Skipping School


In ten years there are ten times more students skipping school.

This is the day and age where going to school is mandatory. This means that teachers have to control the students attendance. This is really needed here in the Netherlands because more students are skipping school each year.

Parents are given fines of 50 euros a day, (maximum 375. a week or 500. for two weeks) if a family goes on holidays when a child should be in school. For a child who skips school the parent pays 125. euros. Kids who are older than 12 also get a ‘task sentence’. (Rtl)

Here are some figures of a study done here in Holland.
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Year —– total ——- ‘of age’ kids ——- under aged kids

2006: —- 5980 ——- 3060 (51%) ——– 2920 (49%)

2005: —- 5380 ——- 2820 (52%)——–  2560 (48%)

2004: —- 4930 ——- 2650 (54%) ——– 2280 (46%)

2003: —- 3830 ——- 2030 (53%) ——– 1800 (47%)

2002: —- 3880 ——- 2400 (62%) ——– 1480 (38%)

2001: —- 2610 ——- 1590 (61%) ——– 1020 (39%)

2000: —- 2400 ——- 1529 (63%) ——– 880 (37%)

1999: —- 1170 ——- 1200 (68%) ——– 570 (32%)

1998: —- 1580 ——- 1240 (78%) ——– 350 (22%)

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Sperm Donors Estate

The bitter dispute that lasted five years over a sperm donors estate has been settled in the Australian courts.

Three children who where conceived with the sperm of a donor of a Dutch immigrant laid claim to a portion of the 200,000.00 euro estate left behind by Willem Wijma, the donor.

The family of Mr. Wijma, who live in Groningen, Holland claim he was never more than a donor and had absolutely nothing to do with the Australian children.

The children have won the case and will inherit part of the estate. (Rtl)

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Hackergotchi

Bowie

I took a picture of our dog Bowie this morning and Johan made a hackergotchi of it.

I like the results. :-)

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Sunny Days

Mar 12th 2007

I have been able to sit outside the last two days. It has been so beautiful! I love sitting in the sun and reading or doing Sudoku puzzles. Bowie lays out with me and we enjoy the birds singing for us.

The weather experts say that the weather we are having now is what normally comes at the end of April. Wonder what the spring/summer will bring this year after such a mild winter.

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Health Premium Subsidies 2006

4.9 million Netherlanders received health premium subsidies last year, totaling 2,5 billion euros.

According the the bureau of statistics 1 out of every 3 persons over 18 yrs of age was entitles to premium subsidies. The average was 480 euros per year.

The subsidies are handed out according to a persons income. The less the income the more you are subsidies. The maximum one (a family) can receive is 1155 euros.

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Again, to have a look at how a family situation of two adults is affected by the Dutch health insurance premiums have a look at an earlier post of mine.

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Remembering Ruddie Van de Laar

They have an obituary page at Osprey Obituaries for Ruddie and it is being taken off line sometime in March I believe. So I am copying the comments and ‘candles’ to my blog so it does not get lost.

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Obituary for Ruddie

VAN DE LAAR, Ruddie – (Operations Mgr. R.J.C. Connections Transportation Service Inc.) – Suddenly at his home on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 in his 57th year. Ruddie loving father of Dawn-Marie Pielak (Chris) and Chris. Adoring grandfather of Zavier. Dear brother of Adrian (Janet), Anna Thew (Doug), Joanne Bertram (Jim) and John (Karen). Sadly missed by his nieces and nephews, Tayte, Chase, Jayda, Darryl, Dennis, Matthew, Andrew, Connor, Courtney, Aaron and Alex. Friends may call at the SCOTT FUNERAL HOME, 264 Burton Ave. (between Essa Rd & Huronia Rd.) Barrie, on Friday from 2 – 4 & 7 – 9 p.m. Service in the chapel on Saturday December 23rd at 11:00 a.m. Cremation. If so desired donations to a charity of your choice would be appreciated.

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Condolences for Ruddie

Ruddie Loved Kids and Kids Loved Ruddie
Posted by Paula Blom (ex) on 1/10/2007 9:08:53 AM
I met Ruddie in 1962 when my family moved to Canada from Holland. We were married in 1972 and raised two wonderful children. Though we divorced, in the last years we had great bragging sessions about our grandson. :) I am glad he was part of my life and he will be missed. Peace be with you Ruddie

One of the best
Posted by Ross Kirkby (friend) on 12/26/2006 7:48:41 PM
Ruddie was a great friend he will be truly missed. Proud of his Dutch heritage’If you’re not Dutch you’re not much,but he joked about it too.If you started whining to him I’ve heard him say, Don’t tell me,I’m Dutch, wooden head, wooden heart, wouldn’t care. That’s Ruddie, tough on the outside kind loving caring and gentle on the inside. Loved his kids, proud of them. Same goes for his grandson nieces and nephews.1st heart attack in 1990, its nice to know he got to see his children grow

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Candles for Ruddie

Dawn-Marie lit a candle on 1/26/2007
This next grandchild will hear all about you You live on in all of our hearts. I love you, and I will never stop missing you.

Paula Blom lit a candle on 1/10/2007
Glad you were a part of my life and you will be missed greatly by those whose lives you touched.

chris van de Laar lit a candle on 1/9/2007
you were my father and my best friend. I am proud to be your son. i’ll love and miss you always pops, chris

Adrian Vandelaar lit a candle on 1/9/2007
We miss you and think of you every day. You will remain in our hearts forever. Adrian, Janet, Tayte,Chase and Jayda.

John Van de Laar lit a candle on 12/30/2006
You were a wonderful brother and friend – you will be missed by all who knew you.Love always, John

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Incest Laws Questioned

Patrick and Susan

Another sad story that really touches me…

Who are we to say what is right and what is wrong for other adults? As long as they are not hurting anyone why should we care? Kids brought up in a loving home life can only benefit in my opinion.

Patrick Stübing and his sister Susan grew up apart from each other in Germany and met in later years and fell in love with each other.

They started a relationship in 2000 and now have four children, three who have been taken away from them and are in foster care.

Supporters say they will fight to have incest removed as a criminal offense, stating the law is out of date.

Patrick has already spent two years in jail for this offence and faces another prison sentence.

Incest is not illegal in many of Germany’s neighbouring countries, he said. The law was a “historical relic”.

Napoleon abolished France’s incest laws in 1810 and it is not a crime in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal, Turkey, Japan, Argentina and Brazil.

Incest is forbidden in Britain, where the law was extended in 2002 to include not just those with blood ties, but also step-parents and their children and in cases of adoptions.

Germany’s constitutional court is expected to decide on the Stübings’ appeal in four to six weeks’ time.

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Walking Aids Insurance Coverage

rollator

Too bazaar for words….

I guess insurance companies (here in Holland) are not making enough money yet.. and who better to take if from than those who can afford it the least – the elderly and the disabled.

The ‘College of Health Insurance’ put together an in-depth report concerning aids for staying mobile and their coverage in the basic insurance packages.

Ten million euros can be saved by insurance companies if they remove walkers, walking canes and sticks for the blind from the package.

The organizations states there is no reason the elderly or those needing these devices cannot pay for them themselves. The price of a walker can be anywhere from 100 to 1500 euros.

Organizations who serve the interest of handicap and chronically ill persons are angry. This discussion has been going on for years and our new health minister Ab Klink get to make the final decision.

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Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith

You know this whole Anna Nicole Smith ‘thing’ is just driving me crazy. How does a mother have the right to say where you should be buried, just because she is your mother. I am a mother of two kids and I would not presume to know for one minute what my kids wishes are or what is best for them, alive or dead.

I would hate to think that my family of origin would interfere in any way with plans that my common law spouse may have for my remains. And I get along with my family.

From what I understand Anna Nicole Smith and mother had a strained relationship and rarely spoke in the last 10 years. What is the mother trying to prove at this point? Is she trying to get the final ‘control’ of her daughter? Will Anna Nicole Smith finally get her last resting place with her son or will her mother want them both in Texas?

For some reason this is really hitting me. Leave the girl alone and let her rest in peace with her son!!

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Dutch Support Iraq

 Iraq

The House of Representatives vetoed a motion to investigate the Dutch political support of the war in Iraq.

Our Socialist Party counted on the Labour Party (PvdA) to support this motion as they were great supporters of this in the campaign leading to the Nov 22 elections.

PvdA leader Tichelaar stated that this point was lost during the formation process because neither the Christian Union nor the Christian Democrats were for this investigation. SP and D66 party leaders called this “incredible”.

“If this is not a breaking point, What is?”

asks SP leader Marijnissen.

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Absolutely incredible. The US and England have both done investigations into their involvement and yet the Dutch are not doing this. In fact from what I understand from the debate yesterday, we are still supporting this war and to date our Prime Minister Balkenende has not talked to Bush to withdraw his support. Balkenende has stated time and time again that he does not want this investigation, saying he wants to ‘move forward, not look back’. What is he trying to hide?

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