Reply to: Governments in EU

[expat]

Blimey. That's a Dutch Auction.

Sounds like tulip to me

[Doggy Styles]

Well look at it this way. Last week agent called and told me I had to accept a rate cut from 75 to 66 euros per hour due to ClientCo’s cost cutting meaures, otherwise ClientCo would serve 4 weeks notice. Agent then corrected herself mid conversation and said it was 63 euros. I said I would discuss at ClientCo to see if I could work closer to home a couple of days each week, thus saving me money. ClientCo agreed, so I agreed. Now I get an e-mail from agent asking me to confirm agreement at a rate of 61 euros. F**k me, how is anyone supposed to do a deal with this kind of moving target? How am I to believe I won’t be sent a contract for 59 euros?

This happens too often in NL.

Blimey. That's a Dutch Auction.

[Sysman]

F**k me, how is anyone supposed to do a deal with this kind of moving target? How am I to believe I won’t be sent a contract for 59 euros?

This happened to me a few years ago. Keep your eyes skinned for them switching the figure they are talking about between pay with and without social deductions / holiday pay or similar ruse.

[Mich the Tester]

Except when going dutch.

Well look at it this way. Last week agent called and told me I had to accept a rate cut from 75 to 66 euros per hour due to ClientCo’s cost cutting meaures, otherwise ClientCo would serve 4 weeks notice. Agent then corrected herself mid conversation and said it was 63 euros. I said I would discuss at ClientCo to see if I could work closer to home a couple of days each week, thus saving me money. ClientCo agreed, so I agreed. Now I get an e-mail from agent asking me to confirm agreement at a rate of 61 euros. F**k me, how is anyone supposed to do a deal with this kind of moving target? How am I to believe I won’t be sent a contract for 59 euros?

This happens too often in NL.

[Doggy Styles]

As is once again being confirmed to me in discussions with my agent, never trust the Dutch in matters of money.

Except when going dutch.

[Mich the Tester]

They're still well hacked off that the (ex) PM negotiated away Fortis in a way that let the NL government decide to take over everything the next week.

I've been egging them on a bit, but I'm not sure they've got round to troop build-ups along the Scheldt yet. At the very least, they'll be issuing extra state-sanctioned jokes about how tight the dutchists are.

You're right though, grown adults quaffing buttermilk is just worng.

As is once again being confirmed to me in discussions with my agent, never trust the Dutch in matters of money.

[Rantor]

They've issued their banks guarantees that exceed the GDP of Belgium. Still, they do have better lunches than the Dutch.

They're still well hacked off that the (ex) PM negotiated away Fortis in a way that let the NL government decide to take over everything the next week.

I've been egging them on a bit, but I'm not sure they've got round to troop build-ups along the Scheldt yet. At the very least, they'll be issuing extra state-sanctioned jokes about how tight the dutchists are.

You're right though, grown adults quaffing buttermilk is just worng.

[Mich the Tester]

That's just the annual GDP. goverments can sign away their subjects' money for many years to come

Thomas Jefferson wasn't stupid when he argued that there should be no national bank in the USA precisely in order to prevent that.

Thomas Jefferson wasn't stupid. Enough said.

Shame about some of his successors.

[expat]

They've issued their banks guarantees that exceed the GDP of Belgium.

That's just the annual GDP. goverments can sign away their subjects' money for many years to come

Thomas Jefferson wasn't stupid when he argued that there should be no national bank in the USA precisely in order to prevent that.

[Mich the Tester]

The Belgian Govt on the other hand...


...oh wait.

They've issued their banks guarantees that exceed the GDP of Belgium. Still, they do have better lunches than the Dutch.

[expat]

*ahem* That's Mr. ignorant thieving crass deluded Tory scum to you.
One of the advantages of being in abroadshire is that one can simply ignore all that stuff, especially if you don't bother to learn the language. I believe the government in my bit are truly abysmal.

I do agree (if you do), staying out of it keeps the blood pressure a bit lower.

[ratewhore]

The Belgian Govt on the other hand...


...oh wait.

[Mich the Tester]

The Dutch government are continually criticised for everything under the sun, but seeing as they attempt to regulate everything under the sun they deserve all the criticism they get.

To be fair though, they’ve run budget surpluses or break-even for a number of years, so they actually have some cash to throw about now without pushing the country into massive debt.

[BlasterBates]

Governments usually face a barage of criticism. Interestingly the Grand Coalition in Germany in my view is the least hated government I seen in a longtime. The Germans used to throw rotten eggs at Helmut Kohl, and Schroeder was equally displiked.

[ace00]

Most IT workers in other countries are not such ignorant thieving crass deluded Tory scum as we get in the UK, so while criticism does exist it tends to be more thoughtful.

*ahem* That's Mr. ignorant thieving crass deluded Tory scum to you.
One of the advantages of being in abroadshire is that one can simply ignore all that stuff, especially if you don't bother to learn the language. I believe the government in my bit are truly abysmal.