The Netherlands: Spectacular galactic show above Almere as the moon turns red

It was a spectacular galactic show in Almere early this morning for those who were courageous enough to get up at 3.00 am and face the relatively cold of 8C.to watch the moon turn into a scary dark redish color.

The pictures speak for themselves.

Moon slowly turning red

 

The Blood moon

                                                                                                                                                                     Almere-Digest 

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The Netherlands: Foreign tourists in the Netherlands often unable to use their local debit and credit cards - by RM

Foreign Credit and Debit cards not easy to use in Holland

The Netherlands is not very "Tourist Friendly" when it comes to tourists wanting to use their debit or credit cards for local purchases.

Most of the time they are unable to pay with their credit/debit cards for purchases or expenses in local stores, restaurants,gas stations, train stations, toll roads,  hotels or super-markets.

US bank credit or debit cards, even those with a "chip" or "pin-code" usually won't work in the Netherlands and basically force the owner of that card  to take out cash from a local ATM. This automatically results in high bank charges for these transactions by the credit card holder's own local bank in addition to potential exchange charges in the Netherlands.

As one tourist, who wanted to pay for a raincoat she bought in a local department store in the city of Almere, but had all her cards declined, said in desperation - "this must be the first country in the world where the banking system and stores don't want to make it easy for tourists to pay for their goods with a debit or credit card."

Almere-Digest 

SERVE THE CITY : now also in Almere.

A great organization where you can put your faith into action by voluntarily serving older and needy people.

Assist them with their home improvements, small repairs or painting. Participate with them in cooking, take them out for walks etc.

JWant to know more: Join Serve the City for an inspiring day on October 10 in Almere. For additional info in Dutch go to www.servethecity.nl/help-ons/in-almere For Englis go to www.servethe city.nl/en/help-ons/in-almere or write to stcalmere@gmail.com

Almere-Digest

The Netherlands: The 'King of Bling' is coming to Almere on Saturday June 20

On Saturday June 20 the "King of Bling" is coming to Almere

The King of Bling is a funny comical show – for young and old - about King Midas, a King, who could turn everything he touched into gold.

The two hour musical is fast moving and full of spectacle and colour - and all this in a spectacular setting with beautiful costumes. 

The lyrics and all the songs in the show are in Dutch.

Tickets (€2,00) can be bought at the location of the show: Basisschool “Dukdalf”, Makassarweg 68, Almere Buiten, or odered by sending an e-mail with your name and address to  kingbling488@yahoo.com, also, please include the number of tickets you want to order.

Buy one ticket and get another one free. - just in case you want to take along a friend or a family member.

Reserved tickets can be picked-up and paid for at the location of the show: Basisschool “Dukdalf”, Makassarweg 68, Almere Buiten, between 14:30 – 14:45 . The show begins at 15.00 .

NEDERLANDS

King of Bling komt naar Almere op zaterdag 20 juni

Een grappige, muzikale komedie – geschikt voor jong en oud - over Koning Midas, de koning die alles in goud veranderde.

Deze 2 uur durende musikale presentatie verplaats zich in een snel tempo. En dit alles in een prachtige 'setting' met mooie kostuums. De voorstelling zowel de liedjes zijn in het Nederlands.

Kaartjes (á €2,00) kunnen van tevoren besteld worden: Om uw kaartjes te bestellen stuur een e-mail naar kingbling488@yahoo.com met vermelding van uw naam, adres en het aantal kaartjes dat u wilt bestellen.

Koop 1 kaartje en krijg het 2e kaartje gratis (om iemand anders uit te nodigen.)

Gereserveerde kaartjes kunt u aan de kassa bij de Basisschool “Dukdalf”, Makassarweg 68, Almere Buiten, betalen en ophalen tussen 14:30 – 14:45 . De voorstelling begint om 15.00.

EU-Digest 

The Netherlands - Almere: Free Concert by Holland's Hottest Gospel Choir "the Amsterdam FireChoir" in Almere tonight

Holland's most popular Gospel Choir, the Amsterdam FireChoir, which also performed with Barbara Streisand at the Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome will be giving a free concert in Almere tonight.

FireChoir is open to everyone! People of all cultures, nationalities, religious or non-religious persuasions. FireChoir is a professional and exciting musical adventure.

Tonight's event  - (May30 - 19.30) is at t'Klankbord, Pianoweg 117, Almere, Muziekwijk, located  next to the parking of the Muziekwijk train station.  A 4 minute walk  from the station.

The New Day International Church in Almere is the sponsor of this free event.

Almere-Digest

The Netherlands: Almere Municipality ends up with a budget surplus of euro 300.000 in 2013

Kings Birthday Almere

Almere's city council and their civil servants spent 10 percent less in 2013 than was budgeted for that year The Almere annual report shows that just over 300.000 euros were saved. That money now goes back to the general funds of the municipality..

In total, the city council spent 2.8 million euros last year. Of this total, EUR 1 million was spent on the salaries of civil servants working for the municipality. The elected councilors received almost 1.4 million in salaries and fees for their work during that period.

The Almere municipal council met 36 times last year.

Almere is considered the newest  (became a municipality in 1976)  and  most modern city in Europe and presently has about 200.000 inhabitants

Gemeenteraad Almere houdt 3 ton over - Nieuws

Netherlands: Geert Wilders "a racist A-hole" screams headline of the AD newspaper - Is he? - "Absolutely" say majority of Dutch voters

Geert Wilders may have blown his chances in the European elections, writes Robin Pascoe in the Dutch News.NL following his racist statements last night in the Hague.

Even though Wilders party the PVV  fielded candidates only  in The Hague and the city of Almere, Wilders must have hoped it was going to be his night in the Hague, just like in 2010.

The party was pretty well assured of remaining the biggest in the polder city of Almere and looked set to dominate in fhe Hague as well.

It did not work out for Wilders as he had hoped.

Support for the PVV fell in both places - almost one percentage point in Almere and 2.6 percentage points in The Hague. Only Government coalition partners Labour and the VVD did worse in the city of peace and justice.

Before the results became known, however, Wilders was prepared to triumph. He entered the party meeting in The Hague - once again - as he called it, "the eye of the Tiger",  from the theme of the movie Rocky. He wanted to be the classic underdog looking to deliver a knock-out blow to the political establishment in The Hague.

He spoke of what a great night it was - even though the results that interested him were not yet out - and then came the chanting. 'Do you want more or fewer Moroccans in your city and in the Netherlands?,’ Wilders asked the crowd. They chanted ‘fewer, fewer, fewer’. 'We're going to organize it,' Wilders said with a faint smile.

"It ain't going to happen - you racist A-hole", said a political opponent. .

EU-Digest

The Netherlands: Sharia proponent Haitham al-Haddad Upcoming Visit To Almere Causing Major Controversy

Haitham al-Haddadto speak in Almere

The City Council of  Almere has been embroiled in a controversy as to a speaking engagement of Haitham al-Haddad in Almere. Cleric Haitham al-Haddad  is a controversial Sharia proponent from England. 

He comes to Almere on Februari 7 at the invitation of the Organization of Muslim Youth Almere.

Show van Dijk member of the PVV ( Freedom Party)  political fraction in the Almere City Council said that  the Muslim Clerc Haitham al-Haddad should not be allowed to speak in Almere. He noted that Haitham al-Haddad in the past has made some very radical statements about non-muslims which are unacceptable in a secular and multi-cultural society like the Netherlands. Also the SP (Socialist Party) representative in the Almere City Coincil said they were against Haitham al-Haddad presentation in Almere.
 
The VVD (Conservative), Liveable Almere ( Right-Wing) and Green (Liberal) political fractions in the City Council stated that based on Dutch laws guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression, Haitham al-Haddad should be allowed to  give his talk on Sharia Law, as long as the content of his talk does not violate Dutch laws and the politicians suggested that the format of the presentation not be one of a formal lecture, but rather an open discussion..

It might be good to note that all aspects of a Muslim's life are governed by Sharia. Sharia law comes from a combination of sources including the Quran (the Muslim holy book), the Hadith (sayings and conduct of the prophet Muhammad) and fatwas (the rulings of Islamic scholars).

In Europe so-called Islamic "peace judges" or arbiters are settling criminal cases, not just in Germany but in many other European countries as well. Muslim immigrants generally prefer their own judges and do not trust secular Western legal systems. Thus, Islamic shadow justice systems are making inroads into Western societies. 

"Under Sharia law to settle disputes can be innocent, but it can also undermine Western ideas of fairness," Der Spiegel reports. 

Journalist Joachim Wagner, author of a new German study on parallel justice, says that the world of the Islamic shadow justice system is "very foreign, and for a German lawyer completely incomprehensible. It follows its own rules. The Islamic arbitrators aren't interested in evidence when they deliver a judgment, and unlike in German criminal law, the question of who is at fault doesn't play much of a role." The arbitrators "talk with the perpetrator's family who are generally the ones who have called the arbitrator, and with the victim's family," Wagner says. "They ask: Why did this happen? How bad is the damage? How serious is the injury? But for them, a solution of the conflict, a compromise, is the most important thing." 
  
Reportedly, at least 85 Sharia courts now operate in the UK, dispensing rulings that are often illegal, per British jurisprudence.

Muslim states which embrace Sharia Law are able to enforce public morality and as a result have greatly reduced women’s mobility and their participation in the public sphere.

In 2008, a Dutch-Turkish woman was raped by her nephew. But the Dutch-Turkish Imam Bahauddin (Bahaeddin) Budak advised her not to inform her relatives about it. If she would go pulic about the crime and sue her nephew in court, her life might be in danger. 

He also advised her to forgive the perpetrator. Such crimes are very common among Turkish, Moroccan, Pakistani, Iraqi and Iranian immigrants in Europe many of whom still regard women as sex objects. There is also a strong tendency to cover up crimes such as rape. Women who dare to talk about it in public, or who report such crimes to the police, very often face serious repercussions, since the so-called "honor of the family" is at stake. 

In too many cases, these defenseless victims are subsequently even killed by family members. Budak was also a Muslim religious teacher at the "Inholland university of applied sciences" in Amsterdam. Inholland's director Cor de Raadt had Budak temporarily suspended, but a lot of Dutch Muslims complained about De Raadt's decision and showed solidarity with Imam Budak. 

A Dutch professor in Theology at Amsterdam University noted: "Sharia Law is an archaic law which should not even be qualified as a law. It does not belong in any shape or form in Europe, or for that matter in any other self respecting Democratic society". 

Almere-Digest 

The Netherlands: What is Almere and Flevoland doing to attract foreign companies to the area and what were the results in 2013?

The Scottisch press recently  reported that some of Scotland's fastest growing technology employers are seeking to band together to attract talented digital experts to move north of the Border.

Senior figures at internet dating company Cupid, Tesco Bank and flight comparison website Skyscanner have held talks about how they can persuade the technology industry's rising stars to come to Scotland.

Phil Gripton, the new chief executive of Cupid said: "I have been talking to those at Skyscanner and Tesco Bank.

"We are trying to work together to make Edinburgh a much more attractive place to bring in digital talent."
He said that with other potential employers such as Virgin Money and the Scottish Government, digital experts have substantial career options in Edinburgh and Scotland more generally.

Mr Gripton is among those who have been tempted to move north after he relocated from Manchester to Edinburgh on initially joining Cupid as managing director of its dating services business a year ago.

He formally took over as chief executive from Bill Dobbie on December 1 and has succeeded in bringing in a number senior staffers with experience at major digital employers such as Skype and Match.com to the business as he reshaped the team around him.

This raises an immediate question as to comparable efforts made in the Almere- Flevoland area.

Is there a report available as to what efforts have been made in  2013 in getting foreign companies to settle in the province of Flevoland and Almere, and how many jobs have been created as a result of this.

So far the only answer Almere-Digest was able to get on this question was that the City of Almere foreign promotion was being done together with Amsterdam. Unfortunately concrete facts about the results were unable to come by.

Almere-Digest

The Netherlands: Almere and four other cities selected for nomination as the bicycle city of Holland

Beautiful scenic bike paths  in Holland

Almere, Europe's newest and most modern city has been selected together with the cities of Eindhoven, Enschede, Velsen and Zwolle,  to be nominated in the spring of 2014 as the bicycle city of the Netherlands by the Dutch Bicycle Federation.

These five cites were among nineteen cities that had initially registered to participate in this selection.

There are more bicycles than residents in The Netherlands and in cities like Amsterdam and The Hague up to 70% of all journeys are made by bike. 

To make cycling safer and more inviting the Dutch have built a vast network of cycle paths.

These are clearly marked, have smooth surfaces, separate signs and lights for those on two wheels, and wide enough to allow side-by-side cycling and overtaking.

Even before they can walk, Dutch children are immersed in a world of cycling. As babies and toddlers they travel in special seats on "bakfiets", or cargo bikes. These seats are often equipped with canopies to protect the children from the elements.

Biking in the Netherlands is an integral part of everyday life rather than a specialist's accessory or a symbol of a minority lifestyle. Dutch people in general are not concerned about having the very latest model of bike or hi-tech gadgets. 

Getting on a bike is fun and safe in the Netherlands

Almere-Digest

Almere cuts budget by another 7 million euro's

Almere

After cutting Almere's budget by 17 million euro's in the spring, councilman Mark Pol of the Conservative VVD announcing the proposed budget for 2014 said the City budget would be cut by another 7 million euro's.

It was also announced that the Dutch Government  had cut Almere's subsidy from the National City Council Fund by 6 million euro's and that the City would receive euro 900.000 less for school housing purposes.

All these budget cuts for Almere come in addition to budget cuts which now total 48 million since 2010.

Presently Almere has 195,000 inhabitants and 14,500 businesses. . It is also considered one of  Europe's fastest growing cities and is well on the way to become the fifth largest city in the Netherlands over the next twenty years.

These budget cuts are seen as potential dangers to Almere's future development and growth. The city is only 38 years old and is seen by many architects around the world as Europe's most modern and environmentally advanced cities

Almere-Digest

World Trade Center Almere: Invitation to the "Masterclass of Useful Alliances"

Participate in the "Masterclass of Useful Alliances" and integrate this knowledge into your own company or organization. To register and for further details please click on the link below.

Uitnodiging Masterclass Waardevolle Allianties 22 oktober 2013

Almere World Trade Center Starts Master Class Business Modelling

The Almere World Trade Center is offering a one day Masterclass for entrepreneurs who are starting up a business and for established managers in both the Public and Private sector.

This Masterclass is based  on "learning by doing".  Following the completion of this course participants can even develop their own business model.

For starting companies the model can be used as a marketing tool and for already established companies and organizations it can be used to develop new innovative ideas.

Either way, a win win offer for self motivational enrichment.

For additional information click here  

EU-Digest

Almere: Asian tiger mosquito found in seven Dutch locations, clean-up underway

The Asian tiger mosquito has been identified at seven locations in the Netherlands and efforts are underway to eradicate it, government safety experts said recently.

The mosquito, which can carry dangerous diseases such as yellow fever, has been identified at used tyre import companies in Oss, Weert, Montfort, Almere, Lelystad, Emmeloord and Harderberg, the NVWA inspectorate said in a statement.

The European centre for infectious diseases said earlier this year the tiger mosquito, an aggressive, day-time biting mosquito which can transmit some 20 viruses and parasites, had made its home in the Netherlands, but that was denied at the time by local officials.

Read more: DutchNews.nl - Asian tiger mosquito found in seven Dutch locations, clean-up underway

Almere - the environment: Using sheep instead of grass mowers

Sheep instead of lawn mowers?

Starting today a herd of some 300 sheep will take over from the gas guzzling and noisy grass mowers in Almere Harbor ( Almere Haven) to keep all public "green" areas trimmed and proper during a three year trial period.

The local city council says they believe this is an environmentally friendly way to keep public grass areas not only trimmed, but also to protect certain plant species, which sheep don't eat, from extinction.

The Council also expressed the hope that the grazing sheep will create additional interest among the local inhabitants as to the ecology and wildlife surrounding them.

Almere-Digest

Almere WTCAA Business Services launched on September 3

Patricia van Giessen Business Club and events manager

From Tuesday September 3 WTCAA Almere offer the members of their International Business Club a comprehensive package of business services.

The WTClublounge is open every day from 9: 30 am-5 pm for IBC members. Members can also use this space as a flexible workplace or as a place to have an informal meeting with clients. Coffee and tea is available, as well as daily newspapers and magazines. Guests and members can also make use of the free Wi-Fi and the attached network printer. (Usage based on fair use.)

The WTConference room can also be reserved by IBC members, free of charge, for up to 16 hours per year. This meeting room has all the presentation equipment available for your professional presentations..

WTC members can also book their travel reservation  via the WTC website  If you lost "your log-in codes" contact the Secretariat of  the WTC. (see their website).

In case you are traveling for business or pleasure the WTC can take care of a variety of your chores while you are away.

The WTC Almere also has some rental units available on the second floor. These units (80-100 m2 per unit) are slightly bigger than the current units. If you have any interest in  renting one of these units, or anything, else please contact.

Almere-Digest

Almere : some EURO 86 million appropriated money for job creating projects still on the shelf

It has been reported that in Flevoland millions of euros in 2006  investment funds, which were earmarked  for stimulating the economy there are still held back in the Province administration capital of Lelystad.

Consequently many projects did not get off the ground. This is the conclusion of a Court of Auditors report on the investment program Flevoland-Almere (IFA).

The IFA, which has a term of ten to fifteen years to administer Government funds, specially aimed at the 'unique urban climate of Almere' designed to develop and market the economic position of Almere in the North Wing of the Randstad. 

The idea was also to encourage entrepreneurs and residents to come up with appealing ideas for Almere. For example social, cultural and economic focused  projects.

The Suburban Court of Auditors and the Court of Auditors also examined individually and later  in cooperation with the municipality of Almere the recommendations of  previous evaluations, which for example included tighter control mechanisms.

But despite all this, the earmarked money is still  on the shelf "somewhere". Originally the Province of Flevoland and Almere agreed  that EUR 100 million would be made available in three tranches.  This has now shrunk to around EURO 89 million.

Once these funds are released it will require to have hands-on projects available which can be put into immediate action. Unfortunately these projects are still on the drawing board and don't seem to have been thought through in any detail yet.

Almere=Digest .

Almere: First iPad-Only 'Steve Jobs Schools To Open In Almere and seven other Dutch cities- by James Cull

The first seven exclusive "Steve Jobs schools" have opened their doors across a number of cities in the Netherlands. Starting  today, schools in the Dutch cities of Sneek, Breda, Almere, Emmen, Heenvliet and Amsterdam will start teaching students according to the principles of the O4NT, or Onderwijs voor een nieuwe tijd (Education for a new era), which emphasizes the role of the iPad in an elementary school environment.

The program, which was first proposed by Dutch officials back in March 2012, gives every child access to a "virtual school" through an iPad and helps them develop information and communication technology (ICT) and information processing skills, collaboration techniques and a critical, problem-solving and creative mind.

The O4NT foundation is currently in talks with a number of school boards across the Netherlands and they hope that more schools will sign up the model next year. The program has a number of benefits: apart from teaching children useful skills, school hours and vacations are a lot more flexible under the new model — as the "virtual school" is accessible round the clock, 365 days a year (although the Dutch Ministry of Education is currently preventing this scenario due to legislative restrictions) — and the ICT-based approach also has a major impact on the role of the teacher. 

Read more: First Seven iPad-Only 'Steve Jobs Schools' Open in the Netherlands - Mac Rumors

The Netherlands: what is Almere doing to capture investments like Tesla, which just opened plant in Tilburg ?

Tesla Motors which recently won the car of the year award opened an assembly plant in Tilburg, Netherlands, and delivered the first Tesla Model S vehicles to customers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany.

The 18,900 square meter facility will not produce the Model S from scratch; instead, it will receive the vehicles for final assembly and send them on their way across the continent.

To mark the occasion, first buyers from the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany showed up at the opening to receive their cars.

The car company chose Tilburg because of is proximity to the port of Rotterdam, as well as the high quality and availability of transportation options there.

"This location is pivotal to Tesla's European operations, which are expanding rapidly over the coming months with openings of around 15 new stores and service centres," Bryan Batista, Tesla's EU sales director, said in a statement.

The question which obviously arises is what has Almere done to capture investments which create jobs like Tilburg seems to be able to do? So far, it seems, not much.

Almere-Digest

You are welcome at the Afrikadag Almere 2013

On Sunday September 15, the city of Almere will show her African colors again, when the Afrikadag Almere takes place at the scenic open air venue Stadslandgoed De Kemphaan.

Some highlights in this year’s line-up are Mami Wata, an interactive theatre show for children, and a pre-fashion show of the annual Kente Festival. Closing act of the festival will be Nusodia, a dynamic blend of West-African and European musicians and dancers.

Apart from the artists on stage, visitors can sample many different aspects of African culture, from Moroccan drums and Gambian batik to modern African dance and a Somali coffee ceremony.

There are plenty activities for children and on the market you will, by all means, find your your favourite African and Suriname food and drinks.

More information about the programme can be found at www.afrikadag-almere.nl or call Kwame P at 036-5399643.

Almere-Digest