Virgo said:
I recently (well, 2003) made a trip to Amsterdam and was amazed. The public transportation and personal freedoms were refreshing, and I didn't see any real violence, homelessness, or rampant crime. Everything was in it's place. I don't know about personal weapons though. The right to carry a concealed firearm is very dear to me.
Well, if you want a firearm, stay clear of the netherlands. Firearms are not allowed. Not in the home, certainly not for carry. There are some exceptions tho. Authorized LEOs can carry a firearm but only while on duty. For any private person, there is a lot of bureaucratic BS to get a permit, and if you own a gun, it will have to be kept in a gunvault at the shooting range. I believe that there are a few exceptions for basic shotguns used for hunting, but still too much of a hassle.
But I would really like to know what amsterdam you visited... as public transportation is crap. Trains are often delayed, busses are usually going everywhere except the place you want to go, cabs are so expensive you'll have to re-mortgage your house but subway and trams (cablecars) in the bigger cities are usually ok (if you can stand the smell of puke and drooling junks begging for money)... The personal freedom is great... We can buy pot here semi-legal, we can have sex with schoolgirls legally, we can get thrown into jail without a trial for speeding... The lowest tariff on our income taxes is 33%, it goes all the way up to 52%. on every 'luxury' item we buy, we pay 19% sales tax. A litre of unleaded fuel costs 1.46 euro per liter ($6,86/us gallon). On top of that we also have to pay road taxes. It is actually cheaper to drive to germany and buy gas there (while road taxes are included in the fuelprice) than it is to buy gas in the netherlands. We get screwed on our governments mandatory health insurance. Over the past 10 years the cost went up with more than 2000% (!!!!) while the coverage was cut back to about 35%... Our laws are very variable, they can always bend them in such a way that you are screwed... You are not allowed to defend yourself. Using something like pepperspray in a selfdefense situation can get you a fine of up to 40000 euros or 4 years in jail (most child rapists and murderers spend less time behind bars). If someone breaks into your house and you beat them up to defend your loved ones/property, you are the one that is going to get punished. Then there is the royal family, getting payed too much of the tax payers money just for being royalty while they have no more than a symbolic function. Which gets even worse if you think about the wedding of the crown prince, on which millions of tax money were wasted. And worst of all.... As soon as there is anything to do with sports, the whole freaking country bursts into that ugly national color of ours ORANGE.... and don't even get me started on the prices of houses.
WTF am I still doing in this country? any of you US inhabitants willing to adopt me??
holy cr.. where did all that come from... seems like I have some unresolved issues... LOL
Nah, this place isn't that bad, but you just witnessed the #1 most loved pasttime of the dutch (yes, even more than soccer)... and thats WHINING about everything...
but lets get back on topic now :lolsign: