique used to cancel all the light of the star, thereby allowing the light of the surrrounding planets to filtered through. For this to work, you need telescopes at different places. So they actually want to build an array in space or maybe they already did that.
With this high sensitivity of this new telescope, I'm just wondering if an array could be built on earth. Then we can really start looking for nice warm little planets...
University degrees do not entitle you to a job and if you're one of the people that treat them as such I suggest you get a large grip on reality. No-one owes you anything.
Exactly! When I graduated with a M.Sc. in Applied Physics I could not find a suitable job, so I had to take lesser jobs for two years before getting accepted for a research position. Not that those two years were any less fun, but a lot of M.Sc. graduates expect high paying jobs, which in this day and age is unrealistic.
Consequently, I advise all the students I meet to take it easy, use all the money and the time the government provides. Have fun and do try to have some small jobs and get some real experience. They don't owe you and you don't owe them.
One is to go after the uploaders. Make big press with saying that "even though this 14 year old girl makes straight A's..we still took her down because what she was doing was illegal".
Next thing... some journalist will find out that a son or daughter of a high-profile politician (mayor, congressman, senator) has been downloading all the latest Britney Spears or 50 Cent hits. This will result in court-case with lotsa lawyers and media. Let's see who's going win... the ??AA and their lawyers or the senator and his political power.
I know "this is the way of the world" and I value the concept of sovereignty of states. Hell... I don't want anyone attacking our small country just because people here can smoke pot, go to the red light district or get married to the same sex, doctors can perform strictly controlled euthanasia without having to worry about legal repercussions. I know these are things a lot of other countries despise.
However, I think this cultural relativism thing is going to far and personally speaking, I draw the line at killing, torturing or jailing people for their beliefs, sexual preferences or conduct. Of course, provided no one gets hurt, so no rape or child molestation, etc. And I know governments like that of Iran consider this sort of behaviour dangerous, but that is a belief I and a significant part of the free world don't share.
Does this mean I want to go in all those countries guns blazin'? No, but I do think countries like mine should openly criticise these governments as a first step.
Man... exactly the same stupid reasoning used by a lot of people who smoke. "...my grandfather is 80 and he smoked since he was 15, so all those medical studies can't be right."
Grow up, medical science isn't all-knowing, but at least it doesn't rely on this kind of anecdotical nonsense.
Ah, yes... I especially remember oth.net, where I could find the newest albums. Then go to an ftp-site , read the welcome message, spend hours on all sort of shady pron sites trying to figure out what the password would be.
"the first letter of the password is the second letter of the third word of the eigth sentence... " etc.
might also comment on your view that the fact that a system could punitively execute someone for a crime they did not commit renderes all executions unacceptable is dangerous, because what is to stop folks from applying the same logic to lesser punishments? For instance, is it worth not having prisons to avoid imprisoning one innocent person?
The thing is... while society cannot restitute the lost years of someone being innocently locked up in prison, it is possible to
a) give the person back his/her freedom back and
b) compensate this time-loss by other means, e.g. money.
In case of the death-penalty there... welll, there is just no way to undo that, now is there? One could think of compensating the relatives, but that won't do any good for the poor sucker who's just been fried/injected/shot/hanged/eaten by ants.
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Just like the other guy who replied, I have to say that I'm afraid that the whole immigration policy picture painted in the parent post is quite accurate. All we can hope for is that with the coming elections, this government will be different and change its attitude to foreign people who want to live and work in the Netherlands.
Having said that, there a lot of western countries with these kind of strict or even stricter policies... there seems to be a general policy of only accepting intelligent, high paying people and families.
However, a lot of the students I've met visiting this university have had a good time over here. So... the Netherlands is a place worth visiting, if only because of its very relaxed attitude and its rich history. Just come quick before conservative right-wing and conservative christian political forces will change that! ;-)
How long before Scott will think of a joke for this? A PHB thinking there are several Wallys and Dilberts walking around?
Dude! Ga es werken aan je proefschrift! :P
With Topher Grace as Venom, I'd expect Kurtwood Smith to show up and tell Venom to behave or he'll be wearing Red's foot up his ass.
Why... Mr. Hilton! How nice of you to drop by.
Having also worked part-time in IT during my student years, I'll be the last one to scream bloody murder if the printer's not working when I could've and should've finished something on time. Having said that, at my current job I stopped depending on them.
They are the ones that must configure my computer in order for me to have Internet access. Waited for a month, calling and emailing at least 5 times while waiting. Also, they are the ones that have to push the buttons in order for my account to have access to my space on the central storage server for backup purposes. Finally, I gave up waiting and configured the internet myself, fully aware that is was against company policy. Maybe they would actually swing by and then I'd have the opportunity to complain. Backup server? One word: DVD's. I burn my data and take it home.
On a related note. I know most IT-department are okay and they do their jobs well, but I have encountered two at which they were actually installing games and playing them. So much for professionalism.
Hee... onwijze anomieme lafaard.. :P identify yourself!
I agree... it will be very expensive, however this website about the Darwin mission at ESA suggests that they're seriously assessing the possibility and they're aiming for a launch in 2015.
I graduated at the Optical Research Group of my university and while I was doing something completely different, a few people were working on nulling interferometry, a technique used to cancel all the light of the star, thereby allowing the light of the surrrounding planets to filtered through. For this to work, you need telescopes at different places. So they actually want to build an array in space or maybe they already did that.
With this high sensitivity of this new telescope, I'm just wondering if an array could be built on earth. Then we can really start looking for nice warm little planets...
Exactly! When I graduated with a M.Sc. in Applied Physics I could not find a suitable job, so I had to take lesser jobs for two years before getting accepted for a research position. Not that those two years were any less fun, but a lot of M.Sc. graduates expect high paying jobs, which in this day and age is unrealistic.
Consequently, I advise all the students I meet to take it easy, use all the money and the time the government provides. Have fun and do try to have some small jobs and get some real experience. They don't owe you and you don't owe them.
One is to go after the uploaders. Make big press with saying that "even though this 14 year old girl makes straight A's..we still took her down because what she was doing was illegal".
Next thing... some journalist will find out that a son or daughter of a high-profile politician (mayor, congressman, senator) has been downloading all the latest Britney Spears or 50 Cent hits. This will result in court-case with lotsa lawyers and media. Let's see who's going win... the ??AA and their lawyers or the senator and his political power.
Would be interesting, wouldn't it?
I know "this is the way of the world" and I value the concept of sovereignty of states. Hell... I don't want anyone attacking our small country just because people here can smoke pot, go to the red light district or get married to the same sex, doctors can perform strictly controlled euthanasia without having to worry about legal repercussions. I know these are things a lot of other countries despise.
However, I think this cultural relativism thing is going to far and personally speaking, I draw the line at killing, torturing or jailing people for their beliefs, sexual preferences or conduct. Of course, provided no one gets hurt, so no rape or child molestation, etc. And I know governments like that of Iran consider this sort of behaviour dangerous, but that is a belief I and a significant part of the free world don't share.
Does this mean I want to go in all those countries guns blazin'? No, but I do think countries like mine should openly criticise these governments as a first step.
Man... exactly the same stupid reasoning used by a lot of people who smoke. "...my grandfather is 80 and he smoked since he was 15, so all those medical studies can't be right."
Grow up, medical science isn't all-knowing, but at least it doesn't rely on this kind of anecdotical nonsense.
Oh wow... which movie is that? Love to see that one and see how the person in that movie deals with such situations.
Ah, yes... I especially remember oth.net, where I could find the newest albums. Then go to an ftp-site , read the welcome message, spend hours on all sort of shady pron sites trying to figure out what the password would be.
"the first letter of the password is the second letter of the third word of the eigth sentence... " etc.
a) give the person back his/her freedom back and
b) compensate this time-loss by other means, e.g. money.
In case of the death-penalty there... welll, there is just no way to undo that, now is there? One could think of compensating the relatives, but that won't do any good for the poor sucker who's just been fried/injected/shot/hanged/eaten by ants.
Or take a plane (or boat), and come to the Netherlands!