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  • Last Update: November 8, 2012
  • Joined: February 17, 2008

illuminatus

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  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    Why do you need a credit card for supermarket shopping?
    • November 8, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    The Dutch are a very weird bunch, and can take a very long time to get used to. They love to play childish mindgames, for them it's all about 'having one over you'
    • November 5, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    I'm not Dutch. Years back I had a business in Italy, a joke! nothing ever got done, the Italians are full of promises, "yeah I'll do that, it'll be done shortly" only for me to give endless reminders, and still things never got done, and in the end the pe...  moreI'm not Dutch. Years back I had a business in Italy, a joke! nothing ever got done, the Italians are full of promises, "yeah I'll do that, it'll be done shortly" only for me to give endless reminders, and still things never got done, and in the end the people there would almost become agressive because they've been asked 1000 times to do a simple job that would end up taking one month to do, while normaly should take 1-2 days! Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, they're all the same those countries!  
    • October 28, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    Quote: "Yes, Portugal is messed up.. "
    That's because the're all lazy in Southern Europe!
    • October 28, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    Oh no, not a religious fruit-cake! The so-called lord doesn't exist, and the sabbath is all make believe! just one big fairy tale I'm afraid.
    • June 8, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    • June 8, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    The Dutch are direct, just like Germans, Swiss Germans & Austrians. It's a very 'Germanic' thing. Plus the fact that so many Dutch are very immature, they tend to speak without ever engaging the brain.
    • June 6, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum English in the Netherlands:
    Why not be more original and open something like a specialist bar offering an enormous range of the highest quality spirits, like rare Single-Malt Scotch Whiskies, Brandies, Cognac's etc There are a lot of connoisseurs for those drinks in this country and...  moreWhy not be more original and open something like a specialist bar offering an enormous range of the highest quality spirits, like rare Single-Malt Scotch Whiskies, Brandies, Cognac's etc There are a lot of connoisseurs for those drinks in this country and would make a nice change from the rubbish range of spirits that the average bar has. In my opinion, opening just another 'Irish Pub' is not very original, a bit boring and would be 'just another pub on the high street'
    This country needs some serious originality regarding cafes, bars, pubs etc, because at the moment it's all the same everywhere.  less
    • May 10, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum English in the Netherlands:
    London is incredibly expensive and is full of gang-warfare!
    I can't see how anyone would want to move there.
    • May 1, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus has added a new profile photo.
    • March 24, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    Quote: 'and its stubborn, almost child-like people' Yes, you're right there! rigid & stubborn, you'll get more reaction from a slab of concrete! and yes, the childish & immature behavior, all too often these Dutchies will go into a childlike tantrum over ...  moreQuote: 'and its stubborn, almost child-like people' Yes, you're right there! rigid & stubborn, you'll get more reaction from a slab of concrete! and yes, the childish & immature behavior, all too often these Dutchies will go into a childlike tantrum over nothing! but I guess that's the only way they can express themselves.  
    • February 13, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Legal Problems in the Netherlands:
    ouloveit3 said: You will definitely have to hire a lawyer. :(
    The amount of times you tell people to 'go see a lawyer' is unbelievable! nearly every post you make you're advising this.
    • January 25, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Relocating to the Netherlands:
    minniehil said:
    natsterp said:
    Hi there,
     ...  more    minniehil said:
    natsterp said:
    Hi there,
     
    Newbie so please be gentle with me!  My job in London is being made redundant and I've been offered a permanent role in Amsterdam.  Career-wise it would be a great move, still get to work for same global firm (TV company), but something my potential new boss said to me is ringing in my ears - that "Amsterdam is like a village compared to London".
     
    Is that fair please?  I've not spent much time in Amsterdam so far and obviously there's a vibrant social scene there, but what's it like compared to London?  I live in a very media-esque part of London, is there a similar area in Amsterdam please? 
     
    Obviously spending time there myself is only way I'll decide if its right for me (which I am doing later this month) but opinions welcomed!  Thanks in advance
     
    Hi Nasterp.... as a non Dutchie, my opinion may be biased, but I think the whole of the Netherlands is like a village compared to London.... :) B...    less
    • January 13, 2012
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum English in the Netherlands:
    ninjaneen said:When I first moved to Holland in 2000, Expatica.nl was an extremely lively online community. It seems to have declined somewhat e.g I just browesed a category where the post was made in May 2009. Every time I come back to take a quick peek ...  moreninjaneen said:When I first moved to Holland in 2000, Expatica.nl was an extremely lively online community. It seems to have declined somewhat e.g I just browesed a category where the post was made in May 2009. Every time I come back to take a quick peek every 6 months or so it seems the forums are dominated by the same people.
    I totally agree with you! I've gave up on these forums some months back, I just take a quick look occasionally and read the news but I hardly use them anymore simply because it's the same old boring 4-5 people who've hijacked this site and who permanently contradict whatever anyone says. You may want to say something interesting, have some ideas about something, share your holiday experiences with other expats, talk about current world affairs, chat about-well, whatever only to get continuously bashed by the same jerks that ends up becoming a fierce online argument over nothing! it's always the same here, believe me, there's nothing more annoying when you're having an opinion about someth...    less
    • December 11, 2011
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Employment in the Netherlands:
    mrfook said:
    illuminatus said:
    pepec said:
    osita said:Please don't cry to us when you get your first paycheque and see the same amount going to the government in tax ;)...  more    mrfook said:
    illuminatus said:
    pepec said:
    osita said:Please don't cry to us when you get your first paycheque and see the same amount going to the government in tax ;)
    I guess it is cultural to not think about that. For Dutch people only net pay is what counts. We don't see the bruto amount as ours. 
     
    I only look at the netto amount also, it would annoy me too much to look at the bruto, we're all paying the high tax to support the lazy-layabout families who never want to work, just scrounge off the state! or should I say, scrounge off the hard working tax payers!!
    Jeez - Norman Tebbitt eat yer heart out.
    Do you honestly think that every tax-payer works hard?
    There are voluntary workers out there who work harder than some tax-payers.
     
     
    Quote:
    Jeez - Norman Tebbitt eat yer heart out.
     
    Who cares what you think, I'm entitled to my opinion, and anyway I hardly come on this site anymore as I've got much better things to do with my time unlike some people who can't stay away from here.  less
    • September 13, 2011
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Legal Problems in the Netherlands:
    stedwd said:If they found out, what would happen?
    You'll be dragged off to Dam Square and be hanged in public!
    • September 1, 2011
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Employment in the Netherlands:
    canuckywoman said:
    illuminatus said:
    And when I first came to this country 9 years ago, my first job (Intel) only paid €998 netto a month!!! and that was a terrible wage even then. I know someone who still works there and their salary now is only slightly more than what I got when I worked there.
    Wow. That's like taxi driver wages!  Dutchie made only slightly more than that 7 years ago when I first moved here; the bare minimum for sponsorship back then. The only reason we survived that first year was because our social housing rent was cheap, we had no credit card debt (that was before we needed to pay for my "mental health" trips home to see family), and I made 50/week under the table cleaning house for a friend of a friend....  more    canuckywoman said:
    illuminatus said:
    And when I first came to this country 9 years ago, my first job (Intel) only paid €998 netto a month!!! and that was a terrible wage even then. I know someone who still works there and their salary now is only slightly more than what I got when I worked there.
    Wow. That's like taxi driver wages!  Dutchie made only slightly more than that 7 years ago when I first moved here; the bare minimum for sponsorship back then. The only reason we survived that first year was because our social housing rent was cheap, we had no credit card debt (that was before we needed to pay for my "mental health" trips home to see family), and I made 50/week under the table cleaning house for a friend of a friend.
     
    Brutal.
     
     
    The only thing that kept my sanity when I worked at 'that place!' was I worked with a good bunch of people, and I kept saying to myself on a daily basis, 'this is my first job in NL, I must be grateful that I have a job, and it will all get better'&nbs...    less
    • August 24, 2011
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Employment in the Netherlands:
    pepec said:
    osita said:Please don't cry to us when you get your first paycheque and see the same amount going to the government in tax ;)
    I guess it is cultural to not think about that. For Dutch people only net pay is what counts. We don't see the bruto ...  more    pepec said:
    osita said:Please don't cry to us when you get your first paycheque and see the same amount going to the government in tax ;)
    I guess it is cultural to not think about that. For Dutch people only net pay is what counts. We don't see the bruto amount as ours. 
     
    I only look at the netto amount also, it would annoy me too much to look at the bruto, we're all paying the high tax to support the lazy-layabout families who never want to work, just scrounge off the state! or should I say, scrounge off the hard working tax payers!!  less
    • August 24, 2011
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Employment in the Netherlands:
    pepec said:But €4800 monthly net is what most people can only dream of. I know people who get one third of that.
    And when I first came to this country 9 years ago, my first job (Intel) only paid €998 netto a month!!! and that was a terrible wage...  more    pepec said:But €4800 monthly net is what most people can only dream of. I know people who get one third of that.
    And when I first came to this country 9 years ago, my first job (Intel) only paid €998 netto a month!!! and that was a terrible wage even then and for back breaking horrible work . I know someone who still works there and their salary now is only slightly more than what I got when I worked there.  
    • August 24, 2011
  • illuminatus
    illuminatus replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    korrok said:I hasten to point out the VAST number of review sites, watchdog sites, consumer complaint sites etc etc where you can completely freely post about bad experiences of this kind. There is nothing that shops/companies can do if you are making a c...  morekorrok said:I hasten to point out the VAST number of review sites, watchdog sites, consumer complaint sites etc etc where you can completely freely post about bad experiences of this kind. There is nothing that shops/companies can do if you are making a complaint like this except try to deny it.
    EXACTLY!! that's why everyone should name & shame businesses where they get disgusting service or unacceptably rude staff.  
    • August 23, 2011
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Personal Information

  • Gender: Male
  • Birthday: November 13, 1969

  • Profile Ph­otos 2 photos

  • Untitled A­lbum 1 photo

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  • November 8, 2012 3:17:31 PM CET
    in the topic Dutch supermarkets take credit card/ offer online shoppng in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture
    Why do you need a credit card for supermarket shopping?
  • November 5, 2012 12:27:21 PM CET
    in the topic Dutch work culture - Ostracized in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture

    The Dutch are a very weird bunch, and can take a very long time to get used to. They love to play childish mindgames, for them it's all about 'having one over you'

    This post was edited by illuminatus at November 5, 2012 12:27:21 PM CET
  • October 28, 2012 4:23:01 PM CET
    in the topic Pessimism... why? in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture

    I'm not Dutch. Years back I had a business in Italy, a joke! nothing ever got done, the Italians are full of promises, "yeah I'll do that, it'll be done shortly" only for me to give endless reminders, and still things never got done, and in the end the people there would almost become agressive because they've been asked 1000 times to do a simple job that would end up taking one month to do, while normaly should take 1-2 days! Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, they're all the same those countries!

    This post was edited by illuminatus at October 28, 2012 4:23:01 PM CET
  • October 28, 2012 1:08:23 PM CET
    in the topic Pessimism... why? in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture
    Quote: "Yes, Portugal is messed up.. " That's because the're all lazy in Southern Europe!
  • June 8, 2012 10:53:01 AM CEST
    in the topic Dutch directness? in the forum Netherlands Soapbox

    Oh no, not a religious fruit-cake! The so-called lord doesn't exist, and the sabbath is all make believe! just one big fairy tale I'm afraid.

    This post was edited by illuminatus at June 8, 2012 10:53:01 AM CEST
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